Table 1 Fermentation characteristics of the wild type E. coli and its phoB and phoR mutants in the aerobic chemostat culture under different phosphate concentrations at the dilution rate of 0.2 h^-1 at pH 7.0.

Biomass concentration (g/l)

Wild

3.86 ± 0.03

3.68 ± 0.05

3.47 ± 0.05

3.08 ± 0.02

2.78 ± 0.03

1.69 ± 0.03

-

-

ΔphoB

3.44 ± 0.04

3.560 ± 0.011

-

-

-

3.64 ± 0.01

3.24 ± 0.02

0.050 ± 0.001

ΔphoR

-

-

-

-

-

3.710 ± 0.112

-

-

Glucose concentration (g/l)

Wild

0.660 ± 0.004

0.760 ± 0.004

0.557 ± 0.001

0.700 ± 0.003

0.700 ± 0.003

1.85 ± 0.01

_

_

ΔphoB

1.59 ± 0.29

1.66 ± 0.23

-

-

-

1.050 ± 0.001

1.330 ± 0.001

9.960 ± 0.001

ΔphoR

-

-

-

-

-

0.910 ± 0.004

-

-

Acetate concentration (g/l)

Wild

0.046 ± 0.002

0.042 ± 0.001

0.410 ± 0.001

0.43 ± 0.07

0.41 ± 0.03

0.41 ± 0.02

_

_

ΔphoB

0.255 ± 0.130

0.233 ± 0.030

_

_

_

0.346 ± 0.010

0.440 ± 0.010

0.002 ± 0.002

ΔphoR

-

-

-

-

-

0.0035 ± 0.0010

-

-

Specific glucose uptake rate (mmol/gDCW/h)

Wild

2.69 ± 0.05

2.79 ± 0.02

3.024 ± 0.005

3.350 ± 0.001

3.717 ± 0.002

5.36 ± 0.01

_

_

ΔphoB

2.72 ± 0.09

2.60 ± 0.07

_

_

_

2.730 ± 0.003

2.970 ± 0.001

0.890 ± 0.001

ΔphoR

-

-

-

-

-

2.70 ± 0.004

-

-

Specific acetate production rate (mmol/gDCW/h)

Wild

0.040 ± 0.002

0.0380 ± 0.0001

0.394 ± 0.010

0.465 ± 0.003

0.491 ± 0.030

0.81 ± 0.02

_

_

ΔphoB

0.247 ± 0.080

0.218 ± 0.033

_

_

_

0.317 ± 0.001

0.452 ± 0.010

0.133 ± 0.002

ΔphoR

-

-

-

-

-

0.0031 ± 0.0010

-

-