Adaptive laboratory evolution of Escherichia coli lacking cellular byproduct formation for enhanced acetate utilization through compensatory ATP consumption

Acetate has attracted great attention as a carbon source to develop economically feasible bioprocesses for sustainable bioproducts. Acetate is a less-preferred carbon source and a well-known growth inhibitor of Escherichia coli. In this study, we carried out adaptive laboratory evolution of an E. co...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Metabolic engineering 2020-11, Vol.62, p.249-259
Main Authors: Seong, Wonjae, Han, Gui Hwan, Lim, Hyun Seung, Baek, Ji In, Kim, Soo-Jung, Kim, Donghyuk, Kim, Seong Keun, Lee, Hyewon, Kim, Haseong, Lee, Seung-Goo, Lee, Dae-Hee
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetate
Adaptive laboratory evolution
Butanol
Escherichia coli
Mevalonate
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Acetate has attracted great attention as a carbon source to develop economically feasible bioprocesses for sustainable bioproducts. Acetate is a less-preferred carbon source and a well-known growth inhibitor of Escherichia coli. In this study, we carried out adaptive laboratory evolution of an E. coli strain lacking four genes (adhE, pta, ldhA, and frdA) involved in acetyl-CoA consumption, allowing the efficient utilization of acetate as its sole carbon and energy source. Four genomic mutations were found in the evolved strain through whole-genome sequencing, and two major mutations (in cspC and patZ) mainly contributed to efficient utilization of acetate and tolerance to acetate. Transcriptomic reprogramming was examined by analyzing the genome-wide transcriptome with different carbon sources. The evolved strain showed high levels of intracellular ATP by upregulation of genes involved in NADH and ATP biosynthesis, which facilitated the production of enhanced green fluorescent protein, mevalonate, and n-butanol using acetate alone. This new strain, given its high acetate tolerance and high ATP levels, has potential as a starting host for cell factories targeting the production of acetyl-CoA-derived products from acetate or of products requiring high ATP levels. •E. coli can evolve efficient utilization of acetate with high tolerance.•Two major mutations in cspC and patZ recapitulated the growth phenotype on acetate.•Up-regulation of the genes of ATP and NADH biosynthesis compensated energy deficiency.•The evolved E. coli successfully produced GFP, mevalonate, or n-butanol from acetate.
ISSN:1096-7176
1096-7184
DOI:10.1016/j.ymben.2020.09.005