University of Florida Research Foundation Inc

Jonathan C Moore

Keelnatham T Shanmugam

Lonnie O'Neal Ingram

Xueli Zhang

Lorraine P Yomano

Shengde Zhou

Tammy B Grabar

Kaemwich Jantama

Andrew Gabriel Rinzler

Zhuangchun Wu

Laura R Jarboe

Mark John Haupt

Lonnie O'neal Ingram

Dr Lonnie O'Neal Ingram

Lonnie O'Neill Ingram

This invention relates to biocatalysts for the efficient production of succinic acid and/or other products from renewable biological feedstocks. The biocatalysts have a very high efficiency for the growth-coupled production of succinic acid and/or other products from carbohydrate feed stocks as a result of both genetic manipulation and metabolic evolution. More specifically, certain biocatalysts of the present invention produce succinic acid at high titers and yields in mineral salts media during simple pH-controlled batch fermentation without the addition of any exogenous genetic material. The genetic manipulations of the present invention are concerned with energy-conserving strategies coupled with the elimination of alternative routes for NADH oxidation other than the routes for succinic acid production. The biocatalysts contain glucose-repressed gluconeogenic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pck) derepressed by genetic modifications and a genetically-inactivated phosphotransferase system. In terms of succinic acid production efficiency, the biocatalysts of the present invention are functionally equivalent to succinate producing rumen bacteria such asand, with one difference: that the biocatalysts are able to achieve this high level of succinic acid production in a minimal salt medium with carbohydrate source, as opposed to the requirement for a rich medium for succinic acid production by rumen bacteria.

Engineering the pathway for succinate production

Genetically engineered microorganisms have been constructed to produce succinate and malate in mineral salt media in pH-controlled batch fermentations without the addition of plasmids or foreign genes. The subject invention also provides methods of producing succinate and malate comprising the culture of genetically modified microorganisms.

Materials and methods for efficient succinate and malate production

The present invention provides derivatives ofconstructed for the production of lactic acid. The transformedof the invention are prepared by deleting the genes that encode competing pathways followed by a growth-based selection for mutants with improved performance. These transformedare useful for providing an increased supply of lactic acid for use in food and industrial applications.

Materials and methods for efficient lactic acid production

A microbial fuel cell () includes an anode compartment () including an anode () and anolyte (). The anolyte () comprises a plurality of in-vivo cells () mixed with a plurality of electrically conducting nano or micro-scale fibers (), wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrically conducting fibers () are in electrical contact with a surface of the anode (). A cathode compartment () includes a cathode () and a catholyte (). A cation-exchange membrane () is disposed between the anode compartment () and the cathode compartment ().

Enhanced electrical contact to microbes in microbial fuel cells

The present invention provides derivatives of ethanologenicK011 constructed for the production of lactic acid. The transformedof the invention are prepared by deleting the genes that encode competing pathways followed by a growth-based selection for mutants with improved performance. These transformedare useful for providing an increased supply of lactic acid for use in food and industrial applications.

Growing community of inventors

Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Jonathan C Moore