Production of bacterial cellulose by Gluconacetobacter hansenii PJK isolated from rotten apple

A cellulose-producing strain isolated from rotten apples was identified as Gluconacetobacter hansenii based on its physiological properties and the 16S rDNA complete sequencing method, and specifically named Gluconacetobacter hansenii PJK. The amount of bacterial cellulose (BC) produced by G. hansenii PJK in a shaking incubator was 1.5 times higher than that produced in a static culture. The addition of ethanol to the medium during cultivation enhanced the productivity of bacterial cellulose, plus the supplementation of 1% ethanol into the culture medium made the produced BC aggregate into a big lump and thus protected the bacterial-cellulose-producing G. hansenii PJK cells in the shear stress field from being converted into non-cellulose-producing (Cel) mutants. Cells subcultured three times in a medium containing ethanol retained their ability to produce BC without any loss in the production yield.