Coenzyme A-transferase-independent butyrate re-assimilation in Clostridium acetobutylicum-evidence from a mathematical model

Kinetic model of Clostridium beijerinckii's Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol fermentation considering metabolically diverse cell types

Clostridium beijerinckii population branches into metabolically diverse cell types in batch cultures. Here, we present a new kinetic model of C. beijerinckii's Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol fermentation that considers three cell types: producers of acids (acidogenic), consumer of acids and producers of solvents (solventogenic), and spores cells. The model accurately recapitulates batch culture data. Also, the model estimates cell type-specific kinetic parameters, which can be helpful to improve the operation of the ABE fermentation and give a framework to study acidogenic and solventogenic metabolic pathways. To exemplify the latter, we used a constraint-based model to study how the ABE pathways are used among acidogenic and solventogenic cell types. We found that among both cell types, glycolytic production of ATP and consumption of NAD⁺ varies widely during the fermentation, with their maximum production/consumption rates happening when acidogenic and solventogenic growth rates were at their highest. However, acidogenic cells use the ABE pathway to contribute with an extra 12.5% of the total production of ATP, whereas solventogenic cell types use the ABE pathway to supply more than 75% of the demand for NAD⁺, alternating between the production of lactate and butyrate, being both coupled to the production of NAD⁺.

The draft genome sequence of Clostridium sp. strain CT7, an isolate capable of producing butanol but not acetone and 1,3-propanediol from crude glycerol

A solventogenic Clostridium sp. strain CT7 which could utilize glycerol directly to produce high yields of butanol was isolated. In the presence of crude glycerol, strain CT7 synthesized butanol through a unique butanol-ethanol (BE) fermentation pathway in which acetone and 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) were not produced. The genome of strain CT7 which has a G + C content of 30.3% was estimated to be 5.99 Mb and contained 4319 putative Open Reading Frames (ORF). The putative annotated genes, which play major roles in BE production from crude glycerol, included glycerol dehydrogenase gene (gdh), acetoacetyl-CoA transferase gene (ctfA/B), and bifunctional alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase gene (adhE). In addition, non-typical BE production is not coupled to 1,3-propanediol formation, which may due to the defect of 1, 3-PDO dehydrogenase gene (dhaT).

Mathematical modelling of clostridial acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation

Clostridial acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation features a remarkable shift in the cellular metabolic activity from acid formation, acidogenesis, to the production of industrial-relevant solvents, solventogensis. In recent decades, mathematical models have been employed to elucidate the complex interlinked regulation and conditions that determine these two distinct metabolic states and govern the transition between them. In this review, we discuss these models with a focus on the mechanisms controlling intra- and extracellular changes between acidogenesis and solventogenesis. In particular, we critically evaluate underlying model assumptions and predictions in the light of current experimental knowledge. Towards this end, we briefly introduce key ideas and assumptions applied in the discussed modelling approaches, but waive a comprehensive mathematical presentation. We distinguish between structural and dynamical models, which will be discussed in their chronological order to illustrate how new biological information facilitates the ‘evolution’ of mathematical models. Mathematical models and their analysis have significantly contributed to our knowledge of ABE fermentation and the underlying regulatory network which spans all levels of biological organization. However, the ties between the different levels of cellular regulation are not well understood. Furthermore, contradictory experimental and theoretical results challenge our current notion of ABE metabolic network structure. Thus, clostridial ABE fermentation still poses theoretical as well as experimental challenges which are best approached in close collaboration between modellers and experimentalists.

Sigma Factor Regulated Cellular Response in a Non-solvent Producing Clostridium beijerinckii Degenerated Strain: A Comparative Transcriptome Analysis

Clostridium beijerinckii DG-8052, derived from NCIMB 8052, cannot produce solvent or form spores, a phenomenon known as degeneration. To explore the mechanisms of degeneration at the gene level, transcriptomic profiles of the wild-type 8052 and DG-8052 strains were compared. Expression of 5168 genes comprising 98.6% of the genome was assessed. Interestingly, 548 and 702 genes were significantly up-regulated in the acidogenesis and solventogenesis phases of DG-8052, respectively, and mainly responsible for the phosphotransferase system, sugar metabolic pathways, and chemotaxis; meanwhile, 699 and 797 genes were significantly down-regulated, respectively, and mainly responsible for sporulation, oxidoreduction, and solventogenesis. The functions of some altered genes, including 286 and 333 at the acidogenesis and solventogenesis phases, respectively, remain unknown. Dysregulation of the fermentation machinery was accompanied by lower transcription levels of glycolysis rate-limiting enzymes (pfk and pyk), and higher transcription of cell chemotaxis genes (cheA, cheB, cheR, cheW, and cheY), controlled mainly by σ⁵⁴ at acidogenesis. Meanwhile, abnormal spore formation was associated with repressed spo0A, sigE, sigF, sigG, and sigK which are positively regulated by σ⁷⁰, and correspondingly inhibited expression of CoA-transferase at the solventogenesis phase. These findings indicated that morphological and physiological changes in the degenerated Clostridium strain may be related to altered expression of sigma factors, providing valuable targets for strain development of Clostridium species.

Towards improved butanol production through targeted genetic modification of Clostridium pasteurianum

Declining fossil fuel reserves, coupled with environmental concerns over their continued extraction and exploitation have led to strenuous efforts to identify renewable routes to energy and fuels. One attractive option is to convert glycerol, a by-product of the biodiesel industry, into n-butanol, an industrially important chemical and potential liquid transportation fuel, using Clostridium pasteurianum. Under certain growth conditions this Clostridium species has been shown to predominantly produce n-butanol, together with ethanol and 1,3-propanediol, when grown on glycerol. Further increases in the yields of n-butanol produced by C. pasteurianum could be accomplished through rational metabolic engineering of the strain. Accordingly, in the current report we have developed and exemplified a robust tool kit for the metabolic engineering of C. pasteurianum and used the system to make the first reported in-frame deletion mutants of pivotal genes involved in solvent production, namely hydA (hydrogenase), rex (Redox response regulator) and dhaBCE (glycerol dehydratase). We were, for the first time in C. pasteurianum, able to eliminate 1,3-propanediol synthesis and demonstrate its production was essential for growth on glycerol as a carbon source. Inactivation of both rex and hydA resulted in increased n-butanol titres, representing the first steps towards improving the utilisation of C. pasteurianum as a chassis for the industrial production of this important chemical.

Kinetic Study of Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol Fermentation in Continuous Culture

Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by clostridia has shown promise for industrial-scale production of biobutanol. However, the continuous ABE fermentation suffers from low product yield, titer, and productivity. Systems analysis of the continuous ABE fermentation will offer insights into its metabolic pathway as well as into optimal fermentation design and operation. For the ABE fermentation in continuous Clostridium acetobutylicum culture, this paper presents a kinetic model that includes the effects of key metabolic intermediates and enzymes as well as culture pH, product inhibition, and glucose inhibition. The kinetic model is used for elucidating the behavior of the ABE fermentation under the conditions that are most relevant to continuous cultures. To this end, dynamic sensitivity analysis is performed to systematically investigate the effects of culture conditions, reaction kinetics, and enzymes on the dynamics of the ABE production pathway. The analysis provides guidance for future metabolic engineering and fermentation optimization studies.

Roles of three AbrBs in regulating two-phase Clostridium acetobutylicum fermentation

Clostridium acetobutylicum is an important industrial microorganism for n-butanol bioproduction, and its transcription factor AbrB0310 regulates various important cellular processes. However, the roles of two abrB homologues, abrB1941 and abrB3647, have not been determined because they appear inactive during transcription. Here, we performed a detailed investigation into the function of abrB1941 and abrB3647 in C. acetobutylicum. Interestingly, we observed that AbrB3647 exerts an important influence on biphasic fermentation that opposes the influence of AbrB0310, while AbrB1941 might not be essential. When abrB3647 was disrupted using the Targetron system, a greatly improved cellular growth occurred. The following analysis shows that all three AbrBs participated in metabolically regulating acidogenesis, solventogenesis, and a two-phase transition in C. acetobutylicum, but the AbrB0310 and AbrB3647 functions were the most important. Moreover, the target genes subject to AbrB0310 and AbrB3647 regulation closely overlap. Based on these results, we will better understand the roles of the three AbrBs in regulating solventogenic clostridia cell physiology.

System-level modeling of acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation

Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation is a metabolic process of clostridia that produces bio-based solvents including butanol. It is enabled by an underlying metabolic reaction network and modulated by cellular gene regulation and environmental cues. Mathematical modeling has served as a valuable strategy to facilitate the understanding, characterization and optimization of this process. In this review, we highlight recent advances in system-level, quantitative modeling of ABE fermentation. We begin with an overview of integrative processes underlying the fermentation. Next we survey modeling efforts including early simple models, models with a systematic metabolic description, and those incorporating metabolism through simple gene regulation. Particular focus is given to a recent system-level model that integrates the metabolic reactions, gene regulation and environmental cues. We conclude by discussing the remaining challenges and future directions towards predictive understanding of ABE fermentation.

Construction of a restriction-less, marker-less mutant useful for functional genomic and metabolic engineering of the biofuel producer Clostridium acetobutylicum

BACKGROUND

Clostridium acetobutylicum is a gram-positive, spore-forming, anaerobic bacterium capable of converting various sugars and polysaccharides into solvents (acetone, butanol, and ethanol). The sequencing of its genome has prompted new approaches to genetic analysis, functional genomics, and metabolic engineering to develop industrial strains for the production of biofuels and bulk chemicals.

RESULTS

The method used in this paper to knock-out or knock-in genes in C. acetobutylicum combines the use of an antibiotic-resistance gene for the deletion or replacement of the target gene, the subsequent elimination of the antibiotic-resistance gene with the flippase recombinase system from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and a C. acetobutylicum strain that lacks upp, which encodes uracil phosphoribosyl-transferase, for subsequent use as a counter-selectable marker. A replicative vector containing (1) a pIMP13 origin of replication from Bacillus subtilis that is functional in Clostridia, (2) a replacement cassette consisting of an antibiotic resistance gene (MLS (R) ) flanked by two FRT sequences, and (3) two sequences homologous to selected regions around target DNA sequence was first constructed. This vector was successfully used to consecutively delete the Cac824I restriction endonuclease encoding gene (CA_C1502) and the upp gene (CA_C2879) in the C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 chromosome. The resulting C. acetobutylicum Δcac1502Δupp strain is marker-less, readily transformable without any previous plasmid methylation and can serve as the host for the "marker-less" genetic exchange system. The third gene, CA_C3535, shown in this study to encode for a type II restriction enzyme (Cac824II) that recognizes the CTGAAG sequence, was deleted using an upp/5-FU counter-selection strategy to improve the efficiency of the method. The restriction-less marker-less strain and the method was successfully used to delete two genes (ctfAB) on the pSOL1 megaplasmid and one gene (ldhA) on the chromosome to get strains no longer producing acetone or l-lactate.

CONCLUSIONS

The restriction-less, marker-less strain described in this study, as well as the maker-less genetic exchange coupled with positive selection, will be useful for functional genomic studies and for the development of industrial strains for the production of biofuels and bulk chemicals.