Production of catalase-free alcohol oxidase by Hansenula polymorpha

Many of the potential technical applications of alcohol oxidase (MOX; EC 1.1.3.13) are limited by the presence of high activities of catalase in the enzyme preparations. In order to circumvent laborious and costly purification or inactivation procedures, the induction of MOX in a catalase-negative mutant of Hansenula polymorpha has been studied. Emphasis was laid on the induction of activities of MOX and the dissimilatory enzymes in continuous cultures grown on various mixtures of formate/glucose and formaldehyde/glucose. In continuous cultures of the catalase-negative mutant grown on these mixtures, MOX can be induced efficiently. To obtain a stable and productive process, the ratio of the substrates is of critical importance. The optimal ratios of the mixtures for the catalase-negative strain for formate/glucose and formaldehyde/glucose were 3:1 and 1–2:1, respectively. Under identical cultivation conditions the wild-type strain showed similar induction patterns for MOX and the dissimilatory enzymes formaldehyde dehydrogenase (FaDH) and formate dehydrogenase (FoDH). The MOX levels in the catalase-negative strain were approx. 50% of those in the wild-type strain.