Enhancing photo-catalytic production of organic acids in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.?PCC 6803 ?glgC, a strain incapable of glycogen storage.
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ABSTRACT: A key objective in microbial biofuels strain development is to maximize carbon flux to target products while minimizing cell biomass accumulation, such that ideally the algae and bacteria would operate in a photo-catalytic state. A brief period of such a physiological state has recently been demonstrated in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.?PCC 6803 ?glgC strain incapable of glycogen storage. When deprived of nitrogen, the ?glgC excretes the organic acids alpha-ketoglutarate and pyruvate for a number of days without increasing cell biomass. This study examines the relationship between the growth state and the photo-catalytic state, and characterizes the metabolic adaptability of the photo-catalytic state to increasing light intensity. It is found that the culture can transition naturally from the growth state into the photo-catalytic state when provided with limited nitrogen supply during the growth phase. Photosynthetic capacity and pigments are lost over time in the photo-catalytic state. Reversal to growth state is observed with re-addition of nitrogen nutrient, accompanied by restoration of photosynthetic capacity and pigment levels in the cells. While the overall productivity increased under high light conditions, the ratio of alpha-ketoglutarate/pyruvate is altered, suggesting that carbon partition between the two products is adaptable to environmental conditions.
SUBMITTER: Carrieri D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4353341 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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