Bacterial cellulose production by Gluconacetobacter hansenii in an agitated culture without living non-cellulose producing cells

Bacterial cellulose (BC) was produced by Gluconacetobacter hansenii PJK in a jar fermenter equipped with a 6 flat-blade turbine impeller and the relationship between the populations of non-cellulose producing cells (Cel− mutants) and BC production was investigated. The population of Cel− mutants converted from cellulose producing cells (Cel+ cells) decreased as the impeller speed increased. Cel+ cells seemed to be protected from the strong shear stress generated by the impeller rotating at a high speed by the BC net produced by the cells. There was an optimum impeller speed in maximizing the population of Cel+ cells and BC production. The optimum impeller speed increased with ethanol supplementation to a basal medium. The by-product, water-soluble polysaccharide (WSPS), was a homopolysaccharide of glucuronic acid. WSPS production was related to the population ratio of Cel+ cells to the total cells.