Control of the galactose-to-glucose consumption ratio in co-fermentation using engineered Escherichia coli strains

Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 22;10(1):12132. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-69143-3.

Abstract

Marine biomasses capable of fixing carbon dioxide have attracted attention as an alternative to fossil resources for fuel and chemical production. Although a simple co-fermentation of fermentable sugars, such as glucose and galactose, has been reported from marine biomass, no previous report has discussed the fine-control of the galactose-to-glucose consumption ratio in this context. Here, we sought to finely control the galactose-to-glucose consumption ratio in the co-fermentation of these sugars using engineered Escherichia coli strains. Toward this end, we constructed E. coli strains GR2, GR2P, and GR2PZ by knocking out galRS, galRS-pfkA, and galRS-pfkA-zwf, respectively, in parent strain W3110. We found that strains W3110, GR2, GR2P, and GR2PZ achieved 0.03, 0.09, 0.12, and 0.17 galactose-to-glucose consumption ratio (specific galactose consumption rate per specific glucose consumption rate), respectively, during co-fermentation. The ratio was further extended to 0.67 by integration of a brief process optimization for initial sugar ratio using GR2P strain. The strategy reported in this study will be helpful to expand our knowledge on the galactose utilization under glucose conditions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Batch Cell Culture Techniques
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / growth & development
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / metabolism
  • Galactose / metabolism*
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / metabolism
  • Phosphofructokinase-1 / deficiency
  • Phosphofructokinase-1 / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / deficiency
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Galactose repressor proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase
  • Phosphofructokinase-1
  • Glucose
  • Galactose