Microbial production of 2,3-butanediol by a surfactant (serrawettin)-deficient mutant of Serratia marcescens H30

Cell-Free Systems Biology: Characterizing Central Metabolism of Clostridium thermocellum with a Three-Enzyme Cascade Reaction

Genetic approaches have been traditionally used to understand microbial metabolism, but this process can be slow in nonmodel organisms due to limited genetic tools. An alternative approach is to study metabolism directly in the cell lysate. This avoids the need for genetic tools and is routinely used to study individual enzymatic reactions but is not generally used to study systems-level properties of metabolism. Here we demonstrate a new approach that we call "cell-free systems biology", where we use well-characterized enzymes and multienzyme cascades to serve as sources or sinks of intermediate metabolites. This allows us to isolate subnetworks within metabolism and study their systems-level properties. To demonstrate this, we worked with a three-enzyme cascade reaction that converts pyruvate to 2,3-butanediol. Although it has been previously used in cell-free systems, its pH dependence was not well characterized, limiting its utility as a sink for pyruvate. We showed that improved proton accounting allowed better prediction of pH changes and that active pH control allowed 2,3-butanediol titers of up to 2.1 M (189 g/L) from acetoin and 1.6 M (144 g/L) from pyruvate. The improved proton accounting provided a crucial insight that preventing the escape of CO2 from the system largely eliminated the need for active pH control, dramatically simplifying our experimental setup. We then used this cascade reaction to understand limits to product formation in Clostridium thermocellum, an organism with potential applications for cellulosic biofuel production. We showed that the fate of pyruvate is largely controlled by electron availability and that reactions upstream of pyruvate limit overall product formation.

Separation of 2,3-Butanediol from Fermentation Broth via Cyclic and Simulated Moving Bed Adsorption Over Nano-MFI Zeolites

The biomass-based platform molecule 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) has a wide range of applications in production of sustainable fuels, chemicals, synthetic rubber, and others. However, the selective separation of 2,3-BDO from multicomponent fermentation broths presents challenges due to its low concentration, high solubility in water, high boiling point, and presence of many other species. Here, we demonstrate remarkably selective enrichment and recovery of 2,3-BDO from a corn stover hydrolysate fermentation broth by a pure-silica nano-MFI-type zeolite adsorbent. By means of cyclic and simulated moving bed adsorption processes, we obtained concentrated aqueous 2,3-BDO streams from the fermentation process stream with ∼93% purity and 3-fold enrichment, and >98% purity and 8-fold enrichment, respectively. These findings provide strong support for large-scale adsorptive separation for biobased 2,3-BDO production.

PtrA regulates prodigiosin synthesis and biological functions in Serratia marcescens FZSF02

Serratia marcescens is a gram-negative bacterium that is able to produce many secondary metabolites, such as the prominent red pigment prodigiosin (PG). In this work, a ptrA-disrupted mutant strain with reduced PG production was selected from Tn5 transposon mutants. RT-qPCR results indicated that ptrA promoted elevated transcription of the pig gene cluster in S. marcescens FZSF02. Furthermore, we found that ptrA also controls several other important biological functions of S. marcescens, including swimming and swarming motilities, biofilm formation, hemolytic activity, and stress tolerance. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that ptrA is a PG synthesis-promoting factor in S. marcescens and provides a brief understanding of the regulatory mechanism of ptrA in S. marcescens cell motility and hemolytic activity.

Metabolic engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum for efficient production of optically pure (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol

Background

2,3-butanediol is an important platform compound which has a wide range of applications, involving in medicine, chemical industry, food and other fields. Especially the optically pure (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol can be employed as an antifreeze agent and as the precursor for producing chiral compounds. However, some (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol overproducing strains are pathogenic such as Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella oxytoca.

Results

In this study, a (3R)-acetoin overproducing C. glutamicum strain, CGS9, was engineered to produce optically pure (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol efficiently. Firstly, the gene bdhA from B. subtilis 168 was integrated into strain CGS9 and its expression level was further enhanced by using a strong promoter P_sod and ribosome binding site (RBS) with high translation initiation rate, and the (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol titer of the resulting strain was increased by 33.9%. Then the transhydrogenase gene udhA from E. coli was expressed to provide more NADH for 2,3-butanediol synthesis, which reduced the accumulation of the main byproduct acetoin by 57.2%. Next, a mutant atpG was integrated into strain CGK3, which increased the glucose consumption rate by 10.5% and the 2,3-butanediol productivity by 10.9% in shake-flask fermentation. Through fermentation engineering, the most promising strain CGK4 produced a titer of 144.9 g/L (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol with a yield of 0.429 g/g glucose and a productivity of 1.10 g/L/h in fed-batch fermentation. The optical purity of the resulting (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol surpassed 98%.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest titer of optically pure (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol achieved by GRAS strains, and the result has demonstrated that C. glutamicum is a competitive candidate for (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol production.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12934-022-01875-5.

A Review on the Production of C4 Platform Chemicals from Biochemical Conversion of Sugar Crop Processing Products and By-Products

The development and commercialization of sustainable chemicals from agricultural products and by-products is necessary for a circular economy built on renewable natural resources. Among the largest contributors to the final cost of a biomass conversion product is the cost of the initial biomass feedstock, representing a significant challenge in effective biomass utilization. Another major challenge is in identifying the correct products for development, which must be able to satisfy the need for both low-cost, drop-in fossil fuel replacements and novel, high-value fine chemicals (and/or commodity chemicals). Both challenges can be met by utilizing wastes or by-products from biomass processing, which have very limited starting cost, to yield platform chemicals. Specifically, sugar crop processing (e.g., sugarcane, sugar beet) is a mature industry that produces high volumes of by-products with significant potential for valorization. This review focuses specifically on the production of acetoin (3-hydroxybutanone), 2,3-butanediol, and C4 dicarboxylic (succinic, malic, and fumaric) acids with emphasis on biochemical conversion and targeted upgrading of sugar crop products/by-products. These C4 compounds are easily derived from fermentations and can be converted into many different final products, including food, fragrance, and cosmetic additives, as well as sustainable biofuels and other chemicals. State-of-the-art literature pertaining to optimization strategies for microbial conversion of sugar crop byproducts to C4 chemicals (e.g., bagasse, molasses) is reviewed, along with potential routes for upgrading and valorization. Directions and opportunities for future research and industrial biotechnology development are discussed.

The Role of Serratomolide-like Amino Lipids Produced by Bacteria of Genus Serratia in Nematicidal Activity

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, also known as pinewood nematode (PWN), is the pathogenic agent of pine wilt disease (PWD), which affects pine trees around the world. Infection spread globally through international wood commerce and locally by vector beetles, threatening the wood world economy. As climate changes, more countries are becoming susceptible to PWD and, to prevent disease spread and limit economic and ecological losses, better knowledge about this pathogenic agent is needed. Serratia strains, present in the endophytic community of pine trees and carried by PWN, may play an important role in PWD. This work aimed to better understand the interaction between Serratia strains and B. xylophilus and to assess the nematicidal potential of serratomolide-like molecules produced by Serratia strains. Serrawettin gene presence was evaluated in selected Serratia strains. Mortality tests were performed with bacteria supernatants, and extracted amino lipids, against Caenorhabditis elegans (model organism) and B. xylophilus to determine their nematicidal potential. Attraction tests were performed with C. elegans. Concentrated supernatants of Serratia strains with serratamolide-like lipopeptides were able to kill more than 77% of B. xylophilus after 72 h. Eight specific amino lipids showed a high nematicidal activity against B. xylophilus. We conclude that, for some Serratia strains, their supernatants and specific amino lipids showed nematicidal activity against B. xylophilus.

Advances in biological production of acetoin: a comprehensive overview

Acetoin, a high-value-added bio-based platform chemical, is widely used in foods, cosmetics, agriculture, and the chemical industry. It is an important precursor for the synthesis of: 2,3-butanediol, liquid hydrocarbon fuels and heterocyclic compounds. Since the fossil resources are becoming increasingly scarce, biological production of acetoin has received increasing attention as an alternative to chemical synthesis. Although there are excellent reviews on the: application, catabolism and fermentative production of acetoin, little attention has been paid to acetoin production via: electrode-assisted fermentation, whole-cell biocatalysis, and in vitro/cell-free biocatalysis. In this review, acetoin biosynthesis pathways and relevant key enzymes are firstly reviewed. In addition, various strategies for biological acetoin production are summarized including: cell-free biocatalysis, whole-cell biocatalysis, microbial fermentation, and electrode-assisted fermentation. The advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches are discussed and weighed, illustrating the increasing progress toward economical, green and efficient production of acetoin. Additionally, recent advances in acetoin extraction and recovery in downstream processing are also briefly reviewed. Moreover, the current issues and future prospects of diverse strategies for biological acetoin production are discussed, with the hope of realizing the promises of industrial acetoin biomanufacturing in the near future.

Prospects on bio-based 2,3-butanediol and acetoin production: Recent progress and advances

The bio-based platform chemicals 2,3-butanediol (BDO) and acetoin have various applications in chemical, cosmetics, food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries, whereas the derivatives of BDO could be used as fuel additives, polymer and synthetic rubber production. This review summarizes the novel technological developments in adapting genetic and metabolic engineering strategies for selection and construction of chassis strains for BDO and acetoin production. The valorization of renewable feedstocks and bioprocess development for the upstream and downstream stages of bio-based BDO and acetoin production are discussed. The techno-economic aspects evaluating the viability and industrial potential of bio-based BDO production are presented. The commercialization of bio-based BDO and acetoin production requires the utilization of crude renewable resources, the chassis strains with high fermentation production efficiencies and development of sustainable purification or conversion technologies.

Genome Features of Asaia sp. W12 Isolated from the Mosquito Anopheles stephensi Reveal Symbiotic Traits

Asaia bacteria commonly comprise part of the microbiome of many mosquito species in the genera Anopheles and Aedes, including important vectors of infectious agents. Their close association with multiple organs and tissues of their mosquito hosts enhances the potential for paratransgenesis for the delivery of antimalaria or antivirus effectors. The molecular mechanisms involved in the interactions between Asaia and mosquito hosts, as well as Asaia and other bacterial members of the mosquito microbiome, remain underexplored. Here, we determined the genome sequence of Asaia strain W12 isolated from Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, compared it to other Asaia species associated with plants or insects, and investigated the properties of the bacteria relevant to their symbiosis with mosquitoes. The assembled genome of strain W12 had a size of 3.94 MB, the largest among Asaia spp. studied so far. At least 3585 coding sequences were predicted. Insect-associated Asaia carried more glycoside hydrolase (GH)-encoding genes than those isolated from plants, showing their high plant biomass-degrading capacity in the insect gut. W12 had the most predicted regulatory protein components comparatively among the selected Asaia, indicating its capacity to adapt to frequent environmental changes in the mosquito gut. Two complete operons encoding cytochrome bo₃-type ubiquinol terminal oxidases (cyoABCD-1 and cyoABCD-2) were found in most Asaia genomes, possibly offering alternative terminal oxidases and allowing the flexible transition of respiratory pathways. Genes involved in the production of 2,3-butandiol and inositol have been found in Asaia sp. W12, possibly contributing to biofilm formation and stress tolerance.

Recent advances in the microbial production of C4 alcohols by metabolically engineered microorganisms

BACKGROUND

The heavy global dependence on petroleum-based industries has led to serious environmental problems, including climate change and global warming. As a result, there have been calls for a paradigm shift towards the use of biorefineries, which employ natural and engineered microorganisms that can utilize various carbon sources from renewable resources as host strains for the carbon-neutral production of target products.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

C4 alcohols are versatile chemicals that can be used directly as biofuels and bulk chemicals and in the production of value-added materials such as plastics, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. C4 alcohols can be effectively produced by microorganisms using DCEO biotechnology (tools to design, construct, evaluate, and optimize) and metabolic engineering strategies.

SUMMARY OF NEW SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSIONS

In this review, we summarize the production strategies and various synthetic tools available for the production of C4 alcohols and discuss the potential development of microbial cell factories, including the optimization of fermentation processes, that offer cost competitiveness and potential industrial commercialization.

Improved Prodigiosin Production by Relieving CpxR Temperature-Sensitive Inhibition

Prodigiosin (PG) is a typical secondary metabolite mainly produced by Serratia marcescens. CpxR protein is an OmpR family transcriptional regulator in Gram-negative bacteria. Firstly, it was found that insertion mutation of cpxR in S. marcescens JNB 5-1 by a transposon Tn5G increased the production of PG. Results from the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) indicated that CpxR could bind to the promoter of the pig gene cluster and repress the transcription levels of genes involved in PG biosynthesis in S. marcescens JNB 5-1. In the ΔcpxR mutant strain, the transcription levels of the pig gene cluster and the genes involved in the pathways of PG precursors, such as proline, pyruvate, serine, methionine, and S-adenosyl methionine, were significantly increased, hence promoting the production of PG. Subsequently, a fusion segment composed of the genes proC, serC, and metH, responsible for proline, serine, and methionine, was inserted into the cpxR gene in S. marcescens JNB 5-1. On fermentation by the resultant engineered S. marcescens, the highest PG titer reached 5.83 g/L and increased by 41.9%, relative to the parental strain. In this study, we revealed the role of CpxR in PG biosynthesis and provided an alternative strategy for the engineering of S. marcescens to enhance PG production.

The current strategies and parameters for the enhanced microbial production of 2,3-butanediol

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2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) is a propitious compound with many industrial uses.

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2,3-BD production has always been hampered by low fermentation yields and high production costs.

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2,3-BD production may be enhanced by optimization of culture conditions and use of high-producing strains.

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TMetabolic engineering tools are currently used to generate high-yielding strains.

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) is a propitious compound with many industrial uses ranging from rubber, fuels, and cosmetics to food additives. Its microbial production has especially attracted as an alternative way to the petroleum-based production. However, 2,3-BD production has always been hampered by low yields and high production costs. The enhanced production of 2,3-butanediol requires screening of the best strains and a systematic optimization of fermentation conditions. Moreover, the metabolic pathway engineering is essential to achieve the best results and minimize the production costs by rendering the strains to use efficiently low cost substrates. This review is to provide up-to-date information on the current strategies and parameters for the enhanced microbial production of 2,3-BD.

Microbial production of 2,3-butanediol for industrial applications

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) has great potential for diverse industries, including chemical, cosmetics, agriculture, and pharmaceutical areas. However, its industrial production and usage are limited by the fairly high cost of its petro-based production. Several bio-based 2,3-BD production processes have been developed and their economic advantages over petro-based production process have been reported. In particular, many 2,3-BD-producing microorganisms including bacteria and yeast have been isolated and metabolically engineered for efficient production of 2,3-BD. In addition, several fermentation processes have been tested using feedstocks such as starch, sugar, glycerol, and even lignocellulose as raw materials. Since separation and purification of 2,3-BD from fermentation broth account for the majority of its production cost, cost-effective processes have been simultaneously developed. The construction of a demonstration plant that can annually produce around 300 tons of 2,3-BD is scheduled to be mechanically completed in Korea in 2019. In this paper, core technologies for bio-based 2,3-BD production are reviewed and their potentials for use in the commercial sector are discussed.

Microbial 2-butanol production with Lactobacillus diolivorans

BACKGROUND

Biobutanol has great potential as biofuel of the future. However, only a few organisms have the natural ability to produce butanol. Amongst them, Clostridium spp. are the most efficient producers. The high toxicity of biobutanol constitutes one of the bottlenecks within the biobutanol production process which often suffers from low final butanol concentrations and yields. Butanol tolerance is a key driver for process optimisation and, therefore, in the search for alternative butanol production hosts. Many Lactobacillus species show a remarkable tolerance to solvents and some Lactobacillus spp. are known to naturally produce 2-butanol from meso-2,3-butanediol (meso-2,3-BTD) during anaerobic sugar fermentations. Lactobacillus diolivorans showed already to be highly efficient in the production of other bulk chemicals using a simple two-step metabolic pathway. Exactly, the same pathway enables this cell factory for 2-butanol production.

RESULTS

Due to the inability of L. diolivorans to produce meso-2,3-BTD, a two-step cultivation processes with Serratia marcescens has been developed. S. marcescens is a very efficient producer of meso-2,3-BTD from glucose. The process yielded a butanol concentration of 10 g/L relying on wild-type bacterial strains. A further improvement of the maximum butanol titer was achieved using an engineered L. diolivorans strain overexpressing the endogenous alcohol dehydrogenase pduQ. The two-step cultivation process based on the engineered strain led to a maximum 2-butanol titer of 13.4 g/L, which is an increase of 34%.

CONCLUSION

In this study, L. diolivorans is for the first time described as a good natural producer for 2-butanol from meso-2,3-butanediol. Through the application of a two-step cultivation process with S. marcescens, 2-butanol can be produced from glucose in a one-vessel, two-step microbial process.

Engineered E. coli W enables efficient 2,3-butanediol production from glucose and sugar beet molasses using defined minimal medium as economic basis

Background

Efficient microbial production of chemicals is often hindered by the cytotoxicity of the products or by the pathogenicity of the host strains. Hence 2,3-butanediol, an important drop-in chemical, is an interesting alternative target molecule for microbial synthesis since it is non-cytotoxic. Metabolic engineering of non-pathogenic and industrially relevant microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli, have already yielded in promising 2,3-butanediol titers showing the potential of microbial synthesis of 2,3-butanediol. However, current microbial 2,3-butanediol production processes often rely on yeast extract as expensive additive, rendering these processes infeasible for industrial production.

Results

The aim of this study was to develop an efficient 2,3-butanediol production process with E. coli operating on the premise of using cost-effective medium without complex supplements, considering second generation feedstocks. Different gene donors and promoter fine-tuning allowed for construction of a potent E. coli strain for the production of 2,3-butanediol as important drop-in chemical. Pulsed fed-batch cultivations of E. coli W using microaerobic conditions showed high diol productivity of 4.5 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹. Optimizing oxygen supply and elimination of acetoin and by-product formation improved the 2,3-butanediol titer to 68 g l⁻¹, 76% of the theoretical maximum yield, however, at the expense of productivity. Sugar beet molasses was tested as a potential substrate for industrial production of chemicals. Pulsed fed-batch cultivations produced 56 g l⁻¹ 2,3-butanediol, underlining the great potential of E. coli W as production organism for high value-added chemicals.

Conclusion

A potent 2,3-butanediol producing E. coli strain was generated by considering promoter fine-tuning to balance cell fitness and production capacity. For the first time, 2,3-butanediol production was achieved with promising titer, rate and yield and no acetoin formation from glucose in pulsed fed-batch cultivations using chemically defined medium without complex hydrolysates. Furthermore, versatility of E. coli W as production host was demonstrated by efficiently converting sucrose from sugar beet molasses into 2,3-butanediol.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12934-018-1038-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Efficient (3S)-Acetoin and (2S,3S)-2,3-Butanediol Production from meso-2,3-Butanediol Using Whole-Cell Biocatalysis

(3S)-Acetoin and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol are important platform chemicals widely applied in the asymmetric synthesis of valuable chiral chemicals. However, their production by fermentative methods is difficult to perform. This study aimed to develop a whole-cell biocatalysis strategy for the production of (3S)-acetoin and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol from meso-2,3-butanediol. First, E. coli co-expressing (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase, NADH oxidase and Vitreoscilla hemoglobin was developed for (3S)-acetoin production from meso-2,3-butanediol. Maximum (3S)-acetoin concentration of 72.38 g/L with the stereoisomeric purity of 94.65% was achieved at 24 h under optimal conditions. Subsequently, we developed another biocatalyst co-expressing (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase for (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol production from (3S)-acetoin. Synchronous catalysis together with two biocatalysts afforded 38.41 g/L of (2S,3S)-butanediol with stereoisomeric purity of 98.03% from 40 g/L meso-2,3-butanediol. These results exhibited the potential for (3S)-acetoin and (2S,3S)-butanediol production from meso-2,3-butanediol as a substrate via whole-cell biocatalysis.

Production of (2R, 3R)-2,3-butanediol using engineered Pichia pastoris: strain construction, characterization and fermentation

BACKGROUND

2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) is a bulk platform chemical with various potential applications such as aviation fuel. 2,3-BD has three optical isomers: (2R, 3R)-, (2S, 3S)- and meso-2,3-BD. Optically pure 2,3-BD is a crucial precursor for the chiral synthesis and it can also be used as anti-freeze agent due to its low freezing point. 2,3-BD has been produced in both native and non-native hosts. Several pathogenic bacteria were reported to produce 2,3-BD in mixture of its optical isomers including Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca. Engineered hosts based on episomal plasmid expression such as Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus subtilis are not ideal for industrial fermentation due to plasmid instability.

RESULTS

Pichia pastoris is generally regarded as safe and a well-established host for high-level heterologous protein production. To produce pure (2R, 3R)-2,3-BD enantiomer, we developed a P. pastoris strain by introducing a synthetic pathway. The alsS and alsD genes from B. subtilis were codon-optimized and synthesized. The BDH1 gene from S. cerevisiae was cloned. These three pathway genes were integrated into the genome of P. pastoris and expressed under the control of GAP promoter. Production of (2R, 3R)-2,3-BD was achieved using glucose as feedstock. The optical purity of (2R, 3R)-2,3-BD was more than 99%. The titer of (2R, 3R)-2,3-BD reached 12 g/L with 40 g/L glucose as carbon source in shake flask fermentation. The fermentation conditions including pH, agitation speeds and aeration rates were optimized in batch cultivations. The highest titer of (2R, 3R)-2,3-BD achieved in fed-batch fermentation using YPD media was 45 g/L. The titer of 2,3-BD was enhanced to 74.5 g/L through statistical medium optimization.

CONCLUSIONS

The potential of engineering P. pastoris into a microbial cell factory for biofuel production was evaluated in this work using (2R, 3R)-2,3-BD as an example. Engineered P. pastoris could be a promising workhorse for the production of optically pure (2R, 3R)-2,3-BD.

Products Components: Alcohols

Alcohols (C_nH_n+2OH) are classified into primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols, which can be branched or unbranched. They can also feature more than one OH-group (two OH-groups = diol; three OH-groups = triol). Presently, except for ethanol and sugar alcohols, they are mainly produced from fossil-based resources, such as petroleum, gas, and coal. Methanol and ethanol have the highest annual production volume accounting for 53 and 91 million tons/year, respectively. Most alcohols are used as fuels (e.g., ethanol), solvents (e.g., butanol), and chemical intermediates.This chapter gives an overview of recent research on the production of short-chain unbranched alcohols (C1-C5), focusing in particular on propanediols (1,2- and 1,3-propanediol), butanols, and butanediols (1,4- and 2,3-butanediol). It also provides a short summary on biobased higher alcohols (>C5) including branched alcohols.

The metabolic flux regulation of Klebsiella pneumoniae based on quorum sensing system

Quorum-sensing (QS) systems exist universally in bacteria to regulate multiple biological functions. Klebsiella pneumoniae, an industrially important bacterium that produces bio-based chemicals such as 2,3-butanediol and acetoin, can secrete a furanosyl borate diester (AI-2) as the signalling molecule mediating a QS system, which plays a key regulatory role in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In this study, the molecular regulation and metabolic functions of a QS system in K. pneumoniae were investigated. The results showed that after the disruption of AI-2-mediated QS by the knockout of luxS, the production of acetoin, ethanol and acetic acid were relatively lower in the K. pneumoniae mutant than in the wild type bacteria. However, 2,3-butanediol production was increased by 23.8% and reached 54.93 g/L. The observed enhancement may be attributed to the improvement of the catalytic activity of 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (BDH) in transforming acetoin to 2,3-butanediol. This possibility is consistent with the RT-PCR-verified increase in the transcriptional level of budC, which encodes BDH. These results also demonstrated that the physiological metabolism of K. pneumoniae was adversely affected by a QS system. This effect was reversed through the addition of synthetic AI-2. This study provides the basis for a QS-modulated metabolic engineering study of K. pneumoniae.

High Production of 2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) by Raoultella ornithinolytica B6 via Optimizing Fermentation Conditions and Overexpressing 2,3-BD Synthesis Genes

Biological production of 2,3-butandiol (2,3-BD) has received great attention as an alternative to the petroleum-based 2,3-BD production. In this study, a high production of 2,3-BD in fed-batch fermentation was investigated with a newly isolated bacterium designated as Raoultella ornithinolytica B6. The isolate produced 2,3-BD as the main product using hexoses (glucose, galactose, and fructose), pentose (xylose) and disaccharide (sucrose). The effects of temperature, pH-control schemes, and agitation speeds on 2,3-BD production were explored to optimize the fermentation conditions. Notably, cell growth and 2,3-BD production by R. ornithinolytica B6 were higher at 25°C than at 30°C. When three pH control schemes (no pH control, pH control at 7, and pH control at 5.5 after the pH was decreased to 5.5 during fermentation) were tested, the best 2,3-BD titer and productivity along with reduced by-product formation were achieved with pH control at 5.5. Among different agitation speeds (300, 400, and 500 rpm), the optimum agitation speed was 400 rpm with 2,3-BD titer of 68.27 g/L, but acetic acid was accumulated up to 23.32 g/L. Further enhancement of the 2,3-BD titer (112.19 g/L), yield (0.38 g/g), and productivity (1.35 g/L/h) as well as a significant reduction of acetic acid accumulation (9.71 g/L) was achieved by the overexpression of homologous budABC genes, the 2,3-BD-synthesis genes involved in the conversion of pyruvate to 2,3-BD. This is the first report presenting a high 2,3-BD production by R.ornithinolytica which has attracted little attention with respect to 2,3-BD production, extending the microbial spectrum of 2,3-BD producers.

Metabolic engineering of Bacillus subtilis for chiral pure meso-2,3-butanediol production

BACKGROUND

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) with low toxicity to microbes, could be a promising alternative for biofuel production. However, most of the 2,3-BD producers are opportunistic pathogens that are not suitable for industrial-scale fermentation. In our previous study, wild-type Bacillus subtilis 168, as a class I microorganism, was first found to generate only d-(-)-2,3-BD (purity >99 %) under low oxygen conditions.

RESULTS

In this work, B. subtilis was engineered to produce chiral pure meso-2,3-BD. First, d-(-)-2,3-BD production was abolished by deleting d-(-)-2,3-BD dehydrogenase coding gene bdhA, and acoA gene was knocked out to prevent the degradation of acetoin (AC), the immediate precursor of 2,3-BD. Next, both pta and ldh gene were deleted to decrease the accumulation of the byproducts, acetate and l-lactate. We further introduced the meso-2,3-BD dehydrogenase coding gene budC from Klebsiella pneumoniae CICC10011, as well as overexpressed alsSD in the tetra-mutant (ΔacoAΔbdhAΔptaΔldh) to achieve the efficient production of chiral meso-2,3-BD. Finally, the pool of NADH availability was further increased to facilitate the conversion of meso-2,3-BD from AC by overexpressing udhA gene (coding a soluble transhydrogenase) and low dissolved oxygen control during the cultivation. Under microaerobic oxygen conditions, the best strain BSF9 produced 103.7 g/L meso-2,3-BD with a yield of 0.487 g/g glucose in the 5-L batch fermenter, and the titer of the main byproduct AC was no more than 1.1 g/L.

CONCLUSION

This work offered a novel strategy for the production of chiral pure meso-2,3-BD in B. subtilis. To our knowledge, this is the first report indicating that metabolic engineered B. subtilis could produce chiral meso-2,3-BD with high purity under limited oxygen conditions. These results further demonstrated that B. subtilis as a class I microorganism is a competitive industrial-level meso-2,3-BD producer.

Techno-economic evaluation of a complete bioprocess for 2,3-butanediol production from renewable resources

This study presents the techno-economic evaluation of 2,3-butanediol (BDO) production via fermentation using glycerol, sucrose and sugarcane molasses as carbon sources. Literature-cited experimental data were used to design the fermentation stage, whereas downstream separation of BDO was based on reactive extraction of BDO employing an aldehyde to convert BDO into an acetal that is immiscible with water. The selected downstream process can be used in all fermentations employed. Sensitivity analysis was carried out targeting the estimation of the minimum selling price (MSP) of BDO at different plant capacities and raw material purchase costs. In all cases, the MSP of BDO is higher than 1 $/kg that is considered as the target in order to characterize a fermentation product as platform chemical. The complex nutrient supplements, the raw material market price and the fermentation efficiency were identified as the major reasons for the relatively high MSP observed.

Synthesis of chemicals by metabolic engineering of microbes

Metabolic engineering is a powerful tool for the sustainable production of chemicals. Over the years, the exploration of microbial, animal and plant metabolism has generated a wealth of valuable genetic information. The prudent application of this knowledge on cellular metabolism and biochemistry has enabled the construction of novel metabolic pathways that do not exist in nature or enhance existing ones. The hand in hand development of computational technology, protein science and genetic manipulation tools has formed the basis of powerful emerging technologies that make the production of green chemicals and fuels a reality. Microbial production of chemicals is more feasible compared to plant and animal systems, due to simpler genetic make-up and amenable growth rates. Here, we summarize the recent progress in the synthesis of biofuels, value added chemicals, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals via metabolic engineering of microbes.

Application of enzymatic apple pomace hydrolysate to production of 2,3-butanediol by alkaliphilic Bacillus licheniformis NCIMB 8059

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) synthesis by a nonpathogenic bacterium Bacillus licheniformis NCIMB 8059 from enzymatic hydrolysate of depectinized apple pomace and its blend with glucose was studied. In shake flasks, the maximum diol concentration in fed-batch fermentations was 113 g/L (in 163 h, from the hydrolysate, feedings with glucose) while in batch processes it was around 27 g/L (in 32 h, from the hydrolysate and glucose blend). Fed-batch fermentations in the 0.75 and 30 L fermenters yielded 87.71 g/L 2,3-BD in 160 h, and 72.39 g/L 2,3-BD in 94 h, respectively (from the hydrolysate and glucose blend, feedings with glucose). The hydrolysate of apple pomace, which was for the first time used for microbial 2,3-BD production is not only a source of sugars but also essential minerals.

Enhanced 2,3-Butanediol Production by Optimizing Fermentation Conditions and Engineering Klebsiella oxytoca M1 through Overexpression of Acetoin Reductase

Microbial production of 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) has been attracting increasing interest because of its high value and various industrial applications. In this study, high production of 2,3-BDO using a previously isolated bacterium Klebsiella oxytoca M1 was carried out by optimizing fermentation conditions and overexpressing acetoin reductase (AR). Supplying complex nitrogen sources and using NaOH as a neutralizing agent were found to enhance specific production and yield of 2,3-BDO. In fed-batch fermentations, 2,3-BDO production increased with the agitation speed (109.6 g/L at 300 rpm vs. 118.5 g/L at 400 rpm) along with significantly reduced formation of by-product, but the yield at 400 rpm was lower than that at 300 rpm (0.40 g/g vs. 0.34 g/g) due to acetoin accumulation at 400 rpm. Because AR catalyzing both acetoin reduction and 2,3-BDO oxidation in K. oxytoca M1 revealed more than 8-fold higher reduction activity than oxidation activity, the engineered K. oxytoca M1 overexpressing the budC encoding AR was used in fed-batch fermentation. Finally, acetoin accumulation was significantly reduced by 43% and enhancement of 2,3-BDO concentration (142.5 g/L), yield (0.42 g/g) and productivity (1.47 g/L/h) was achieved compared to performance with the parent strain. This is by far the highest titer of 2,3-BDO achieved by K. oxytoca strains. This notable result could be obtained by finding favorable fermentation conditions for 2,3-BDO production as well as by utilizing the distinct characteristic of AR in K. oxytoca M1 revealing the nature of reductase.

Engineered Serratia marcescens for efficient (3R)-acetoin and (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol production

(3R)-Acetoin and (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol are important pharmaceutical intermediates. However, until now, the quantity of natural microorganisms with the ability to produce single configuration of optically pure (3R)-acetoin and (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol is rare. In this study, a meso-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase encoded by the slaC gene from Serratia marcescens MG1 was identified for meso-2,3-butanediol and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol biosynthesis. Inactivation of the slaC gene could significantly decrease meso-2,3-butanediol and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol and result in a large quantity of (3R)-acetoin accumulation. Furthermore, a (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase encoded by the bdhA gene from Bacillus subtilis 168 was introduced into the slaC mutant strain of Serratia marcescens MG1. Excess (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase could accelerate the reaction from (3R)-acetoin to (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol and lead to (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol accumulation. In fed-batch fermentation, the excess (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase expression strain could produce 89.81 g/l (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol with a productivity of 1.91 g/l/h at 48 h. These results provided potential applications for (3R)-acetoin and (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol production.

Hydrodynamics of a self-actuated bacterial carpet using microscale particle image velocimetry

Microorganisms can effectively generate propulsive force at the microscale where viscous forces overwhelmingly dominate inertia forces; bacteria achieve this task through flagellar motion. When swarming bacteria, cultured on agar plates, are blotted onto the surface of a microfabricated structure, a monolayer of bacteria forms what is termed a "bacterial carpet," which generates strong flows due to the combined motion of their freely rotating flagella. Furthermore, when the bacterial carpet coated microstructure is released into a low Reynolds number fluidic environment, the propulsive force of the bacterial carpet is able to give the microstructure motility. In our previous investigations, we demonstrated motion control of these bacteria powered microbiorobots (MBRs). Without any external stimuli, MBRs display natural rotational and translational movements on their own; this MBR self-actuation is due to the coordination of flagella. Here, we investigate the flow fields generated by bacterial carpets, and compare this flow to the flow fields observed in the bulk fluid at a series of locations above the bacterial carpet. Using microscale particle image velocimetry, we characterize the flow fields generated from the bacterial carpets of MBRs in an effort to understand their propulsive flow, as well as the resulting pattern of flagella driven self-actuated motion. Comparing the velocities between the bacterial carpets on fixed and untethered MBRs, it was found that flow velocities near the surface of the microstructure were strongest, and at distances far above, the surface flow velocities were much smaller.

Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for production of (2S,3S)-butane-2,3-diol from glucose

BACKGROUND

Butane-2,3-diol (2,3-BD) is a fuel and platform biochemical with various industrial applications. 2,3-BD exists in three stereoisomeric forms: (2R,3R)-2,3-BD, meso-2,3-BD and (2S,3S)-2,3-BD. Microbial fermentative processes have been reported for (2R,3R)-2,3-BD and meso-2,3-BD production.

RESULTS

The production of (2S,3S)-2,3-BD from glucose was acquired by whole cells of recombinant Escherichia coli coexpressing the α-acetolactate synthase and meso-butane-2,3-diol dehydrogenase of Enterobacter cloacae subsp. dissolvens strain SDM. An optimal biocatalyst for (2S,3S)-2,3-BD production, E. coli BL21 (pETDuet-PT7-budB-PT7-budC), was constructed and the bioconversion conditions were optimized. With the addition of 10 mM FeCl3 in the bioconversion system, (2S,3S)-2,3-BD at a concentration of 2.2 g/L was obtained with a stereoisomeric purity of 95.0 % using the metabolically engineered strain from glucose.

CONCLUSIONS

The engineered E. coli strain is the first one that can be used in the direct production of (2S,3S)-2,3-BD from glucose. The results demonstrated that the method developed here would be a promising process for efficient (2S,3S)-2,3-BD production.

Microbial production of short chain diols

Short chain diols (propanediols, butanediols, pentanediols) have been widely used in bulk and fine chemical industries as fuels, solvents, polymer monomers and pharmaceutical precursors. The chemical production of short chain diols from fossil resources has been developed and optimized for decades. Consideration of the exhausting fossil resources and the increasing environment issues, the bio-based process to produce short chain diols is attracting interests. Currently, a variety of biotechnologies have been developed for the microbial production of the short chain diols from renewable feed-stocks. In order to efficiently produce bio-diols, the techniques like metabolically engineering the production strains, optimization of the fermentation processes, and integration of a reasonable downstream recovery processes have been thoroughly investigated. In this review, we summarized the recent development in the whole process of bio-diols production including substrate, microorganism, metabolic pathway, fermentation process and downstream process.

Improvement of 2,3-butanediol yield in Klebsiella pneumoniae by deletion of the pyruvate formate-lyase gene

Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered a good host strain for the production of 2,3-butanediol, which is a promising platform chemical with various industrial applications. In this study, three genes, including those encoding glucosyltransferase (wabG), lactate dehydrogenase (ldhA), and pyruvate formate-lyase (pflB), were disrupted in K. pneumoniae to reduce both its pathogenic characteristics and the production of several by-products. In flask cultivation with minimal medium, the yield of 2,3-butanediol from rationally engineered K. pneumoniae (ΔwabG ΔldhA ΔpflB) reached 0.461 g/g glucose, which was 92.2% of the theoretical maximum, with a significant reduction in by-product formation. However, the growth rate of the pflB mutant was slightly reduced compared to that of its parental strain. Comparison with similar mutants of Escherichia coli suggested that the growth defect of pflB-deficient K. pneumoniae was caused by redox imbalance rather than reduced level of intracellular acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). From an analysis of the transcriptome, it was confirmed that the removal of pflB from K. pneumoniae significantly repressed the expression of genes involved in the formate hydrogen lyase (FHL) system.

Genome Sequence of meso-2,3-Butanediol-Producing Strain Serratia marcescens ATCC 14041

Serratia marcescens strain ATCC 14041 was found to be an efficient meso-2,3-butanediol (meso-2,3-BD) producer from glucose and sucrose. Here we present a 5.0-Mb assembly of its genome. We have annotated 4 coding sequences (CDSs) for meso-2,3-BD fermentation and 2 complete operons including 6 CDSs for sucrose utilization.

Microbial production of 2,3-butanediol by a newly-isolated strain of Serratia marcescens

A newly-isolated strain of Serratia marcescens, G12, was characterized for 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) production. In shake-flask and batch fermentations, 2,3-BD reached 48.5 and 51 g l(-1), respectively. Low amounts of (~8 g l(-1)) of acetoin were also formed. In fed-batch fermentations, strain G12 produced 72.8 g 2,3-BD l(-1) with glucose initially at 130 g l(-1). When aeration rate was increased to 2.5 vvm for the fermentation process, 2,3-BD reached 87.8 g l(-1) and the highest productivity was 1.6 g l(-1 )h(-1). Acetoin was at 6.2 g l(-1). G12 therefore may be a suitable candidate strain for large-scale production of 2,3-BD.

Efficient bioconversion of 2,3-butanediol into acetoin using Gluconobacter oxydans DSM 2003

BACKGROUND

2,3-Butanediol is a platform and fuel biochemical that can be efficiently produced from biomass. However, a value-added process for this chemical has not yet been developed. To expand the utilization of 2,3-butanediol produced from biomass, an improved derivative process of 2,3-butanediol is desirable.

RESULTS

In this study, a Gluconobacter oxydans strain DSM 2003 was found to have the ability to transform 2,3-butanediol into acetoin, a high value feedstock that can be widely used in dairy and cosmetic products, and chemical synthesis. All three stereoisomers, meso-2,3-butanediol, (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol, and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol, could be transformed into acetoin by the strain. After optimization of the bioconversion conditions, the optimum growth temperature for acetoin production by strain DSM 2003 was found to be 30°C and the medium pH was 6.0. With an initial 2,3-butanediol concentration of 40 g/L, acetoin at a high concentration of 89.2 g/L was obtained from 2,3-butanediol by fed-batch bioconversion with a high productivity (1.24 g/L · h) and high yield (0.912 mol/mol).

CONCLUSIONS

G. oxydans DSM 2003 is the first strain that can be used in the direct production of acetoin from 2,3-butanediol. The product concentration and yield of the novel process are both new records for acetoin production. The results demonstrate that the method developed in this study could provide a promising process for efficient acetoin production and industrially produced 2,3-butanediol utilization.

Insights of biosurfactant producing Serratia marcescens strain W2.3 isolated from diseased tilapia fish: a draft genome analysis

Background

Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen with broad range of host ranging from vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. S. marcescens strain W2.3 was isolated from a diseased tilapia fish and it was suspected to be the causal agent for the fish disease as virulence genes were found within its genome. In this study, for the first time, the genome sequences of S. marcescens strain W2.3 were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform.

Result

Several virulent factors of S. marcescens such as serrawettin, a biosurfactant, has been reported to be regulated by N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum sensing (QS). In our previous studies, an unusual AHL with long acyl side chain was detected from this isolate suggesting the possibility of novel virulence factors regulation. This evokes our interest in the genome of this bacterial strain and hereby we present the draft genome of S. marcescens W2.3, which carries the serrawettin production gene, swrA and the AHL-based QS transcriptional regulator gene, luxR which is an orphan luxR.

Conclusion

With the availability of the whole genome sequences of S. marcescens W2.3, this will pave the way for the study of the QS-mediated genes expression in this bacterium.

Improved production of 2,3-butanediol in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by over-expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase

BACKGROUND

Previously, a safe strain, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B10-127 was identified as an excellent candidate for industrial-scale microbial fermentation of 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD). However, B. amyloliquefaciens fermentation yields large quantities of acetoin, lactate and succinate as by-products, and the 2,3-BD yield remains prohibitively low for commercial production.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In the 2,3-butanediol metabolic pathway, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) catalyzes the conversion of 3-phosphate glyceraldehyde to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate, with concomitant reduction of NAD(+) to NADH. In the same pathway, 2,3-BD dehydrogenase (BDH) catalyzes the conversion of acetoin to 2,3-BD with concomitant oxidation of NADH to NAD(+). In this study, to improve 2,3-BD production, we first over-produced NAD(+)-dependent GAPDH and NADH-dependent BDH in B. amyloliquefaciens. Excess GAPDH reduced the fermentation time, increased the 2,3-BD yield by 12.7%, and decreased the acetoin titer by 44.3%. However, the process also enhanced lactate and succinate production. Excess BDH increased the 2,3-BD yield by 16.6% while decreasing acetoin, lactate and succinate production, but prolonged the fermentation time. When BDH and GAPDH were co-overproduced in B. amyloliquefaciens, the fermentation time was reduced. Furthermore, in the NADH-dependent pathways, the molar yield of 2,3-BD was increased by 22.7%, while those of acetoin, lactate and succinate were reduced by 80.8%, 33.3% and 39.5%, relative to the parent strain. In fed-batch fermentations, the 2,3-BD concentration was maximized at 132.9 g/l after 45 h, with a productivity of 2.95 g/l·h.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Co-overexpression of bdh and gapA genes proved an effective method for enhancing 2,3-BD production and inhibiting the accumulation of unwanted by-products (acetoin, lactate and succinate). To our knowledge, we have attained the highest 2,3-BD fermentation yield thus far reported for safe microorganisms.

A newly isolated Bacillus licheniformis strain thermophilically produces 2,3-butanediol, a platform and fuel bio-chemical

BACKGROUND

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD), a platform and fuel bio-chemical, can be efficiently produced by Klebsiella pneumonia, K. oxytoca, and Serratia marcescens. However, these strains are opportunistic pathogens and not favorable for industrial application. Although some generally regarded as safe (GRAS) microorganisms have been isolated in recent years, there is still a demand for safe 2,3-BD producing strains with high productivity and yield under thermophilic fermentation.

RESULTS

Bacillus licheniformis strain 10-1-A was newly isolated for 2,3-BD production. The optimum temperature and medium pH were 50°C and pH 7.0 for 2,3-BD production by strain 10-1-A. The medium composition was optimized through Plackett-Burman design and response surface methodology techniques. With a two-stage agitation speed control strategy, 115.7 g/L of 2,3-BD was obtained from glucose by fed-batch fermentation in a 5-L bioreactor with a high productivity (2.4 g/L·h) and yield (94% of its theoretical value). The 2,3-BD produced by strain 10-1-A comprises (2R,3R)-2,3-BD and meso-2,3-BD with a ratio of nearly 1:1. The bdh and gdh genes encoding meso-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (meso-BDH) and glycerol dehydrogenase (GDH) of strain 10-1-A were expressed in Escherichia coli and the proteins were purified. meso-2,3-BD and (2R,3R)-2,3-BD were transformed from racemic acetoin by meso-BDH and GDH with NADH, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the reported GRAS 2,3-BD producers, B. licheniformis 10-1-A could thermophilically produce 2,3-BD with a high concentration, productivity and yield. Thus, the newly isolated GRAS strain 10-1-A might be a promising strain for industrial production of 2,3-BD. Two key enzymes for meso-2,3-BD and (2R,3R)-2,3-BD production were purified and further studied, and this might be helpful to understand the mechanism for 2,3-BD stereoisomers forming in B. licheniformis.