Committee Chair

Harris, Bradley

Committee Member

Kode, Venkateswara; Turgeson, Andrew

Department

Dept. of Engineering

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

Xylitol, a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as both an artificial sweetener and an anticariogenic agent. Traditional xylitol production relies on harsh chemicals and energy-intensive processes, making microbial fermentation a more sustainable alternative. This study explores the ability of Candida tropicalis to convert D-xylose into xylitol through the enzyme xylose reductase, with a focus on optimizing pH conditions to enhance conversion efficiency. To achieve this, both experimental fermentation and computational molecular dynamics simulations using GROMACS and the pHbuilder tool are employed. By analyzing the enzyme’s stability and structural dynamics across different pH levels, this research aims to improve xylitol yield while minimizing environmental impact. The findings contribute to advancing green chemistry principles and industrial bioprocess engineering, offering a cleaner, more efficient approach to xylitol production.

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to my friends and family, who have always supported me through my academic journey. Whether it be calls to check in or listening to me rant about everything I felt was going wrong, I appreciate it more than you know. To my coworkers at W.R.Grace, thank you for dealing with whacky schedules for the last 3.5 years so that I could pursue this degree. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to my advisor, Dr. Bradley Harris, for taking me on and teaching me new things, especially how to research. I extend a heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Venkateswara Kode, and Dr. Andrew Turgeson for their support, guidance, and assistance as committee members. A special thanks to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) Civil and Chemical Engineering Department for creating an environment that pushed me to learn new things, as well as make new friends. To UTC’s Chemistry department, specifically Dr. Heather Riley, for staying late when I needed to get results, and Dr. Gretchen Potts for assistance with methodology using the HPLC, I thank you as well.

Degree

M. S.; A thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science.

Date

12-2025

Subject

Candida tropicalis--Genetics; Fermentation--Industrial applications; Xylitol--Biotechnology

Keyword

xylitol; biotechnology; candida tropicalis; fermentation; sugar alcohols

Document Type

Masters theses

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xii, 31 leaves

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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