Selective bio-oxidation of propane to acetone using methane-oxidizing Methylomonas sp. DH-1.
Propane is the major component of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Nowadays, the use of LPG is decreasing, and thus utilization of propane as a chemical feedstock is in need of development. An efficient biological conversion of propane to acetone using a methanotrophic whole cell as the biocatalyst was proposed and investigated. A bio-oxidation pathway of propane to acetone in Methylomonas sp. DH-1 was analyzed by gene expression profiling via RNA sequencing. Propane was oxidized to 2-propanol by particulate methane monooxygenase and subsequently to acetone by methanol dehydrogenases. Methylomonas sp. DH-1 was deficient in acetone-converting enzymes and thus accumulated acetone in the absence of any enzyme inhibition. The maximum accumulation, average productivity and specific productivity of acetone were 16.62 mM, 0.678 mM/h and 0.141 mmol/g cell/h, respectively, under the optimized conditions. Our study demonstrates a novel method for the bioconversion of propane to acetone using methanotrophs under mild reaction condition.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Dong Hoon
DH
Hur
Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Thu Thi
TT
Nguyen
Department of Genetic Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 446-701, Republic of Korea.
Donghyuk
D
Kim
Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 446-701, Republic of Korea. eunylee@khu.ac.kr.
Eun Yeol
EY
Lee
D000096:Acetone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D020620:Methylomonas / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011407:Propane / Q000378:metabolism*; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D000096:Acetone; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; C019641:alcohol dehydrogenase (acceptor); D010105:Oxygenases; C021555:methane monooxygenase; D008697:Methane; D011407:Propane
Acetone; Bio-oxidation; Methanotroph; Methylomonas sp. DH-1; Propane