Monday, August 11, 2008
P30

Characterization of a furfural resistant mutant of ethanologenic Escherichia coli

Elliot N. Miller1, Laura R. Jarboe2, and Lonnie O. Ingram1. (1) Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, 981 Museum Road, Gainesville, FL 32611-0700, (2) Iowa State University, FL

Ethanologenic E. coli LY180 was grown in the minimal media AM1 with xylose and incrementally increasing concentrations of the inhibitor furfural in order to select for a mutant with increased resistance to furfural.  The phenotypic traits of this mutant, EMFR9, were compared to that of the parent.  The minimal inhibitory concentration of EMFR9 towards furfural was shown to be 2 fold higher (2.0 g/L) than the parent (1.0 g/L) in minimal media, although no significant differences in resistance were found in the presence of hydroxymethyl furfural, syringaldehyde or furfuryl alcohol.  EMFR9 exhibited a shorter lag phase than LY180 in the presence of furfural.  Furthermore, at a consistent optical density the rate of furfural reduction by EMFR9 was lower than LY180.  Addition of glucose increased resistance of LY180 but not EMFR9 to furfural, while supplementation with yeast extract increased resistance of both strains.

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