A CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION METHOD FOR THEANINE BY IMMOBILIZED PSEUDOMONAS-NITROREDUCENS CELLS

Theanine synthesis from glutamine and ethylamine by immobilized cells of Pseudomonas nitroreducens as a biocatalyst was investigated. A reactor was constructed by connecting four columns, each of which was packed with immobilized bacterial cells. The glutaminase activity of the immobilized cells in a mixture of glutamine and ethylamine, pH 9.5, was somewhat unstable in the early stage of the biosynthesis. However, the enzyme became stable as theanine was produced and the reactor maintained the synthetic activity for at least several weeks. Several factors affecting the efficiency of theanine synthesis, but especially the temperature, pH and flow rate of the substrate, were examined.