Product inhibition of the fermentative formation of glutamic acid.

The addition of penicillin to cells of Corynebacterium glutamicum growing in 5-liter fermentors initiated the excretion of glutamic acid. The rate of glutamate production in fermentors declined continuously with time and reached 75% of the initial rate in 24 hr after penicillin had been added. The addition of glutamate to resting cell suspensions had only a slight effect on sugar utilization but caused a marked decrease in glutamate excretion. It is suggested that the high level of glutamate accumulating in the fermentation broth is responsible for inhibiting its own production.