S122: Strain development for the acetone-butanol fermentation

Studies on the solvent-producing clostridia have been hindered largely because of difficulties with the lack of a genetic system for manipulation of these microorganisms.  We recently developed a genome-scale metabolic model, carried out genome-wide transcriptional profiling using RNA-seq and developed a gene knock out system (targetron-based) tool box for producing both single and double knock-out mutants of C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052.  These recent developments allow for a more precise approach to re-directing the C. beijerinckii metabolic pathway to a particular product or series of products.