Kyoung-Hee Kang

Propionyl-CoA dependent biosynthesis of 2-hydroxybutyrate containing polyhydroxyalkanoates in metabolically engineered Escherichia coli

We have previously reported in vivo biosynthesis of 2-hydroxyacid containing polyesters including polylactic acid (PLA), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-lactate) [P(3HB-co-LA)], and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-2-hydroxybutyrate-co-lactate) [P(3HB-co-2HB-co-LA)] employing metabolically engineered Escherichia coli strains by the introduction of evolved Clostridium propionicum propionyl-CoA transferase (Pct(Cp)) and Pseudomonas sp. MBEL 6-19 polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase 1 (PhaC1(Ps6-19)). In this study, we further engineered in vivo PLA biosynthesis system in E. coli to synthesize 2HB-containing PHA, in which propionyl-CoA was used as precursor for 2-ketobutyrate that was converted into 2HB-CoA by the sequential actions of Lactococcus lactis (D)-2-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (PanE) and Pct(Cp) and then 2HB-CoA was polymerized by PhaC1(Ps6-19). The recombinant E. coli XL1-blue expressing the phaC1437 gene, the pct540 gene, and the Ralstonia eutropha prpE gene together with the panE gene could be grown to 0.66 g/L and successfully produced P(70 mol%3HB-co-18 mol%2HB-co-12 mol%LA) up to the PHA content of 66 wt% from 20 g/L of glucose, 2 g/L of 3HB and 1 g/L of sodium propionate. Removal of the prpC gene in the chromosome of E. coli XL1-blue could increase the mole fraction of 2HB in copolymer, but the PHA content was decreased. The metabolic engineering strategy reported here suggests that propionyl-CoA can be successfully used as the precursor to provide PHA synthase with 2HB-CoA for the production of PHAs containing 2HB monomer.

Quantified High-Throughput Screening of Escherichia coli Producing Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Based on FACS

Here, we report on a highly sensitive method for the detection of P(3HB) accumulation in Escherichia coli cells based on the automated flow cytometry system using fluorescent dyes. E. coli containing P(3HB) were stained with either BODIPY or Nile red fluorescent dye, and their staining properties were analyzed under a variety of conditions. Compared with Nile red, BODIPY was much more sensitive in staining P(3HB) and overall demonstrated a more rapid staining of cells, a greater resistance to photobleaching, and greater cell viability. In addition, we also successfully monitored heterogeneity in P(3HB) accumulation within a cell population using BODIPY staining and flow cytometry. We believe this optimized staining method using BODIPY in combination with screening by high-speed flow cytometer will be helpful in the engineering of host cells toward an enhanced production of bioplastics.

Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for enhanced biosynthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) based on proteome analysis

We have previously analyzed the proteome of recombinant Escherichia coli producing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] and revealed that the expression level of several enzymes in central metabolism are proportional to the amount of P(3HB) accumulated in the cells. Based on these results, the amplification effects of triosephosphate isomerase (TpiA) and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (FbaA) on P(3HB) synthesis were examined in recombinant E. coli W3110, XL1-Blue, and W lacI mutant strains using glucose, sucrose and xylose as carbon sources. Amplification of TpiA and FbaA significantly increased the P(3HB) contents and concentrations in the three E. coli strains. TpiA amplification in E. coli XL1-Blue lacI increased P(3HB) from 0.4 to 1.6 to g/l from glucose. Thus amplification of glycolytic pathway enzymes is a good strategy for efficient production of P(3HB) by allowing increased glycolytic pathway flux to make more acetyl-CoA available for P(3HB) biosynthesis.