Accelerated glycerol fermentation in Escherichia coli using methanogenic formate consumption.
Escherichia coli can ferment glycerol anaerobically only under very defined restrictive conditions. Hence, it was the aim of this study to overcome this limitation via a co-cultivation approach. Anaerobic glycerol fermentation by a pure E. coli culture was compared to a co-culture that also contained the formate-oxidizing methanogen Methanobacterium formicicum. Co-cultivation of the two strains led to a more than 11-fold increased glycerol consumption. Furthermore, it supported a constantly neutral pH and a shift from ethanol to succinate production. Moreover, M. formicicum was analyzed for its ability to grow on different standard media and a surprising versatility could be demonstrated.
Institut für angewandte Biowissenschaften, Angewandte Biologie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Katrin
K
Richter
Institut für angewandte Biowissenschaften, Angewandte Biologie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Fritz-Haber-Weg 2, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: johannes.gescher@kit.edu.
Johannes
J
Gescher
D000693:Anaerobiosis / Q000187:drug effects; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D019605:Euryarchaeota / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation / Q000187:drug effects; D005561:Formates / Q000378:metabolism*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*
D003470:Culture Media; D005561:Formates; C030544:formic acid; D008697:Methane; D005990:Glycerol
Co-culture; E. coli; Formate; Glycerol fermentation; M. formicicum