Biosynthesis of butyric acid by Clostridium tyrobutyricum

Butyric acid (C₃H₇COOH) is an important chemical that is widely used in foodstuffs along with in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The bioproduction of butyric acid through large-scale fermentation has the potential to be more economical and efficient than petrochemical synthesis. In this paper, the metabolic pathways involved in the production of butyric acid from Clostridium tyrobutyricum using hexose and pentose as substrates are investigated, and approaches to enhance butyric acid production through genetic modification are discussed. Finally, bioreactor modifications (including fibrous bed bioreactor, inner disk-shaped matrix bioreactor, fibrous matrix packed in porous levitated sphere carriers), low-cost feedstocks, and special treatments (including continuous fermentation with cell recycling, extractive fermentation with solvent, using different artificial electron carriers) intended to improve the feasibility of commercial butyric acid bioproduction are summarized.     

Current Progress on Butyric Acid Production by Fermentation

Several issues of butyric acid production with bacteria through fermentation are presented in this review. The current progress including the utilization of butyric acid, the production strains, the metabolic pathway, and regulation are presented in the paper. Process operation modes such as batch, fed-batch, and continuous fermentation are being discussed. Genetic engineering technologies for microbial strain improvement are also being discussed and fermentation systems have been recommended.     

Microbial production of specialty organic acids from renewable and waste materials

Microbial production of organic acids has become a fast-moving field due to the increasing role of these compounds as platform chemicals. In recent years, the portfolio of specialty fermentation-derived carboxylic acids has increased considerably, including the production of glyceric, glucaric, succinic, butyric, xylonic, fumaric, malic, itaconic, lactobionic, propionic and adipic acid through innovative fermentation strategies. This review summarizes recent trends in the use of novel microbial platforms as well as renewable and waste materials for efficient and cost-effective bio-based production of emerging high-value organic acids. Advances in the development of robust and efficient microbial bioprocesses for producing carboxylic acids from low-cost feedstocks are also discussed. The industrial market scenario is also reviewed, including the latest information on the stage of development for producing these emerging bio-products via large-scale fermentation.     

生物技术生产丁酸的研究进展

丁酸作为一种重要的化工原料,已经广泛应用于食品添加剂与医药等领域。目前,工业上生产丁酸主要是从石油中提取有机化合物进行化学合成。与有机化合物合成法相比,微生物发酵产丁酸的优势有：所用的原料来源非常广,发酵过程低能耗,不污染环境,而且可以持续添加原料发酵生产丁酸。因此,通过生物技术发酵生产丁酸越来越受到人们的重视。介绍了丁酸的性质、产丁酸菌株的特点、微生物发酵产丁酸的细胞代谢途径及其调控、发酵法生产丁酸的工艺运行方式和产丁酸菌株及其代谢产物的生理功能这五部分内容,以期为今后开展发酵法产丁酸的微生物基因工程改造以及生产工艺的优化提供参考。     

Enhanced butyric acid tolerance and bioproduction by Clostridium tyrobutyricum immobilized in a fibrous bed bioreactor

Repeated fed‐batch fermentation of glucose by Clostridium tyrobutyricum immobilized in a fibrous bed bioreactor (FBB) was successfully employed to produce butyric acid at a high final concentration as well as to adapt a butyric‐acid‐tolerant strain. At the end of the eighth fed‐batch fermentation, the butyric acid concentration reached 86.9 ± 2.17 g/L, which to our knowledge is the highest butyric acid concentration ever produced in the traditional fermentation process. To understand the mechanism and factors contributing to the improved butyric acid production and enhanced acid tolerance, adapted strains were harvested from the FBB and characterized for their physiological properties, including specific growth rate, acid‐forming enzymes, intracellular pH, membrane‐bound ATPase and cell morphology. Compared with the original culture used to seed the bioreactor, the adapted culture showed significantly reduced inhibition effects of butyric acid on specific growth rate, cellular activities of butyric‐acid‐forming enzyme phosphotransbutyrylase (PTB) and ATPase, together with elevated intracellular pH, and elongated rod morphology. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011; 108:31–40. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A novel isolate of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clostridium butyricum</Emphasis> for efficient butyric acid production by xylose fermentation

Bacterial fermentation of lignocellulose has been regarded as a sustainable approach to butyric acid production. However, the yield of butyric acid is hindered by the conversion efficiency of hydrolysate xylose. A mesophilic alkaline-tolerant strain designated as Clostridium butyricum B10 was isolated by xylose fermentation with acetic and butyric acids as the principal liquid products. To enhance butyric acid production, performance of the strain in batch fermentation was evaluated with various temperatures (20–47 °C), initial pH (5.0–10.0), and xylose concentration (6–20 g/L). The results showed that the optimal temperature, initial pH, and xylose concentration for butyric acid production were 37 °C, 9.0, and 8.00 g/L, respectively. Under the optimal condition, the yield and specific yield of butyric acid reached about 2.58 g/L and 0.36 g/g xylose, respectively, with 75.00% butyric acid in the total volatile fatty acids. As renewable energy, hydrogen was also collected from the xylose fermentation with a yield of about 73.86 mmol/L. The kinetics of growth and product formation indicated that the maximal cell growth rate (μ _m ) and the specific butyric acid yield were 0.1466 h^?1 and 3.6274 g/g cell (dry weight), respectively. The better performance in xylose fermentation showed C. butyricum B10 a potential application in efficient butyric acid production from lignocellulose.     

Physiological activity of E. coli engineered to produce butyric acid

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii) is one of the most abundant bacteria in the human intestine, with its anti-inflammatory effects establishing it as a major effector in human intestinal health. However, its extreme sensitivity to oxygen makes its cultivation and physiological study difficult. F. prausnitzii produces butyric acid, which is beneficial to human gut health. Butyric acid is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by the fermentation of carbohydrates, such as dietary fibre in the large bowel. The genes encoding butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (BCD) and butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA transferase (BUT) in F. prausnitzii were cloned and expressed in E. coli to determine the effect of butyric acid production on intestinal health using DSS-induced colitis model mice. The results from the E. coli Nissle 1917 strain, expressing BCD, BUT, or both, showed that BCD was essential, while BUT was dispensable for producing butyric acid. The effects of different carbon sources, such as glucose, N-acetylglucosamine (NAG), N-acetylgalactosamine (NAGA), and inulin, were compared with results showing that the optimal carbon sources for butyric acid production were NAG, a major component of mucin in the human intestine, and glucose. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effects of butyric acid production were tested by administering these strains to DSS-induced colitis model mice. The oral administration of the E. coli Nissle 1917 strain, carrying the expression vector for BCD and BUT (EcN-BCD-BUT), was found to prevent DSS-induced damage. Introduction of the BCD expression vector into E. coli Nissle 1917 led to increased butyric acid production, which improved the strain’s health-beneficial effects.     

Development and quantification of biodiesel production from chicken feather meal as a cost-effective feedstock by using green technology

Increased urbanization and increase in population has led to an increased demand for fuels. The result is the prices of fuels are reaching new heights every day. Using low-cost feedstocks such as rendered animal fats in biodiesel production will reduce biodiesel expenditures. One of the low-cost feedstocks for biodiesel production from poultry feathers. This paper describes a new and environmentally friendly process for developing biodiesel production technology from feather waste produced in poultry industry. Transesterification is one of the well-known processes by which fats and oils are converted into biodiesel. The reaction often makes use of acid/base catalyst. If the material possesses high free fatty acid then acid catalyst gives better results. The data resulted from gas chromatography (GC) revealed these percentages for fatty acid compositions: myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid. The biodiesel function group was analyzed by using FTIR. This study concluded that the rooster feathers have superior potential to process them into biodiesel than broiler chicken feathers fat because of fatty acid composition values and it has important properties of biodiesel.     

Advances in biotechnological production of butyric acid

The review is focused on several aspects of butyric acid production: butyric acid-producing bacterial strains, the characteristics of the genus Clostridium (the bacterium most used for butyrate production), and alternative methods of obtaining butyric acid by alcohol biotransformation. Further, the main metabolic pathways of butyrate production, and possibilities for their control are outlined. Batch, fed-batch or continuous fermentation combined with cell recycle or immobilization are applicable for anaerobic fermentations using Clostridium as the production strain. The best process comprises a combination of high cell concentration and slowly growing biomass, in addition to high production selectivity and low inhibitory effects of the end-product. Inhibitory effects may be avoided by on-line removal of the end-product. Extraction alone or extraction combined with simultaneous stripping of the organic phase (liquid membrane) into the second aqueous phase (pertraction) seem to be the most suitable methods for on-line butyrate removal. The biocompatibility and the distribution coefficient of the organic phase under fermentation conditions should be considered before designing a fermentation apparatus. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 24, 153–160. Received 12 August 1999/ Accepted in revised form 03 December 1999     

Efficient production of butyric acid from Jerusalem artichoke by immobilized Clostridium tyrobutyricum in a fibrous-bed bioreactor

Butyric acid is an important specialty chemical with wide industrial applications. The feasible large-scale fermentation for the economical production of butyric acid requires low-cost substrate and efficient process. In the present study, butyric acid production by immobilized Clostridium tyrobutyricum was successfully performed in a fibrous-bed bioreactor using Jerusalem artichoke as the substrate. Repeated-batch fermentation was carried out to produce butyric acid with a high butyrate yield (0.44 g/g), high productivity (2.75 g/L/h) and a butyrate concentration of 27.5 g/L. Furthermore, fed-batch fermentation using sulfuric acid pretreated Jerusalem artichoke hydrolysate resulted in a high butyric acid concentration of 60.4 g/L, with the yield of 0.38 g/g and the selectivity of ∼85.1 (85.1 g butyric acid/g acetic acid). Thus, the production of butyric acid from Jerusalem artichoke on a commercial scale could be achieved based on the system developed in this work.     

Effects of extractive fermentation on butyric acid production byClostridium acetobutylicum

Summary The addition of an oleyl alcohol extractant to a batch fermentation of glucose byClostridium acetobutylicum resulted in a concentration profile that was distinctly different from the non-extractive control fermentation. The concentration of butyric acid increased and subsequently decreased in the control fermentation. The concentration of butyric acid increased but did not subsequently decrease in the oleyl alcohol extractive fermentation. The production of butyric acid was found to have been prolonged into the solventogenic phase in the oleyl alcohol extractive fermentation. Butyric acid was continually replenished from glucose while it was being converted to butanol. Supplementation of exogenous acetic and butyric acids, the metabolic uncoupler carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone, or decanol to the oleyl alcohol extractive fermentation helped to reinstate the normal butyric acid concentration profile. These findings are discussed with respect to the effects of these additives on the pH ofC. acetobutylicum and its importance with regard to the production of butyric acid.     

Biosynthesis of polymalic acid in fermentation: advances and prospects for industrial application

Some microorganisms naturally produce β-poly(l-malic acid) (PMA), which has excellent water solubility, biodegradability, and biocompatibility properties. PMA has broad prospective applications as novel biopolymeric materials and carriers in the drug, food, and biomedical fields. Malic acid, a four-carbon dicarboxylic acid, is widely used in foods and pharmaceuticals, as a platform chemical. Currently, malic acid produced through chemical synthesis and is available as a racemic mixture of l- and d-forms. The d-form malic acid exhibits safety concerns for human consumption. There is extensive interest to develop economical bioprocesses for l-malic acid and PMA production from renewable biomass feedstocks. In this review, we focus on PMA biosynthesis by Aureobasidium pullulans, a black yeast with a large genome containing genes encoding many hydrolases capable of degrading various plant materials. The metabolic and regulatory pathways for PMA biosynthesis, metabolic engineering strategies for strain development, process factors affecting fermentation kinetics and PMA production, and downstream processing for PMA recovery and purification are discussed. Prospects of microbial PMA and malic acid production are also considered.     

Process engineering for microbial production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid

Due to concerns about the unsustainability and predictable shortage of fossil feedstocks, research efforts are currently being made to develop new processes for production of commodities using alternative feedstocks. 3-Hydroxypropionic acid (CAS 503–66-2) was recognised by the US Department of Energy as one of the most promising value-added chemicals that can be obtained from biomass. This article aims at reviewing the various strategies implemented thus far for 3-hydroxypropionic acid bioproduction. Special attention is given here to process engineering issues. The variety of possible metabolic pathways is also described in order to highlight how process design can be guided by their understanding. The most recent advances are described here in order to draw up a panorama of microbial 3-hydroxypropionic acid production: best performances to date, remaining hurdles and foreseeable developments. Important milestones have been achieved, and process metrics are getting closer to commercial relevance. New strategies are continuously being developed that involve new microbial strains, new technologies, or new carbon sources in order to overcome the various hurdles inherent to the different microbial routes.     

木糖发酵生产高纯度D-乳酸大肠杆菌工程菌LHY02的构建

高效利用木糖发酵生产D-乳酸或其他生物质产品,是充分利用木质纤维素的一个关键问题。以高效利用木糖产L-乳酸的Escherichia coli WL204为出发菌株,采用RED基因置换技术将ldhL基因置换为ldhA基因,获得一株能利用木糖产D-乳酸的大肠杆菌工程菌株Escherichia coli LHY02,该菌株利用10%木糖发酵,D-乳酸产量达到84.4 g/L,产物光学纯度达到99.5%。此外,该菌株仍然具有较好的利用葡萄糖产D-乳酸的能力。     

L-乳酸生产菌种选育技术

随着聚乳酸作为生物可降解塑料的迅速发展,采用现代高新技术来选育L-乳酸纯度高、产量高、转化率高、能够利用木塘和适于发酵生产工艺要求的优良菌株,已成为国内外研究机构和企业关注的热点.本文对L-乳酸生产菌株的选育技术进展进行综述.     

Trends in biotechnological production of fuel ethanol from different feedstocks

Present work deals with the biotechnological production of fuel ethanol from different raw materials. The different technologies for producing fuel ethanol from sucrose-containing feedstocks (mainly sugar cane), starchy materials and lignocellulosic biomass are described along with the major research trends for improving them. The complexity of the biomass processing is recognized through the analysis of the different stages involved in the conversion of lignocellulosic complex into fermentable sugars. The features of fermentation processes for the three groups of studied feedstocks are discussed. Comparative indexes for the three major types of feedstocks for fuel ethanol production are presented. Finally, some concluding considerations on current research and future tendencies in the production of fuel ethanol regarding the pretreatment and biological conversion of the feedstocks are presented.     

Bioconversion of Butyric Acid to Butanol by Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4 (ATCC 13564) in a Limited Nutrient Medium

This study was designed to investigate the ability of Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4 to produce butanol in a limited nutrient medium using mixtures of glucose and butyric acid as substrates. Specific combinations of glucose and butyric acid were found to influence the enhancement and retardation of butanol production as well as the reduction and modulation of the number of bacterial cells. Increasing the butyric acid concentration leads to the inhibition of bacterial growth, whereas the presence of (0?C5?g/L) butyric acid and (0?C10?g/L) glucose enhances the butanol production. The combination of 5?g/L butyric acid with 5 and 10?g/L of glucose was found to be the most suitable, but the use of glucose at concentrations greater than 10?g/L shifted the optimal butyric acid concentrations to 10 and 15?g/L for maximum butanol production signifying the requirement of a specific combination of glucose and butyric acid for enhanced butanol production in the fermentation process. C. saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4 demonstrated the ability to produce butanol in the absence of glucose, but no acetone or ethanol was produced under these conditions, reflecting the nature of the pathways involved in the production of butanol using only butyric acid. Ten grams per litre of butyric acid was found able to produce 13?g/L of butanol in the presence of 20?g/L of glucose, and 0.7?g/L butanol was produced in the absence of glucose. This study indicates the importance of the glucose to butyric acid ratio to the enhancement of butanol production.     

Microbial production of poly-γ-glutamic acid

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a natural, biodegradable and water-soluble biopolymer of glutamic acid. This review is focused on nonrecombinant microbial production of γ-PGA via fermentation processes. In view of its commercial importance, the emphasis is on l-glutamic acid independent producers (i.e. microorganisms that do not require feeding with the relatively expensive amino acid l-glutamic acid to produce γ-PGA), but glutamic acid dependent production is discussed for comparison. Strategies for improving production, reducing costs and using renewable feedstocks are discussed.     

Metabolic engineering of Clostridium acetobutylicum for butyric acid production with high butyric acid selectivity

A typical characteristic of the butyric acid-producing Clostridium is coproduction of both butyric and acetic acids. Increasing the butyric acid selectivity important for economical butyric acid production has been rather difficult in clostridia due to their complex metabolic pathways. In this work, Clostridium acetobutylicum was metabolically engineered for highly selective butyric acid production. For this purpose, the second butyrate kinase of C. acetobutylicum encoded by the bukII gene instead of butyrate kinase I encoded by the buk gene was employed. Furthermore, metabolic pathways were engineered to further enhance the NADH-driving force. Batch fermentation of the metabolically engineered C. acetobutylicum strain HCBEKW (pta⁻, buk⁻, ctfB⁻ and adhE1⁻) at pH 6.0 resulted in the production of 32.5 g/L of butyric acid with a butyric-to-acetic acid ratio (BA/AA ratio) of 31.3 g/g from 83.3 g/L of glucose. By further knocking out the hydA gene (encoding hydrogenase) in the HCBEKW strain, the butyric acid titer was not further improved in batch fermentation. However, the BA/AA ratio (28.5 g/g) obtained with the HYCBEKW strain (pta⁻, buk⁻, ctfB⁻, adhE1⁻ and hydA⁻) was 1.6 times higher than that (18.2 g/g) obtained with the HCBEKW strain at pH 5.0, while no improvement was observed at pH 6.0. These results suggested that the buk gene knockout was essential to get a high butyric acid selectivity to acetic acid in C. acetobutylicum.     

Characteristics of butanol fermentation by a low-acid-producing Clostridium acetobutylicum B18

Fermentation characteristics of Clostridium acetobutylicum B18 were studied in batch experiments with and without pH control. This strain is shown to be potentially useful in simultaneous acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation-separation systems because of its low acid production. In a pH-uncontrolled batch culture this strain produced mostly solvents, including 15 g/l of butanol. Ethanol production was low. Strain B18 recycled organic acids more efficiently than other strains. In particular, butyric acid was completely recycled when glucose was not limiting. Yield of liquid products (solvents plus organic acids) and carbon recovery in total products (gas plus liquid) were 33.1–36.4 wt% and 90–91 mol%, respectively, for 20–80 g/l of initial glucose. Glucose consumption and the percentage of butanol among solvents were higher at 32°C than at 37°C. Strain B18 required approximately 0.4 g/l of undissociated butyric acid at the onset of solvent production in pH-uncontrolled batch culture. The low undissociated butyric acid requirement enabled this strain to produce 13.8 g/l of butanol at a controlled pH of 6.0.Contribution no. 19998 of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Correspondence to: C.-H. Park