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Santolin L, Riedel SL, Brigham CJ. Synthetic biology toolkit of Ralstonia eutropha (Cupriavidus necator). Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:450. [PMID: 39207499 PMCID: PMC11362209 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13284-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic biology encompasses many kinds of ideas and techniques with the common theme of creating something novel. The industrially relevant microorganism, Ralstonia eutropha (also known as Cupriavidus necator), has long been a subject of metabolic engineering efforts to either enhance a product it naturally makes (polyhydroxyalkanoate) or produce novel bioproducts (e.g., biofuels and other small molecule compounds). Given the metabolic versatility of R. eutropha and the existence of multiple molecular genetic tools and techniques for the organism, development of a synthetic biology toolkit is underway. This toolkit will allow for novel, user-friendly design that can impart new capabilities to R. eutropha strains to be used for novel application. This article reviews the different synthetic biology techniques currently available for modifying and enhancing bioproduction in R. eutropha. KEY POINTS: • R. eutropha (C. necator) is a versatile organism that has been examined for many applications. • Synthetic biology is being used to design more powerful strains for bioproduction. • A diverse synthetic biology toolkit is being developed to enhance R. eutropha's capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Santolin
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Biotechnology, Chair of Bioprocess Engineering, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sebastian L Riedel
- Berliner Hochschule Für Technik, Department VIII - Mechanical Engineering, Event Technology and Process Engineering, Environmental and Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Christopher J Brigham
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, USA.
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2
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Mishra S, Perkovich PM, Mitchell WP, Venkataraman M, Pfleger BF. Expanding the synthetic biology toolbox of Cupriavidus necator for establishing fatty acid production. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 51:kuae008. [PMID: 38366943 PMCID: PMC10926325 DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuae008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
The Gram-negative betaproteobacterium Cupriavidus necator is a chemolithotroph that can convert carbon dioxide into biomass. Cupriavidus necator has been engineered to produce a variety of high-value chemicals in the past. However, there is still a lack of a well-characterized toolbox for gene expression and genome engineering. Development and optimization of biosynthetic pathways in metabolically engineered microorganisms necessitates control of gene expression via functional genetic elements such as promoters, ribosome binding sites (RBSs), and codon optimization. In this work, a set of inducible and constitutive promoters were validated and characterized in C. necator, and a library of RBSs was designed and tested to show a 50-fold range of expression for green fluorescent protein (gfp). The effect of codon optimization on gene expression in C. necator was studied by expressing gfp and mCherry genes with varied codon-adaptation indices and was validated by expressing codon-optimized variants of a C12-specific fatty acid thioesterase to produce dodecanoic acid. We discuss further hurdles that will need to be overcome for C. necator to be widely used for biosynthetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivangi Mishra
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Paul M Perkovich
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | | | - Maya Venkataraman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Brian F Pfleger
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Salinas A, McGregor C, Irorere V, Arenas-López C, Bommareddy RR, Winzer K, Minton NP, Kovács K. Metabolic engineering of Cupriavidus necator H16 for heterotrophic and autotrophic production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid. Metab Eng 2022; 74:178-190. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Oliver Huidobro M, Tica J, Wachter GKA, Isalan M. Synthetic spatial patterning in bacteria: advances based on novel diffusible signals. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:1685-1694. [PMID: 34843638 PMCID: PMC9151330 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineering multicellular patterning may help in the understanding of some fundamental laws of pattern formation and thus may contribute to the field of developmental biology. Furthermore, advanced spatial control over gene expression may revolutionize fields such as medicine, through organoid or tissue engineering. To date, foundational advances in spatial synthetic biology have often been made in prokaryotes, using artificial gene circuits. In this review, engineered patterns are classified into four levels of increasing complexity, ranging from spatial systems with no diffusible signals to systems with complex multi-diffusor interactions. This classification highlights how the field was held back by a lack of diffusible components. Consequently, we provide a summary of both previously characterized and some new potential candidate small-molecule signals that can regulate gene expression in Escherichia coli. These diffusive signals will help synthetic biologists to successfully engineer increasingly intricate, robust and tuneable spatial structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jure Tica
- Department of Life SciencesImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
| | | | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life SciencesImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
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Pan H, Wang J, Wu H, Li Z, Lian J. Synthetic biology toolkit for engineering Cupriviadus necator H16 as a platform for CO 2 valorization. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:212. [PMID: 34736496 PMCID: PMC8570001 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-02063-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CO2 valorization is one of the effective methods to solve current environmental and energy problems, in which microbial electrosynthesis (MES) system has proved feasible and efficient. Cupriviadus necator (Ralstonia eutropha) H16, a model chemolithoautotroph, is a microbe of choice for CO2 conversion, especially with the ability to be employed in MES due to the presence of genes encoding [NiFe]-hydrogenases and all the Calvin-Benson-Basham cycle enzymes. The CO2 valorization strategy will make sense because the required hydrogen can be produced from renewable electricity independently of fossil fuels. MAIN BODY In this review, synthetic biology toolkit for C. necator H16, including genetic engineering vectors, heterologous gene expression elements, platform strain and genome engineering, and transformation strategies, is firstly summarized. Then, the review discusses how to apply these tools to make C. necator H16 an efficient cell factory for converting CO2 to value-added products, with the examples of alcohols, fatty acids, and terpenoids. The review is concluded with the limitation of current genetic tools and perspectives on the development of more efficient and convenient methods as well as the extensive applications of C. necator H16. CONCLUSIONS Great progress has been made on genetic engineering toolkit and synthetic biology applications of C. necator H16. Nevertheless, more efforts are expected in the near future to engineer C. necator H16 as efficient cell factories for the conversion of CO2 to value-added products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojie Pan
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Haoliang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Zhongjian Li
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Jiazhang Lian
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
- Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
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6
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Claassens NJ, Bordanaba-Florit G, Cotton CA, De Maria A, Finger-Bou M, Friedeheim L, Giner-Laguarda N, Munar-Palmer M, Newell W, Scarinci G, Verbunt J, de Vries ST, Yilmaz S, Bar-Even A. Replacing the Calvin cycle with the reductive glycine pathway in Cupriavidus necator. Metab Eng 2020; 62:30-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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7
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Hu M, Xiong B, Li Z, Liu L, Li S, Zhang C, Zhang X, Bi C. A novel gene expression system for Ralstonia eutropha based on the T7 promoter. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:121. [PMID: 32429840 PMCID: PMC7236105 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-01812-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ralstonia eutropha (syn. Cupriavidus necator) is a model microorganism for studying metabolism of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and a potential chassis for protein expression due to various advantages. Although current plasmid systems of R. eutropha provide a basic platform for gene expression, the performance of the expression-inducing systems is still limited. In addition, the sizes of the cloned genes are limited due to the large sizes of the plasmid backbones. Results In this study, an R. eutropha T7 expression system was established by integrating a T7 RNA polymerase gene driven by the PBAD promoter into the genome of R. eutropha, as well as adding a T7 promoter into a pBBR1-derived plasmid for gene expression. In addition, the essential DNA sequence necessary for pBBR1 plasmid replication was identified, and the redundant parts were deleted reducing the expression plasmid size to 3392 bp, which improved the electroporation efficiency about 4 times. As a result, the highest expression level of RFP was enhanced, and the L-arabinose concentration for expression induction was decreased 20 times. Conclusions The R. eutropha T7 expression system provides an efficient platform for protein production and synthetic biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzi Hu
- School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, 116034, People's Republic of China.,Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Xiong
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongkang Li
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Liu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Siwei Li
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunzhi Zhang
- School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, 116034, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueli Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Changhao Bi
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Hanko EKR, Paiva AC, Jonczyk M, Abbott M, Minton NP, Malys N. A genome-wide approach for identification and characterisation of metabolite-inducible systems. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1213. [PMID: 32139676 PMCID: PMC7057948 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14941-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Inducible gene expression systems are vital tools for the advancement of synthetic biology. Their application as genetically encoded biosensors has the potential to contribute to diagnostics and to revolutionise the field of microbial cell factory development. Currently, the number of compounds of biological interest by far exceeds the number of available biosensors. Here, we address this limitation by developing a generic genome-wide approach to identify transcription factor-based inducible gene expression systems. We construct and validate 15 functional biosensors, provide a characterisation workflow to facilitate forward engineering efforts, exemplify their broad-host-range applicability, and demonstrate their utility in enzyme screening. Previously uncharacterised interactions between sensors and compounds of biological relevance are identified by employing the largest reported library of metabolite-responsive biosensors in an automated high-throughput screen. With the rapidly growing genomic data these innovative capabilities offer a platform to vastly increase the number of biologically detectable molecules. Inducible gene expression tools have important applications as genetically encoded biosensors. Here the authors conduct a genome-wide approach to identify and utilise functional sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik K R Hanko
- BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Ana C Paiva
- Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Magdalena Jonczyk
- BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Matthew Abbott
- BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Nigel P Minton
- BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Naglis Malys
- BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
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9
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Chen X, Cao Y, Li F, Tian Y, Song H. Enzyme-Assisted Microbial Electrosynthesis of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) via CO2 Bioreduction by Engineered Ralstonia eutropha. ACS Catal 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.8b00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Chen
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yingxiu Cao
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yao Tian
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hao Song
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People’s Republic of China
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10
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Raberg M, Volodina E, Lin K, Steinbüchel A. Ralstonia eutrophaH16 in progress: Applications beside PHAs and establishment as production platform by advanced genetic tools. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2017; 38:494-510. [DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2017.1369933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Raberg
- Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Elena Volodina
- Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Kaichien Lin
- Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Alexander Steinbüchel
- Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
- Environmental Science Department, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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11
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Arikawa H, Matsumoto K. Evaluation of gene expression cassettes and production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) with a fine modulated monomer composition by using it in Cupriavidus necator. Microb Cell Fact 2016; 15:184. [PMID: 27793142 PMCID: PMC5084369 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-016-0583-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cupriavidus necator has attracted much attention as a platform for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and other useful materials. Therefore, an appropriate modulation of gene expression is needed for producing the desired materials effectively. However, there is insufficient information on the genetic engineering techniques required for this in C. necator. RESULTS We found that the disruption of a potential ribosome binding site (RBS) in the phaC1 gene in C. necator caused a small decrease in the PhaC1 expression level. We applied this result to finely regulate the expression of other genes. Several gene expression cassettes were constructed by combining three Escherichia coli derived promoters (PlacUV5, Ptrc and Ptrp) to the potential RBS of phaC1 or its disruptant, respectively. Their expression levels were then determined via a lacZ reporter assay in C. necator strains. The promoter strengths were both ranked similarly for the cells that were cultured with fructose or palm kernel oil as a sole carbon source (Ptrc ≥ PlacUV5 > Ptrp), both of which were much stronger than the phaC1 promoter. The disruption of RBS had minute attenuation effect on the expression level of these expression cassettes with E. coli promoters. Furthermore, they were used to finely regulate the (R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) monomer ratio in the production of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate] (PHBHHx) via R-specific enoyl-CoA hydratases (PhaJs). The 3HHx composition in PHBHHx is crucial because it defines the thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting plastic material. The C. necator mutant strains, whose PhaJ expression was controlled under the gene expression cassettes, could be used to produce PHBHHx with various 3HHx compositions in the same culture conditions. CONCLUSIONS We constructed and evaluated several gene expression cassettes consisting of promoters and RBSs that finely regulate transcription and translation. These were then applied to finely modulate the monomer composition in the production of PHBHHx by recombinant C. necator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Arikawa
- GP Group, Corporate R&D Planning and Administration Division, KANEKA CORPORATION, 1-8 Miyamae-Cho, Takasago-Cho, Takasago, Hyogo, 676-8688, Japan.
| | - Keiji Matsumoto
- GP Group, Corporate R&D Planning and Administration Division, KANEKA CORPORATION, 1-8 Miyamae-Cho, Takasago-Cho, Takasago, Hyogo, 676-8688, Japan
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12
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Gruber S, Schwendenwein D, Magomedova Z, Thaler E, Hagen J, Schwab H, Heidinger P. Design of inducible expression vectors for improved protein production in Ralstonia eutropha H16 derived host strains. J Biotechnol 2016; 235:92-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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13
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Nybo SE, Khan NE, Woolston BM, Curtis WR. Metabolic engineering in chemolithoautotrophic hosts for the production of fuels and chemicals. Metab Eng 2015; 30:105-120. [PMID: 25959019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2015.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 04/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The ability of autotrophic organisms to fix CO2 presents an opportunity to utilize this 'greenhouse gas' as an inexpensive substrate for biochemical production. Unlike conventional heterotrophic microorganisms that consume carbohydrates and amino acids, prokaryotic chemolithoautotrophs have evolved the capacity to utilize reduced chemical compounds to fix CO2 and drive metabolic processes. The use of chemolithoautotrophic hosts as production platforms has been renewed by the prospect of metabolically engineered commodity chemicals and fuels. Efforts such as the ARPA-E electrofuels program highlight both the potential and obstacles that chemolithoautotrophic biosynthetic platforms provide. This review surveys the numerous advances that have been made in chemolithoautotrophic metabolic engineering with a focus on hydrogen oxidizing bacteria such as the model chemolithoautotrophic organism (Ralstonia), the purple photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodobacter), and anaerobic acetogens. Two alternative strategies of microbial chassis development are considered: (1) introducing or enhancing autotrophic capabilities (carbon fixation, hydrogen utilization) in model heterotrophic organisms, or (2) improving tools for pathway engineering (transformation methods, promoters, vectors etc.) in native autotrophic organisms. Unique characteristics of autotrophic growth as they relate to bioreactor design and process development are also discussed in the context of challenges and opportunities for genetic manipulation of organisms as production platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Eric Nybo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Nymul E Khan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Benjamin M Woolston
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Wayne R Curtis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.
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14
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Gruber S, Hagen J, Schwab H, Koefinger P. Reprint of “Versatile and stable vectors for efficient gene expression in Ralstonia eutropha H16”. J Biotechnol 2014; 192 Pt B:410-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2014.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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15
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Gruber S, Hagen J, Schwab H, Koefinger P. Versatile and stable vectors for efficient gene expression in Ralstonia eutropha H16. J Biotechnol 2014; 186:74-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2014.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Revised: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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16
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Comparative study on the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by thermophilic Chelatococcus daeguensis TAD1: a good candidate for large-scale production. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2014; 98:3965-74. [PMID: 24477383 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-014-5524-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2013] [Revised: 01/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
In spite of numerous advantages on operating fermentation at elevated temperatures, very few thermophilic bacteria with polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)-accumulating ability have yet been found in contrast to the tremendous mesophiles with the same ability. In this study, a thermophilic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-accumulating bacteria (Chelatococcus daeguensis TAD1), isolated from the biofilm of a biotrickling filter used for NOx removal, was extensively investigated and compared to other PHB-accumulating bacteria. The results demonstrate that C. daeguensis TAD1 is a growth-associated PHB-accumulating bacterium without obvious nutrient limitation, which was capable of accumulating PHB up to 83.6 % of cell dry weight (CDW, w/w) within just 24 h at 45 °C from glucose. Surprisingly, the PHB production of C. daeguensis TAD1 exhibited strong tolerance to high heat stress as well as nitrogen loads compared to that of other PHB-accumulating bacterium, while the optimal PHB amount (3.44 ± 0.3 g l(-1)) occurred at 50 °C and C/N = 30 (molar) with glucose as the sole carbon source. In addition, C. daeguensis TAD1 could effectively utilize various cheap substrates (starch or glycerol) for PHB production without pre-hydrolyzed, particularly the glycerol, exhibiting the highest product yield (Y P/S, 0.26 g PHB per gram substrate used) as well as PHB content (80.4 % of CDW, w/w) compared to other carbon sources. Consequently, C. daeguensis TAD1 is a viable candidate for large-scale production of PHB via utilizing starch or glycerol as the raw materials.
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17
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Bi C, Su P, Müller J, Yeh YC, Chhabra SR, Beller HR, Singer SW, Hillson NJ. Development of a broad-host synthetic biology toolbox for Ralstonia eutropha and its application to engineering hydrocarbon biofuel production. Microb Cell Fact 2013; 12:107. [PMID: 24219429 PMCID: PMC3831590 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2859-12-107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The chemoautotrophic bacterium Ralstonia eutropha can utilize H2/CO2 for growth under aerobic conditions. While this microbial host has great potential to be engineered to produce desired compounds (beyond polyhydroxybutyrate) directly from CO2, little work has been done to develop genetic part libraries to enable such endeavors. Results We report the development of a toolbox for the metabolic engineering of Ralstonia eutropha H16. We have constructed a set of broad-host-range plasmids bearing a variety of origins of replication, promoters, 5’ mRNA stem-loop structures, and ribosomal binding sites. Specifically, we analyzed the origins of replication pCM62 (IncP), pBBR1, pKT (IncQ), and their variants. We tested the promoters PBAD, T7, Pxyls/PM, PlacUV5, and variants thereof for inducible expression. We also evaluated a T7 mRNA stem-loop structure sequence and compared a set of ribosomal binding site (RBS) sequences derived from Escherichia coli, R. eutropha, and a computational RBS design tool. Finally, we employed the toolbox to optimize hydrocarbon production in R. eutropha and demonstrated a 6-fold titer improvement using the appropriate combination of parts. Conclusion We constructed and evaluated a versatile synthetic biology toolbox for Ralstonia eutropha metabolic engineering that could apply to other microbial hosts as well.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Swapnil R Chhabra
- Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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Zhang F, Keasling J. Biosensors and their applications in microbial metabolic engineering. Trends Microbiol 2011; 19:323-9. [PMID: 21664818 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2011.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2011] [Revised: 05/05/2011] [Accepted: 05/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Many metabolic pathways in microbial hosts have been created, modified and engineered to produce useful molecules. The titer and yield of a final compound is often limited by the inefficient use of cellular resources and imbalanced metabolism. Engineering sensory-regulation devices that regulate pathway gene expression in response to the environment and metabolic status of the cell have great potential to solve these problems, and enhance product titers and yields. This review will focus on recent developments in biosensor design, and their applications for controlling microbial behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuzhong Zhang
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
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Fukui T, Ohsawa K, Mifune J, Orita I, Nakamura S. Evaluation of promoters for gene expression in polyhydroxyalkanoate-producing Cupriavidus necator H16. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2011; 89:1527-36. [PMID: 21279346 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-011-3100-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2010] [Revised: 11/28/2010] [Accepted: 11/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Five kinds of promoters were evaluated as tools for regulated gene expression in the PHA-producing bacterium Cupriavidus necator. Several broad-host-range expression vectors were constructed by which expression of a reporter gene gfp was controlled by P(lac), P(tac), or P(BAD) derived from Escherichia coli, or promoter regions of phaC1 (P(phaC)) or phaP1 (P(phaP)) derived from C. necator. Then, the gfp-expression profiles were determined in C. necator strains harboring the constructed vectors when the cells were grown on fructose or soybean oil. P(lac), P(tac), P(phaC), and P(phaP ) mediated constitutive gene expression, among which P(tac) was the strongest promoter. lacI-P(tac) was not thoroughly functional even after addition of isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), probably due to inability of C. necator to uptake IPTG. Gene expression by araC-P(BAD) could be regulated by varying L-arabinose concentration in the medium, although P(3HB) production rate was slightly decreased in the recombinant. phaR-P(phaP) exhibited an expression profile tightly coupled with P(3HB) accumulation, suggesting application of the vector harboring phaR-P(phaP ) for gene expression specific at the PHA-biosynthesis phase. The properties of these promoters were expected to be useful for effective engineering of PHA biosynthesis in C. necator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiaki Fukui
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, B-37 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
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Volova TG, Kalacheva GS, Kozhevnikov IV, Steinbüchel A. Biosynthesis of multicomponent polyhydroxyalkanoates by Wautersia eutropha. Microbiology (Reading) 2007. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261707060082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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