D-Glucose

Confectionary, infant foods, medicine, brewing and wine making, intermediate, caramel coloring, baking and canning, source of methane by anaerobic fermentation, source of certain amino acids (e.g. lysine) by fermentation.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a diverse family of plant-specialized metabolites that include the pharmaceuticals codeine and morphine and their derivatives. Microbial synthesis of BIAs holds promise as an alternative to traditional crop-based manufacturing. Here we demonstrate the production of the key BIA intermediate (S)-reticuline from glucose in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To aid in this effort, we developed an enzyme-coupled biosensor for the upstream intermediate L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). Using this sensor, we identified an active tyrosine hydroxylase and improved its L-DOPA yields by 2.8-fold via PCR mutagenesis.

Anhydrous Dextrose is the anhydrous form of D-glucose, a natural monosaccharide and carbohydrate. Dextrose serves to replenish lost nutrients and electrolytes. The agent provides metabolic energy and is the primary ingredient in oral rehydration salts (ORS) and is used in intravenous (IV) fluids to provide nutrients to patients under intensive care who are unable to receive them by the oral route. Solutions containing dextrose restore blood glucose levels and provide calories and may aid in minimizing liver glycogen depletion and exerts a protein-sparing action. Dextrose anhydrous also plays a role in the production of proteins and in lipid metabolism.

Dextrose is manufactured almost exclusively from corn (maize) starch in the United States. In other countries, starch from sorghum (milo), wheat, rice, potato, tapioca (yucca, cassava), arrowroot, and sago are used to varying degrees along with corn starch. Prior to the 1960s, commercial dextrose was produced using acid and acid-enzyme hydrolysis processes that yielded only about 86 and 92-94% dextrose, respectively. The development of thermostable bacterial a-amylase enzymes led to total enzyme processes that eliminated acid degradation products and increased dextrose yield to about 95-97%.