PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HYDROXYCARBOXYLIC ACID

摘要

Hydroxycarboxylic acids including glycolic acid are promising compounds for use as a material for polymers or an intermediate for medicines. However, the processes for hydroxycarboxylic acid production which are presently known have a problem that none of them can supply an inexpensive high-purity hydroxycarboxylic acid. An object of the invention is to produce a microorganism which highly yields in a short time a hydroxycarboxylic acid reduced in impurity content and to provide a process for producing a hydroxycarboxylic acid, e.g., glycolic acid, with the microorganism. A microorganism is produced which has the imparted or enhanced activity of an enzyme catalyzing a reaction in which ethylene glycol is converted to glycolaldehyde. With this microorganism, a hydroxycarboxylic acid, e.g., glycolic acid, which is reduced in impurity content is highly produced in a short time. The production process enables a hydroxycarboxylic acid having a high purity to be supplied at low cost.