Project description:The expression profile of C. autoethanogenum DSM 10061 grown autotrophically with H2:CO:CO2 under visible light at an intensity of 4200 lux versus the expression profile of C. autoethanogenum DSM 10061 grown autotrophically in the dark
Project description:Gas fermentation is emerging as an economically attractive option for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals from gaseous waste feedstocks. Clostridium autoethanogenum can use CO and/or CO2 + H2 as its sole carbon and energy sources. Fermentation of C. autoethanogenum is currently being deployed on a commercial scale for ethanol production. Expanding the product spectrum of acetogens will enhance the economics of gas fermentation. To achieve efficient heterologous product synthesis, limitations in redox and energy metabolism must be overcome. Here, we engineered and characterised at a systems-level, a recombinant poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB)-producing strain of C. autoethanogenum. Cells were grown in CO-limited steady-state chemostats on two gas mixtures, one resembling syngas (20% H2) and the other steel mill off-gas (2% H2). Results were characterised using metabolomics and transcriptomics, and then integrated using a genome-scale metabolic model reconstruction. PHB-producing cells had an increased expression of the Rnf complex, suggesting energy limitations for heterologous production. Subsequent optimisation of the bioprocess led to a 12-fold increase in the cellular PHB content. The data suggest that the cellular redox state, rather than the acetyl-CoA pool, was limiting PHB production. Integration of the data into the genome-scale metabolic model showed that ATP availability limits PHB production. Altogether, the data presented here advances the fundamental understanding of heterologous product synthesis in gas-fermenting acetogens.
Project description:Microbes that can recycle one-carbon (C1) greenhouse gases into fuels and chemicals are vital for the biosustainability of future industries. Acetogens are the most efficient known microbes for fixing carbon oxides CO2 and CO. Understanding proteome allocation is important for metabolic engineering as it dictates metabolic fitness. Here, we use absolute proteomics to quantify intracellular concentrations for >1,000 proteins in the model-acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum grown on three gas mixtures. We detect prioritisation of proteome allocation for C1 fixation and significant expression of proteins involved in the production of acetate and ethanol as well as proteins with unclear functions. The data also revealed which isoenzymes are important. Integration of proteomic and metabolic flux data demonstrated that enzymes catalyse high fluxes with high concentrations and high in vivo catalytic rates. We show that flux throughput was dominantly controlled through enzyme catalytic rates rather than concentrations. Our work serves as a reference dataset and advances systems-level understanding and engineering of acetogens.
Project description:Living biological systems display a fascinating ability to self-organise their metabolism. This ability ultimately determines metabolic robustness that is fundamental to control cellular behaviour. However, fluctuations in metabolism can affect cellular homeostasis through transient oscillations. For example, yeast cultures exhibit rhythmic oscillatory behaviour in high-cell density continuous cultures. Oscillatory behaviour provides a unique opportunity for quantitating the robustness of metabolism, as cells respond to changes by inherently compromising metabolic efficiency. Here, we quantify the limits of metabolic robustness in self-oscillating autotrophic continuous cultures of the gas-fermenting acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum. On-line gas analysis and high-resolution temporal metabolomics showed oscillations in gas uptake rates and extracellular by-products synchronised with biomass levels. Loss of H2 uptake makes CO the sole carbon and energy source until cells recover uptake of H2 in synchrony with increasing biomass levels. Intriguingly, oscillations are not linked to translational control as no differences were observed in protein expression during oscillations. However, intracellular metabolomics analysis revealed decreasing levels of redox ratios in perfect synchrony with the cycles. Therefore, we developed a thermodynamic metabolic flux analysis (tMFA) model to investigate if regulation in acetogens is controlled at the thermodynamic level. The data shows that the feasible range for the thermodynamic driving force of the Nfn transhydrogenase complex (i.e. NADH/NAD+×NADP+/NADPH) closely matched the experimentally observed range. The data indicate that metabolic oscillations in gas fermentation acetogens are controlled at the thermodynamic level. Our work suggests thermodynamic control of metabolism, potentially contributing to metabolic efficiency and working as a mean of energy conservation.