Production of Succinic Acid from Different Feedstocks by Genetically Engineered E. coli

Myriant Corporation produces succinic acid commercially with E. coli strains at a biorefinery in Lake Providence, Louisiana.  Biologically produced succinic acid replaces petrochemical materials in polymers, plasticizers, pigments and coatings, with a sustainable variety of feedstocks.  The original strain constructed by Jantama et al. (2008) uses glucose to produce high yields of succinic acid with low cell density under microaerobic conditions.  Specific genetic modifications have since improved metabolic efficiency and increased the range of feedstocks of the original strain to include sucrose, glycerol and cellulosic sugars.  C5 and C6 sugars derived from cellulose were used simultaneously.  The energy requirement for uptake of carbon source varies with the specific feedstock and mechanism of import.  Microaeration is necessary for the synthesis of sufficient ATP.  Some reduced substrates, such as glycerol, require additional oxygen for optimal redox balance.  Expanding the range of feedstocks and determining the optimal fermentation parameters for each feedstock will allow the use of the most economical feedstock in many different production sites around the world.

Acknowledgement: This material is partially based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-EE0002878/001 and the disclaimer language prescribed in the award is incorporated herein in its entirety.