Light-powered Escherichia coli cell division for chemical production

Nat Commun. 2020 May 8;11(1):2262. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16154-3.

Abstract

Cell division can perturb the metabolic performance of industrial microbes. The C period of cell division starts from the initiation to the termination of DNA replication, whereas the D period is the bacterial division process. Here, we first shorten the C and D periods of E. coli by controlling the expression of the ribonucleotide reductase NrdAB and division proteins FtsZA through blue light and near-infrared light activation, respectively. It increases the specific surface area to 3.7 μm-1 and acetoin titer to 67.2 g·L-1. Next, we prolong the C and D periods of E. coli by regulating the expression of the ribonucleotide reductase NrdA and division protein inhibitor SulA through blue light activation-repression and near-infrared (NIR) light activation, respectively. It improves the cell volume to 52.6 μm3 and poly(lactate-co-3-hydroxybutyrate) titer to 14.31 g·L-1. Thus, the optogenetic-based cell division regulation strategy can improve the efficiency of microbial cell factories.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetoin / metabolism
  • Bioreactors / microbiology
  • Cell Division / radiation effects*
  • Escherichia coli / cytology*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / radiation effects*
  • Escherichia coli / ultrastructure
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Light*
  • Polyesters / metabolism

Substances

  • Polyesters
  • poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-lactide)
  • Acetoin