Corynebacterium glutamicum accumulates extracellular xylitol during aerobic growth on d-xylose containing substrates.
Intracellular xylitol is partly converted to cytotoxic xylitol-5-phosphatein C. glutamicum pEKEx3-xylAXc-xylBCg (ISO).
Low amounts of supplemented xylitol strongly inhibit the growth of the ISO strain on d-xylose, d-glucose and d-arabitol.
Xylitol is a suitable substrate of the endogenous xylulokinase(encoded by xylB).
The Weimbergroute, operating independently from xylulokinase activity, could be an effective substitute towards efficient D-xylose utilization in C. glutamicum.