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Subudhi S, Saha K, Mudgil D, Sarangi PK, Srivastava RK, Sarma MK. Biomethanol production from renewable resources: a sustainable approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-29616-0. [PMID: 37667122 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29616-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
The abundant availability of various kinds of biomass and their use as feedstock for the production of gaseous and liquid biofuels has been considered a viable, eco-friendly, and sustainable mode of energy generation. Gaseous fuels like biogas and liquid fuels, e.g., bioethanol, biodiesel, and biomethanol derived from biological sources, have been theorized to produce numerous industrially relevant organic compounds replacing the traditional practice of employing fossil fuels as a raw material. Among the biofuels explored, biomethanol has shown promising potential to be a future product addressing multifactorial issues concerning sustainable energy and associated process developments. The presented mini-review has explored the importance and application of biomethanol as a value-added product. The biomethanol production process was well reviewed by focusing on different thermochemical and biochemical conversion processes. Syngas and biogas have been acknowledged as potential resources for biomethanol synthesis. The emphasis on biochemical processes is laid on the principal metabolic pathways and enzymatic machinery involved or used by microbial physiology to convert feedstock into biomethanol under normal temperature and pressure conditions. The advantage of minimizing the cost of production by utilizing suggested modifications to the overall process of biomethanol production that involves metabolic and genetic engineering in microbial strains used in the production process has been delineated. The challenges that exist in our current knowledge domain, impeding large-scale commercial production potential of biomethanol at a cost-effective rate, and strategies to overcome them along with its future scenarios have also been pointed out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjukta Subudhi
- Advanced Biofuels Program, The Energy and Resources Institute, Darbari Seth Block, Habitat Place, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 110 003, India.
| | - Koel Saha
- Advanced Biofuels Program, The Energy and Resources Institute, Darbari Seth Block, Habitat Place, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 110 003, India
| | - Divya Mudgil
- Advanced Biofuels Program, The Energy and Resources Institute, Darbari Seth Block, Habitat Place, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 110 003, India
| | - Prakash Kumar Sarangi
- College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, 795004, Manipur, India
| | - Rajesh K Srivastava
- Department of Biotechnology, Gitam School of Technology, GITAM (Deemed to Be University), Visakhapatnam, 530045, India
| | - Mrinal Kumar Sarma
- Advanced Biofuels Program, The Energy and Resources Institute, Darbari Seth Block, Habitat Place, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 110 003, India
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Chen YY, Ishikawa M, Hori K. A novel inverse membrane bioreactor for efficient bioconversion from methane gas to liquid methanol using a microbial gas-phase reaction. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:16. [PMID: 36732825 PMCID: PMC9893580 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02267-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methane (CH4), as one of the major energy sources, easily escapes from the supply chain into the atmosphere, because it exists in a gaseous state under ambient conditions. Compared to carbon dioxide (CO2), CH4 is 25 times more potent at trapping radiation; thus, the emission of CH4 to the atmosphere causes severe global warming and climate change. To mitigate CH4 emissions and utilize them effectively, the direct biological conversion of CH4 into liquid fuels, such as methanol (CH3OH), using methanotrophs is a promising strategy. However, supplying biocatalysts in an aqueous medium with CH4 involves high energy consumption due to vigorous agitation and/or bubbling, which is a serious concern in methanotrophic processes, because the aqueous phase causes a very large barrier to the delivery of slightly soluble gases. RESULTS An inverse membrane bioreactor (IMBR), which combines the advantages of gas-phase bioreactors and membrane bioreactors, was designed and constructed for the bioconversion of CH4 into CH3OH in this study. In contrast to the conventional membrane bioreactor with bacterial cells that are immersed in an aqueous phase, the filtered cells were placed to face a gas phase in the IMBR to supply CH4 directly from the gas phase to bacterial cells. Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath), a representative methanotroph, was used to demonstrate the bioconversion of CH4 to CH3OH in the IMBR. Cyclopropanol was supplied from the aqueous phase as a selective inhibitor of methanol dehydrogenase, preventing further CH3OH oxidation. Sodium formate was added as an electron donor to generate NADH, which is necessary for CH3OH production. After optimizing the inlet concentration of CH4, the mass of cells, the cyclopropanol concentration, and the gas flow rate, continuous CH3OH production can be achieved over 72 h with productivity at 0.88 mmol L-1 h-1 in the IMBR, achieving a longer operation period and higher productivity than those using other types of membrane bioreactors reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS The IMBR can facilitate the development of gas-to-liquid (GTL) technologies via microbial processes, allowing highly efficient mass transfer of substrates from the gas phase to microbial cells in the gas phase and having the supplement of soluble chemicals convenient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Yu Chen
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
| | - Masahito Ishikawa
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Hori
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-Cho, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, 464-8603 Japan
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Huang X, Song Q, Guo S, Fei Q. Transcription regulation strategies in methylotrophs: progress and challenges. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2022; 9:126. [PMID: 38647763 PMCID: PMC10992012 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-022-00614-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
As a promising industrial microorganism, methylotroph is capable of using methane or methanol as the sole carbon source natively, which has been utilized in the biosynthesis of various bioproducts. However, the relatively low efficiency of carbon conversion has become a limiting factor throughout the development of methanotrophic cell factories due to the unclear genetic background. To better highlight their advantages in methane or methanol-based biomanufacturing, some metabolic engineering strategies, including upstream transcription regulation projects, are being popularized in methylotrophs. In this review, several strategies of transcription regulations applied in methylotrophs are summarized and their applications are discussed and prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Huang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Qiaoqiao Song
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Shuqi Guo
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Qiang Fei
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
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Kostyuk AI, Panova AS, Kokova AD, Kotova DA, Maltsev DI, Podgorny OV, Belousov VV, Bilan DS. In Vivo Imaging with Genetically Encoded Redox Biosensors. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8164. [PMID: 33142884 PMCID: PMC7662651 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Redox reactions are of high fundamental and practical interest since they are involved in both normal physiology and the pathogenesis of various diseases. However, this area of research has always been a relatively problematic field in the context of analytical approaches, mostly because of the unstable nature of the compounds that are measured. Genetically encoded sensors allow for the registration of highly reactive molecules in real-time mode and, therefore, they began a new era in redox biology. Their strongest points manifest most brightly in in vivo experiments and pave the way for the non-invasive investigation of biochemical pathways that proceed in organisms from different systematic groups. In the first part of the review, we briefly describe the redox sensors that were used in vivo as well as summarize the model systems to which they were applied. Next, we thoroughly discuss the biological results obtained in these studies in regard to animals, plants, as well as unicellular eukaryotes and prokaryotes. We hope that this work reflects the amazing power of this technology and can serve as a useful guide for biologists and chemists who work in the field of redox processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander I. Kostyuk
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (A.S.P.); (A.D.K.); (D.A.K.); (D.I.M.); (O.V.P.); (V.V.B.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasiya S. Panova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (A.S.P.); (A.D.K.); (D.A.K.); (D.I.M.); (O.V.P.); (V.V.B.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksandra D. Kokova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (A.S.P.); (A.D.K.); (D.A.K.); (D.I.M.); (O.V.P.); (V.V.B.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Daria A. Kotova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (A.S.P.); (A.D.K.); (D.A.K.); (D.I.M.); (O.V.P.); (V.V.B.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry I. Maltsev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (A.S.P.); (A.D.K.); (D.A.K.); (D.I.M.); (O.V.P.); (V.V.B.)
- Federal Center for Cerebrovascular Pathology and Stroke, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Oleg V. Podgorny
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (A.S.P.); (A.D.K.); (D.A.K.); (D.I.M.); (O.V.P.); (V.V.B.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vsevolod V. Belousov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (A.S.P.); (A.D.K.); (D.A.K.); (D.I.M.); (O.V.P.); (V.V.B.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Federal Center for Cerebrovascular Pathology and Stroke, 117997 Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology, Georg August University Göttingen, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dmitry S. Bilan
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (A.S.P.); (A.D.K.); (D.A.K.); (D.I.M.); (O.V.P.); (V.V.B.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia
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Methanol Production by " Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum" SolV under Different Growth Conditions. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.01188-20. [PMID: 32631865 PMCID: PMC7480378 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01188-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The production of methanol, an important chemical, is completely dependent on natural gas. The current multistep chemical process uses high temperature and pressure to convert methane in natural gas to methanol. In this study, we used the methanotroph “Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum” SolV to achieve continuous methanol production from methane as the substrate. The production rate was highly dependent on the growth rate of this microorganism, and high conversion efficiencies were obtained. Using microorganisms for the production of methanol might enable the use of more sustainable sources of methane, such as biogas, rather than natural gas. Industrial methanol production converts methane from natural gas into methanol through a multistep chemical process. Biological methane-to-methanol conversion under moderate conditions and using biogas would be more environmentally friendly. Methanotrophs, bacteria that use methane as an energy source, convert methane into methanol in a single step catalyzed by the enzyme methane monooxygenase, but inhibition of methanol dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the subsequent conversion of methanol into formaldehyde, is a major challenge. In this study, we used the thermoacidophilic methanotroph “Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum” SolV for biological methanol production. This bacterium possesses a XoxF-type methanol dehydrogenase that is dependent on rare earth elements for activity. By using a cultivation medium nearly devoid of lanthanides, we reduced methanol dehydrogenase activity and obtained a continuous methanol-producing microbial culture. The methanol production rate and conversion efficiency were growth-rate dependent. A maximal conversion efficiency of 63% mol methanol produced per mol methane consumed was obtained at a relatively high growth rate, with a methanol production rate of 0.88 mmol/g (dry weight)/h. This study demonstrates that methanotrophs can be used for continuous methanol production. Full-scale application will require additional increases in the titer, production rate, and efficiency, which can be achieved by further decreasing the lanthanide concentration through the use of increased biomass concentrations and novel reactor designs to supply sufficient gases, including methane, oxygen, and hydrogen. IMPORTANCE The production of methanol, an important chemical, is completely dependent on natural gas. The current multistep chemical process uses high temperature and pressure to convert methane in natural gas to methanol. In this study, we used the methanotroph “Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum” SolV to achieve continuous methanol production from methane as the substrate. The production rate was highly dependent on the growth rate of this microorganism, and high conversion efficiencies were obtained. Using microorganisms for the production of methanol might enable the use of more sustainable sources of methane, such as biogas, rather than natural gas.
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Kaneko M, Ishihara K, Nakanishi S. Redox-Active Polymers Connecting Living Microbial Cells to an Extracellular Electrical Circuit. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2001849. [PMID: 32734709 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202001849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microbial electrochemical systems in which metabolic electrons in living microbes have been extracted to or injected from an extracellular electrical circuit have attracted considerable attention as environmentally-friendly energy conversion systems. Since general microbes cannot exchange electrons with extracellular solids, electron mediators are needed to connect living cells to an extracellular electrode. Although hydrophobic small molecules that can penetrate cell membranes are commonly used as electron mediators, they cannot be dissolved at high concentrations in aqueous media. The use of hydrophobic mediators in combination with small hydrophilic redox molecules can substantially increase the efficiency of the extracellular electron transfer process, but this method has side effects, in some cases, such as cytotoxicity and environmental pollution. In this Review, recently-developed redox-active polymers are highlighted as a new type of electron mediator that has less cytotoxicity than many conventional electron mediators. Owing to the design flexibility of polymer structures, important parameters that affect electron transport properties, such as redox potential, the balance of hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity, and electron conductivity, can be systematically regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Kaneko
- Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ishihara
- Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shuji Nakanishi
- Research Center for Solar Energy Chemistry, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-8531, Japan
- Graduate School of Engineering Science Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-8531, Japan
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Patel SKS, Shanmugam R, Kalia VC, Lee JK. Methanol production by polymer-encapsulated methanotrophs from simulated biogas in the presence of methane vector. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 304:123022. [PMID: 32070839 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Type I (Methylomicrobium album) and II (Methyloferula stellata) methanotrophs were encapsulated by alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to improve methanol production from simulated biogas [methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2)] in the presence of CH4 vector. Polymeric matrix alginate (2%) and PVA (10%) were found to be optimum for the immobilization of both the methanotrophs, with a relative efficiency of methanol production up to 80.6 and 88.7%, respectively. The stability of methanol production by immobilized cells was improved up to 13.2-fold under repeated batch-culture over free cells. The addition of CH4 vectors showed 1.7-fold higher methanol production on using simulated biogas than in the control. The maximum methanol production of 7.46 and 7.14 mmol/L was noted for PVA-encapsulated M. album and M. stellata, respectively. This study successfully established the beneficial effects of CH4 vectors on methanol production by methanotrophs from greenhouse gases that can be applied for real biogas feedstock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay K S Patel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Ramasamy Shanmugam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Vipin Chandra Kalia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Kul Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
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Kim C, Lee JH, Baek J, Kong DS, Na JG, Lee J, Sundstrom E, Park S, Kim JR. Small Current but Highly Productive Synthesis of 1,3-Propanediol from Glycerol by an Electrode-Driven Metabolic Shift in Klebsiella pneumoniae L17. CHEMSUSCHEM 2020; 13:564-573. [PMID: 31808287 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201902928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Electrofermentation actively regulates the bacterial redox state, which is essential for bioconversion and has been highlighted as an effective method for further improvements of the productivity of either reduced or oxidized platform chemicals. 1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) is an industrial value-added chemical that can be produced from glycerol fermentation. The bioconversion of 1,3-PDO from glycerol requires additional reducing energy under anoxic conditions. The cathode-based conversion of glycerol to 1,3-PDO with various electron shuttles (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, neutral red, and hydroquinone) using Klebsiella pneumoniae L17 was investigated. The externally poised potential of -0.9 V vs. Ag/AgCl to the cathode increased 1,3-PDO (35.5±3.1 mm) production if 100 μm neutral red was used compared with non-bioelectrochemical system fermentation (23.7±2.4 mm). Stoichiometric metabolic flux and transcriptional analysis indicated a shift in the carbon flux toward the glycerol reductive pathway. The homologous overexpression of glycerol dehydratase (DhaB) and 1,3-PDO oxidoreductase (DhaT) enzymes synergistically enhanced 1,3-PDO conversion (39.3±0.8 mm) under cathode-driven fermentation. Interestingly, a small current uptake (0.23 mmol of electrons) caused significant metabolic flux changes with a concomitant increase in 1,3-PDO production. This suggests that both an increase in 1,3-PDO production and regulation of the cellular metabolic pathway are feasible by electrode-driven control in cathodic electrofermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changman Kim
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea
- Present Address: Advanced Biofuel and Bioproducts Process Development Unit, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - Jae Hyeon Lee
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyun Baek
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea
| | - Da Seul Kong
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Geol Na
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-Ro, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinwon Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-Ro, Mapo-Gu, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Eric Sundstrom
- Advanced Biofuel and Bioproducts Process Development Unit, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - Sunghoon Park
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, UNIST, Ulsan, 689-798, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Rae Kim
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea
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Patel SKS, Kalia VC, Joo JB, Kang YC, Lee JK. Biotransformation of methane into methanol by methanotrophs immobilized on coconut coir. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 297:122433. [PMID: 31761623 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to establish a unique approach for the production of methanol from methane (CH4) in the presence of paraffin oil mediated by methanotrophs immobilized on coconut coir (CC). Immobilization of different methanotrophs through covalent method increased the immobilization yield and relative efficiency for methanol production to 48.6% and 96.8%, respectively. In the presence of paraffin oil, methanol production was 1.6-fold higher by Methylocystis bryophila than by control. Compared to free cells, whole cells immobilized on CC showed higher stability for methanol production. Under repeated batch conditions, cumulative methanol production by immobilized cells and free cells, after eight cycles of reuse, was 52.9 and 30.9 mmol/L, respectively. This study effectively demonstrated the beneficial influence of lignocellulosic biowaste CC as support for immobilization of methanotrophs and paraffin oil on bioconversion of CH4 to methanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay K S Patel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Vipin Chandra Kalia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Bong Joo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Chan Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Kul Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
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Efficient Counterselection for Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) by Using a Mutated pheS Gene. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.01875-18. [PMID: 30266726 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01875-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) is a representative gammaproteobacterial methanotroph that has been studied extensively in diverse research fields. The sacB gene, which encodes levansucrase, causing cell death in the presence of sucrose, is widely used as a counterselectable marker for disruption of a target gene in Gram-negative bacteria. However, sacB is not applicable to all Gram-negative bacteria, and its efficiency for the counterselection of M. capsulatus (Bath) is low. Here, we report the construction of an alternative counterselectable marker, pheS*, by introduction of two point mutations (A306G and T252A) into the pheS gene from M. capsulatus (Bath), which encodes the α-subunit of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. The transformant harboring pheS* on an expression plasmid showed sensitivity to 10 mM p-chloro-phenylalanine, whereas the transformant harboring an empty plasmid showed no sensitivity, indicating the availability of pheS* as a counterselectable marker in M. capsulatus (Bath). To validate the utility of the pheS* marker in counterselection, we attempted to obtain an unmarked mutant of xoxF, a gene encoding the major subunit of Xox methanol dehydrogenase, which we failed to obtain by counterselection using the sacB marker. PCR, immunodetection using an anti-XoxF antiserum, and a cell growth assay in the absence of calcium demonstrated successful disruption of the xoxF gene in M. capsulatus (Bath). The difference in counterselection efficiencies of the markers indicated that pheS* is more suitable than sacB for counterselection in M. capsulatus (Bath). This study provides a new genetic tool enabling efficient counterselection in M. capsulatus (Bath).IMPORTANCE Methanotrophs have long been considered promising strains for biologically reducing methane from the environment and converting it into valuable products, because they can oxidize methane at ambient temperatures and pressures. Although several methodologies and tools for the genetic manipulation of methanotrophs have been developed, their mutagenic efficiency remains lower than that of tractable strains such as Escherichia coli Therefore, further improvements are still desired. The significance of our study is that we increased the efficiency of counterselection in M. capsulatus (Bath) by employing pheS*, which was newly constructed as a counterselectable marker. This will allow for the efficient production of gene-disrupted and gene-integrated mutants of M. capsulatus (Bath). We anticipate that this counterselection system will be utilized widely by the methanotroph research community, leading to improved productivity of methane-based bioproduction and new insights into methanotrophy.
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Patel SKS, Kumar V, Mardina P, Li J, Lestari R, Kalia VC, Lee JK. Methanol production from simulated biogas mixtures by co-immobilized Methylomonas methanica and Methylocella tundrae. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2018; 263:25-32. [PMID: 29729538 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.04.096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Revised: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, co-cultures of the methanotrophs Methylocella tundrae, Methyloferula stellata, and Methylomonas methanica were evaluated for improving methanol production with their application. Among the different combinations, the co-culture of M. tundrae and M. methanica increased methanol production to 4.87 mM using methane (CH4) as feed. When simulated biogas mixtures were used as feed, the maximum methanol production was improved to 8.66, 8.45, and 9.65 mM by free and encapsulated co-cultures in 2% alginate and silica-gel, respectively. Under repeated batch conditions, free and immobilized co-cultures using alginate and silica-gel resulted in high cumulative production, up to 24.43, 35.95, and 47.35 mM, using simulated biohythane (CH4 and hydrogen), respectively. This is the first report of methanol production from defined free and immobilized co-cultures using simulated biogas mixtures as feed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay K S Patel
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Virendra Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Primata Mardina
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinglin Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Rowina Lestari
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Vipin C Kalia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Kul Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Biological conversion of methane to chemicals and fuels: technical challenges and issues. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:3071-3080. [PMID: 29492639 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-8842-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Methane is a promising next-generation carbon feedstock for industrial biotechnology due to its low price and huge availability. Biological conversion of methane to valuable products can mitigate methane-induced global warming as greenhouse gas. There have been challenges for the conversion of methane into various chemicals and fuels using engineered non-native hosts with synthetic methanotrophy or methanotrophs with the reconstruction of synthetic pathways for target products. Herein, we analyze the technical challenges and issues of potent methane bioconversion technology. Pros and cons of metabolic engineering of methanotrophs for methane bioconversion, and perspectives on the bioconversion of methane to chemicals and liquid fuels are discussed.
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