Stability Outside the Cells

In some cases it is more attractive to use whole microbial cells, rather than isolated enzymes, as biocatalysts. This is the case in many oxidative biotransformations where cofactor regeneration is required and/or the enzyme has low stability outside the cell. By performing the reaction as a fermentation, i.e. with growing microbial cells, the cofactor is continuously regenerated from the energy source, e.g. glucose. 

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