Continuous production of glutathione using immobilized microbial cells containing ATP generating system.

Acetate kinase reaction in Escherichia coli cells and glycolytic pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were utilized as ATP generation systems for glutathione synthetic processes. These two ATP generation systems were well coupled with glutathione synthetase reactions and glutathione was produced by coimmobilized E. coli cells with dextran-bound ATP or by immobilized S. cerevisiae cells. The glycolytic pathway in S. cerevisiae cells was further utilized for the biosynthetic processes of other useful compounds.