| abstract |
The invention relates to a method for the production of xylitol, the method comprising n (a1) providing (i) a microorganism having xylanolytic activity, and (ii) a microorganism capable of converting a pentose sugar to xylitol; or n (a2) providing a microorganism having xylanolytic activity and being capable of converting a pentose sugar to xylitol, n (b) culturing the microorganism of step (al) (i) or the microorganism of step (a2) in a medium comprising polymer or oligomer materials containing pentose sugars in conditions sufficient for enabling hydrolysis of said polymers or oligomers by the microorganism; n (c) producing xylitol in the microorganism of step (a1) (ii) or in the microorganism of step (a2) by bioconversion of the hydrolysis products obtained in step (b), and n (d) recovering said xylitol produced. n The invention also relates to a microorganism, which has xylanolytic activity and has been genetically modified (i) to enhance its xylanolytic activity, and (ii) to reduce its xylitol metabolism. |