Biosynthetic Burden and Plasmid Burden Limit Expression of Chromosomally Integrated Heterologous Genes (pdc,adhB) in Escherichiacoli

Limited cell growth and the resulting low volumetric productivity of ethanologenic Escherichia coli KO11 in mineral salts medium containing xylose have been attributed to inadequate partitioning of carbon skeletons into the synthesis of glutamate and other products derived from the citrate arm of the anaerobic tricarboxylic acid pathway. The results of nuclear magnetic resonance investigations of intracellular osmolytes under different growth conditions coupled with those of studies using genetically modified strains have confirmed and extended this hypothesis. During anaerobic growth in mineral salts medium containing 9% xylose (600 mM) and 1% corn steep liquor, proline was the only abundant osmolyte (71.9 nmol ml ؊1 optical density at 550 nm [OD 550 ] unit ؊1 ), and growth was limited. Under aerobic conditions in the same medium, twice the cell mass was produced, and cells contained a mixture of osmolytes: glutamate (17.0 nmol ml ؊1 OD 550 unit ؊1 ), trehalose (9.9 nmol ml ؊1 OD 550 unit ؊1 ), and betaine (19.8 nmol ml ؊1 OD 550 unit ؊1 ). Two independent genetic modifications of E. coli KO11 (functional expression of Bacillus subtilis citZ encoding NADH-insensitive citrate synthase; deletion of ackA encoding acetate kinase) and the addition of a metabolite, such as glutamate (11 mM) or acetate (24 mM), as a supplement each increased the intracellular glutamate pool during fermentation, doubled cell growth, and increased volumetric productivity. This apparent requirement for a larger glutamate pool for increased growth and volumetric productivity was completely eliminated by the addition of a protective osmolyte (2 mM betaine or 0.25 mM dimethylsulfoniopropionate), consistent with adaptation to osmotic stress rather than relief of a specific biosynthetic requirement.

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Lack of Protective Osmolytes Limits Final Cell Density and Volumetric Productivity of Ethanologenic Escherichia coli KO11 during Xylose Fermentation

Underwood

Buszko

Shanmugam

et al. 2004

“…Undesirable changes, such as reduced growth, decreased glycolytic flux, and low volumetric productivity, are generally attributed to a lack of ATP (19, 50), creation of futile cycles (10,11,37), changes in intracellular metabolite pools, or a metabolic imbalance (2,7,9,13,28,51,53). Often, these detrimental effects are masked by abundant complex nutrients in laboratory media and are apparent only in more minimal media (7,10,11,31).Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was engineered for succinate production by increasing expression of pyc encoding pyruvate carboxylase (50). Although succinate production increased, the growth rate declined by 18% and the glycolytic flux decreased by 40%.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Flux through Citrate Synthase Limits the Growth of EthanologenicEscherichia coliKO11 during Xylose Fermentation

Underwood

Buszko

Shanmugam

et al. 2002

Previous studies have shown that high levels of complex nutrients (Luria broth or 5% corn steep liquor) were necessary for rapid ethanol production by the ethanologenic strain Escherichia coli KO11. Although this strain is prototrophic, cell density and ethanol production remained low in mineral salts media (10% xylose) unless complex nutrients were added. The basis for this nutrient requirement was identified as a regulatory problem created by metabolic engineering of an ethanol pathway. Cells must partition pyruvate between competing needs for biosynthesis and regeneration of NAD ؉ . Expression of low-K m Zymomonas mobilis pdc (pyruvate decarboxylase) in KO11 reduced the flow of pyruvate carbon into native fermentation pathways as desired, but it also restricted the flow of carbon skeletons into the 2-ketoglutarate arm of the tricarboxylic acid pathway (biosynthesis). In mineral salts medium containing 1% corn steep liquor and 10% xylose, the detrimental effect of metabolic engineering was substantially reduced by addition of pyruvate. A similar benefit was also observed when acetaldehyde, 2-ketoglutarate, or glutamate was added. In E. coli, citrate synthase links the cellular abundance of NADH to the supply of 2-ketoglutarate for glutamate biosynthesis. This enzyme is allosterically regulated and inhibited by high NADH concentrations. In addition, citrate synthase catalyzes the first committed step in 2-ketoglutarate synthesis. Oxidation of NADH by added acetaldehyde (or pyruvate) would be expected to increase the activity of E. coli citrate synthase and direct more carbon into 2-ketoglutarate, and this may explain the stimulation of growth. This hypothesis was tested, in part, by cloning the Bacillus subtilis citZ gene encoding an NADH-insensitive citrate synthase. Expression of recombinant citZ in KO11 was accompanied by increases in cell growth and ethanol production, which substantially reduced the need for complex nutrients.The engineering of metabolic pathways for production of industrial chemicals from renewable carbohydrates offers an alternative to petroleum-based processes and chemical synthesis (3,12,22). Genetically altering metabolic pathways, however, often causes unanticipated changes which may limit utility. Undesirable changes, such as reduced growth, decreased glycolytic flux, and low volumetric productivity, are generally attributed to a lack of ATP (19, 50), creation of futile cycles (10,11,37), changes in intracellular metabolite pools, or a metabolic imbalance (2,7,9,13,28,51,53). Often, these detrimental effects are masked by abundant complex nutrients in laboratory media and are apparent only in more minimal media (7,10,11,31).Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was engineered for succinate production by increasing expression of pyc encoding pyruvate carboxylase (50). Although succinate production increased, the growth rate declined by 18% and the glycolytic flux decreased by 40%. Similar results were reported for an analogous construction in Escherichia coli (19). Donnelly and cow...

“…Fermentations were carried out in L broth containing 10% xylose as previously described by using 500-ml vessels (29). The cultures were started with an initial cell concentration of 0.33 g (dry weight) of cells ml Ϫ1 and were incubated for 48 h. Temperature (35°C), pH (pH 6.5), and agitation (100 rpm) were controlled.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Under these conditions, the lower limit for measurement of ethyl acetate in broth was approximately 20 mg liter Ϫ1 . Ethanol was measured as previously described (29). Materials.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decreasing the Level of Ethyl Acetate in Ethanolic Fermentation Broths ofEscherichia coliKO11 by Expression ofPseudomonas putida estZEsterase

Hasona

York

Yomano

et al. 2002

During the fermentation of sugars to ethanol relatively high levels of an undesirable coproduct, ethyl acetate, are also produced. With ethanologenic Escherichia coli strain KO11 as the biocatalyst, the level of ethyl acetate in beer containing 4.8% ethanol was 192 mg liter ؊1 . Although the E. coli genome encodes several proteins with esterase activity, neither wild-type strains nor KO11 contained significant ethyl acetate esterase activity. A simple method was developed to rapidly screen bacterial colonies for the presence of esterases which hydrolyze ethyl acetate based on pH change. This method allowed identification of Pseudomonas putida NRRL B-18435 as a source of this activity and the cloning of a new esterase gene, estZ. Recombinant EstZ esterase was purified to near homogeneity and characterized. It belongs to family IV of lipolytic enzymes and contains the conserved catalytic triad of serine, aspartic acid, and histidine. As expected, this serine esterase was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and the histidine reagent diethylpyrocarbonate. The native and subunit molecular weights of the recombinant protein were 36,000, indicating that the enzyme exists as a monomer. By using ␣-naphthyl acetate as a model substrate, optimal activity was observed at pH 7.5 and 40°C. The K m and V max for ␣-naphthyl acetate were 18 M and 48.1 mol · min ؊1 · mg of protein ؊1 , respectively. Among the aliphatic esters tested, the highest activity was obtained with propyl acetate (96 mol · min ؊1 · mg of protein ؊1 ), followed by ethyl acetate (66 mol · min ؊1 · mg of protein ؊1 ). Expression of estZ in E. coli KO11 reduced the concentration of ethyl acetate in fermentation broth (4.8% ethanol) to less than 20 mg liter ؊1 .