Ethanol production by recombinant Escherichia coli carrying genes from Zymomonas mobilis

Abstract

Efficient utilization of lignocellulosic feedstocks offers an opportunity to reduce the cost of producing fuel ethanol. The fermentation performance characteristics of recombinant Escherichia coli ATCC 11303 carrying the "PET plasmid" (pLOI297) with the lac operon controlling the expression of pyruvate decarboxylase (pdc) and alcohol dehydrogenase II (adhB) genes cloned from Zymomonas mobilis CP4 (Alterthum & Ingram, 1989) were assessed in batch and continuous processes with sugar mixtures designed to mimic process streams from lignocellulosic hydrolysis systems. Growth was pseudoexponential at a rate (generation time) of 1.28 h at pH 6.8 and 1.61 h at pH 6.0. The molar growth yields for glucose and xylose were 17.28 and 7.65 g DW cell/mol, respectively (at pH 6.3 and 30 degrees C), suggesting that the net yield of ATP from xylose metabolism is only 50% compared to glucose. In pH-stat batch fermentations (Luria broth with 6% sugar, pH 6.3), glucose was converted to ethanol 4-6 times faster than xylose, but the glucose conversion rate was much less than can be achieved with comparable cell densities of Zymomonas. Sugar-to-ethanol conversion efficiencies in nutrient-rich, complex LB medium were near theoretical at 98 and 88% for glucose and xylose, respectively. The yield was 10-20% less in a defined-mineral-salts medium. Acetate at a concentration of 0.1M (present in lignocellulosic hydrolysates from thermochemical processing) inhibited glucose utilization (about 50%) much more than xylose, and caused a decrease in product yield of about 30% for both sugars. With phosphate-buffered media (pH 7), glucose was a preferred substrate in mixtures with a ratio of hexose to pentose of 2.3 to 1. Xylose was consumed after glucose, and the product yield was less (0.37 g/g). Under steady-state conditions of continuous culture, the specific productivity ranged from 0.76-1.24 g EtOH/g cell/h, and the maximum volumetric productivity, 2.5 g EtOH/L/h, was achieved with a rich complex LB medium (glucose) at pH 6.0 (30 degrees C) and ethanol at 1.63% (v/v). Growth and fermentation were poor in a buffered-wood (aspen) "hemicellulose hydrolysate" containing 4% xylose and 0.1M acetate with added thiamine and mineral salts.