Conversion of cellulose to sugars by resting cells of a mesophilic anaerobe, Bacteriodes cellulosolvens.

During the growth of Bacteroides cellulosolvens in media containing cellulose, the accumulation of unutilized sugars in the culture broth occurred mainly during the stationary phase of growth. Cells harvested during the stationary phase of growth continued to convert both cellulose and hemicellulose to cellobiose, glucose, and xylose. These three sugars caused feedback inhibition. Continuous removal of these sugars during the incubation of cells with cellulose at pH 5 accumulated ca. 32 g/L of sugars as compared to ca. 17 g/ produced under batch conditions of growth. Sugar formation by resting cells also increased with increasing cell concentration and did not require any nutrient.