Shengde Zhou

Enteric bacterial catalysts for fuel ethanol production

The technology is available to produce fuel ethanol from renewable lignocellulosic biomass. The current challenge is to assemble the various process options into a commercial venture and begin the task of incremental improvement. Current process designs for lignocellulose are far more complex than grain to ethanol processes. This complexity results in part from the complexity of the substrate and the biological limitations of the catalyst. Our work at the University of Florida has focused primarily on the genetic engineering of Enteric bacteria using genes encoding Zymomonas mobilis pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase. These two genes have been assembled into a portable ethanol production cassette, the PET operon, and integrated into the chromosome of Escherichia coli B for use with hemicellulose‐derived syrups. The resulting strain, KO11, produces ethanol efficiently from all hexose and pentose sugars present in the polymers of hemicellulose. By using the same approach, we integrated the PET operon into the chromosome of Klebsiella oxytoca to produce strain P2 for use in the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process for cellulose. Strain P2 has the native ability to ferment cellobiose and cellotriose, eliminating the need for one class of cellulase enzymes. Recently, the ability to produce and secrete high levels of endoglucanase has also been added to strain P2, further reducing the requirement for fungal cellulase. The general approach for the genetic engineering of new biocatalysts using the PET operon has been most successful with Enteric bacteria but was also extended to Gram positive bacteria, which have other useful traits for lignocellulose conversion. Many opportunities remain for further improvements in these biocatalysts as we proceed toward the development of single organisms that can be used for the efficient fermentation of both hemicellulosic and cellulosic substrates.

Production of Optically Pure D-Lactic Acid in Mineral Salts Medium by Metabolically Engineered Escherichia coli W3110†

ABSTRACT The resistance of polylactide to biodegradation and the physical properties of this polymer can be controlled by adjusting the ratio of l-lactic acid to d-lactic acid. Although the largest demand is for the l enantiomer, substantial amounts of both enantiomers are required for bioplastics. We constructed derivatives of Escherichia coli W3110 (prototrophic) as new biocatalysts for the production of d-lactic acid. These strains (SZ40, SZ58, and SZ63) require only mineral salts as nutrients and lack all plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes used during construction. d-Lactic acid production by these new strains approached the theoretical maximum yield of two molecules per glucose molecule. The chemical purity of this d-lactic acid was ∼98% with respect to soluble organic compounds. The optical purity exceeded 99%. Competing pathways were eliminated by chromosomal inactivation of genes encoding fumarate reductase (frdABCD), alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase (adhE), and pyruvate formate lyase (pflB). The cell yield and lactate productivity were increased by a further mutation in the acetate kinase gene (ackA). Similar improvements could be achieved by addition of 10 mM acetate or by an initial period of aeration. All three approaches reduced the time required to complete the fermentation of 5% glucose. The use of mineral salts medium, the lack of antibiotic resistance genes or plasmids, the high yield of d-lactate, and the high product purity should reduce costs associated with nutrients, purification, containment, biological oxygen demand, and waste treatment.

Genetic Changes To Optimize Carbon Partitioning between Ethanol and Biosynthesis in Ethanologenic Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT The production of ethanol from xylose by ethanologenic Escherichia coli strain KO11 was improved by adding various medium supplements (acetate, pyruvate, and acetaldehyde) that prolonged the growth phase by increasing cell yield and volumetric productivity (approximately twofold). Although added pyruvate and acetaldehyde were rapidly metabolized, the benefit of these additives continued throughout fermentation. Both additives increased the levels of extracellular acetate through different mechanisms. Since acetate can be reversibly converted to acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) by acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase, the increase in cell yield caused by each of the three supplements is proposed to result from an increase in the pool of acetyl-CoA. A similar benefit was obtained by inactivation of acetate kinase (ackA), reducing the production of acetate (and ATP) and sparing acetyl-CoA for biosynthetic needs. Inactivation of native E. coli alcohol-aldehyde dehydrogenase (adhE), which uses acetyl-CoA as an electron acceptor, had no beneficial effect on growth, which was consistent with a minor role for this enzyme during ethanol production. Growth of KO11 on xylose appears to be limited by the partitioning of carbon skeletons into biosynthesis rather than the level of ATP. Changes in acetyl-CoA production and consumption provide a useful approach to modulate carbon partitioning. Together, these results demonstrate that xylose fermentation to ethanol can be improved in KO11 by redirecting small amounts of pyruvate away from fermentation products and into biosynthesis. Though negligible with respect to ethanol yield, these small changes in carbon partitioning reduced the time required to complete the fermentation of 9.1% xylose in 1% corn steep liquor medium from over 96 h to less than 72 h.

Functional replacement of the Escherichia coli D-(-)-lactate dehydrogenase gene (ldhA) with the L-(+)-lactate dehydrogenase gene (ldhL) from Pediococcus acidilactici.

ABSTRACT The microbial production of l-(+)-lactic acid is rapidly expanding to allow increased production of polylactic acid (PLA), a renewable, biodegradable plastic. The physical properties of PLA can be tailored for specific applications by controlling the ratio of l-(+) and d-(−) isomers. For most uses of PLA, the l-(+) isomer is more abundant. As an approach to reduce costs associated with biocatalysis (complex nutrients, antibiotics, aeration, product purification, and waste disposal), a recombinant derivative of Escherichia coli W3110 was developed that contains five chromosomal deletions (focA-pflB frdBC adhE ackA ldhA). This strain was constructed from a d-(−)-lactic acid-producing strain, SZ63 (focA-pflB frdBC adhE ackA), by replacing part of the chromosomal ldhA coding region with Pediococcus acidilactici ldhL encoding an l-lactate dehydrogenase. Although the initial strain (SZ79) grew and fermented poorly, a mutant (SZ85) was readily isolated by selecting for improved growth. SZ85 exhibited a 30-fold increase in l-lactate dehydrogenase activity in comparison to SZ79, functionally replacing the native d-lactate dehydrogenase activity. Sequencing revealed mutations in the upstream, coding, and terminator regions of ldhL in SZ85, which are presumed to be responsible for increased l-lactate dehydrogenase activity. SZ85 produced l-lactic acid in M9 mineral salts medium containing glucose or xylose with a yield of 93 to 95%, a purity of 98% (based on total fermentation products), and an optical purity greater than 99%. Unlike other recombinant biocatalysts for l-lactic acid, SZ85 remained prototrophic and is devoid of plasmids and antibiotic resistance genes.

Engineering a native homoethanol pathway in Escherichia coli B for ethanol production.

A native homoethanol pathway (pyruvate-to-acetyl-CoA-to-acetaldehyde-to-ethanol) was engineered in Escherichia coli B. The competing fermentation pathways were eliminated by chromosomal deletions of the genes encoding for fumarate reductase (frdABCD), lactate dehydrogenase (ldhA), acetate kinase (ackA), and pyruvate formate lyase (pflB). For redox balance and anaerobic cell growth, the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (aceEF-lpd, a typical aerobically-expressed operon) was highly expressed anaerobically using a native anaerobic inducible promoter. The resulting strain SZ420 (ΔfrdBC ΔldhA ΔackA ΔfocA-pflB ΔpdhR::pflBp6-pflBrbs-aceEF-lpd) contains no foreign genes and/or promoters and efficiently ferments glucose and xylose into ethanol with a yield of 90% under anaerobic conditions.

Gene integration and expression and extracellular secretion of Erwinia chrysanthemi endoglucanase CelY (celY) and CelZ (celZ) in ethanologenic Klebsiella oxytoca P2.

ABSTRACT The development of methods to reduce costs associated with the solubilization of cellulose is essential for the utilization of lignocellulose as a renewable feedstock for fuels and chemicals. One promising approach is the genetic engineering of ethanol-producing microorganisms that also produce cellulase enzymes during fermentation. By starting with an ethanologenic derivative (strain P2) ofKlebsiella oxytoca M5A1 with the native ability to metabolize cellobiose, the need for supplemental β-glucosidase was previously eliminated. In the current study, this approach has been extended by adding genes encoding endoglucanase activities. GenescelY and celZ from Erwinia chrysanthemi have been functionally integrated into the chromosome of P2 using surrogate promoters from Zymomonas mobilis for expression. Both were secreted into the extracellular milieu, producing more than 20,000 endoglucanase units (carboxymethyl cellulase activity) per liter of fermentation broth. During the fermentation of crystalline cellulose with low levels of commercial cellulases of fungal origin, these new strains produced up to 22% more ethanol than unmodified P2. Most of the beneficial contribution was attributed to CelY rather than to CelZ. These results suggest that fungal enzymes with substrate profiles resembling CelY (preference for long-chain polymers and lack of activity on soluble cello-oligosaccharides of two to five glucosyl residues) may be limiting in commercial cellulase preparations.

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of amorphous cellulose to ethanol by recombinant Klebsiella oxytoca SZ21 without supplemental cellulase.

A derivative of Klebsiella oxytoca M5A1 containing chromosomally integrated genes for ethanol production from Zymomonas mobilis (pdc, adhB) and endoglucanase genes from Erwinia chrysanthemi (celY, celZ) produced over 20 000 U endoglucanase l−1 activity during fermentation. In combination with the native ability to metabolize cellobiose and cellotriose, this strain was able to ferment amorphous cellulose to ethanol (58–76% of theoretical yield) without the addition of cellulase enzymes from other organisms.

Engineering endoglucanase-secreting strains of ethanologenic Klebsiella oxytoca P2

Klebsiella oxytoca P2 was developed as a biocatalyst for the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of cellulose by chromosomally integrating Zymomonas mobilis genes (pdc, adhB) encoding the ethanol pathway. This strain contains the native ability to transport and metabolize cellobiose, eliminating the need to supplement with β-glucosidase during SSF. To increase the utility of this biocatalyst, we have now chromosomally integrated the celZ gene encoding the primary endoglucanase from Erwinia chrysanthemi. This gene was expressed at high levels by replacing the native promoter with a surrogate promoter derived from Z. mobilis DNA. With the addition of out genes encoding the type II protein secretion system from E. chrysanthemi, over half of the active endoglucanase (EGZ) was secreted into the extracellular environment. The two most active strains, SZ2(pCPP2006) and SZ6(pCPP2006), produced approximately 24 000 IU L−1 of CMCase activity, equivalent to 5% of total cellular protein. Recombinant EGZ partially depolymerized acid-swollen cellulose and allowed the production of small amounts of ethanol by SZ6(pCPP2006) without the addition of fungal cellulase. However, additional endoglucanase activities will be required to complete the depolymerization of cellulose into small soluble products which can be efficiently metabolized to ethanol.

Homofermentative production of optically pure L-lactic acid from xylose by genetically engineered Escherichia coli B

BackgroundPolylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable polymer, has the potential to replace (at least partially) traditional petroleum-based plastics, minimizing “white pollution”. However, cost-effective production of optically pure L-lactic acid is needed to achieve the full potential of PLA. Currently, starch-based glucose is used for L-lactic acid fermentation by lactic acid bacteria. Due to its competition with food resources, an alternative non-food substrate such as cellulosic biomass is needed for L-lactic acid fermentation. Nevertheless, the substrate (sugar stream) derived from cellulosic biomass contains significant amounts of xylose, which is unfermentable by most lactic acid bacteria. However, the microorganisms that do ferment xylose usually carry out heterolactic acid fermentation. As a result, an alternative strain should be developed for homofermentative production of optically pure L-lactic acid using cellulosic biomass.ResultsIn this study, an ethanologenic Escherichia coli strain, SZ470 (ΔfrdBC ΔldhA ΔackA ΔpflB ΔpdhR ::pflBp6-acEF-lpd ΔmgsA), was reengineered for homofermentative production of L-lactic acid from xylose (1.2 mole xylose = > 2 mole L-lactic acid), by deleting the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (adhE) and integrating the L-lactate dehydrogenase gene (ldhL) of Pediococcus acidilactici. The resulting strain, WL203, was metabolically evolved further through serial transfers in screw-cap tubes containing xylose, resulting in the strain WL204 with improved anaerobic cell growth. When tested in 70 g L-1 xylose fermentation (complex medium), WL204 produced 62 g L-1 L-lactic acid, with a maximum production rate of 1.631 g L-1 h-1 and a yield of 97% based on xylose metabolized. HPLC analysis using a chiral column showed that an L-lactic acid optical purity of 99.5% was achieved by WL204.ConclusionsThese results demonstrated that WL204 has the potential for homofermentative production of L-lactic acid using cellulosic biomass derived substrates, which contain a significant amount of xylose.

Doubling the catabolic reducing power (NADH) output of Escherichia coli fermentation for production of reduced products

Homofermentative production of reduced products requires additional reducing power output (NADH) from glucose catabolism. Anaerobic expression of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH, encoded by aceEF‐lpd, a normal aerobic operon) is able to provide the additional NADH required for production of reduced products in Escherichia coli fermentation. The multiple promoters (pflBp(1–7)) of pyruvate formate lyase (pflB) were evaluated for anaerobic expression of the aceEF‐lpd operon. Four chromosomal constructs, pflBp(1–7)‐aceEF‐lpd, pflBp(1–6)‐aceEF‐lpd, pflBp(6,7)‐aceEF‐lpd, and pflBp6‐aceEF‐lpd efficiently expressed the PDH complex in anaerobically grown cells. Doubling the reducing power output was achieved when glucose was oxidized to acetyl‐CoA through glycolysis and pyruvate oxidation by the anaerobically expressed PDH complex (glucose →2 acetyl‐CoA + 4 NADH). This additional reducing power output can be used for production of reduced products in anaerobic E. coli fermentation.