present experiments (Kip,2 = 600 g l−1). This indicates
that xylose substrate inhibition effects are less
significant than those of glucose for both growth and
ethanol production.
In conclusion, it is evident that a modelling approach
can provide increased insight into the various
factors influencing the fermentation kinetics of
a recombinant strain of Z. mobilis on glucose/xylose
media. It provides also a basis for its extension to
continuous culture data and to predictions of optimal
dilution rates and maximum productivities for various
conditions and sugar concentrations.