Abstract: The study on the growing of Gluconobater oxydans in sorbitol culture and oxidative effects its non-growing cells to sobitol were carried out dynamicly. The results demonstrated that sorbitol as carbon source restrains the microorganism from growing.When the contrentration of sorbitol is 2%, the microorganism grows the best. When the culture volume is 20 ml, the concentration of non-growing cells is 1.0 mg dry cell weight/ml, and the product rate is the highest with 77% after 34 hours. When the culture volume is 10 ml, and the concentration of non-growing cells is 2.0 mg dry cell weight/ml, the result of biotransforma- tion is optimal, which is 90% after 16 hours. In addition, when the microorganism grows in sorbitol culture without Mg+, and its non-growing cells oxidate sorbitol without Mg+, sorbitol oxidation does not take place.

Key words: Gluconobater oxydans, fermentation, boitransformation, sorbitol