Patent ID: 7262034

Claim:
A process for the improved production of at least one of D-pantothenic acid and an alkaline earth metal salt thereof, comprising: a) fermenting, in a fermentation broth, microorganisms of the Bacillus group selected from the group consisting of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus lentimorbus, Bacillus lentus, Bacillus firmus, Bacillus pantothenticus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus halodurans, Bacillus brevis, Bacillus stearothermophilus , and Bacillus pulvifaciens , in which at least one nucleotide sequence from Bacillus subtilis which encodes a protein selected from the group consisting of phosphoserine aminotransferase, phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase is overexpressed, wherein the microorganisms produce D-pantothenic acid before the nucleotide sequence is overexpressed, and b) concentrating the D-pantothenic acid and/or salts thereof in the fermentation broth or in the microorganisms.