Furfural inhibits growth by limiting sulfur assimilation in ethanologenic Escherichia coli strain LY180.

ABSTRACT: A wide variety of commercial products can be potentially made from monomeric sugars produced by the dilute acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. However, this process is accompanied by side products such as furfural that hinder microbial growth and fermentation. To investigate the mechanism of furfural inhibition, mRNA microarrays of an ethanologenic strain of Escherichia coli (LY180) were compared immediately prior to and 15 min after a moderate furfural challenge. Expression of genes and regulators associated with the biosynthesis of cysteine and methionine was increased by furfural, consistent with a limitation of these critical metabolites. This was in contrast to a general stringent response and decreased expression of many other biosynthetic genes. Of the 20 amino acids individ

SUBMITTER: Miller EN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2753092 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature