Stepping on the gas: the industrialization of methanotroph biology

Natural gas is one of the most economical sources of carbon and is therefore an attractive feedstock for microbial bioconversion to industrial products. Methanotrophic bacteria are capable of using natural gas as the sole carbon source to support cellular metabolism and growth. Compared many other microbes, significantly less is known about carbon assimilation in these bacteria and a limited set of techniques for genomic manipulation and metabolic engineering have been reported. In order to take advantage of the abundant and inexpensive supply of natural gas, Intrexon has developed a methanotroph-based platform technology for the production of higher value industrial products. This includes a “genetic and analytical toolbox” that enables rapid and robust genetic manipulation followed by high throughput strain evaluation. The methanotroph platform is organized around a Design-Build-Test-Learn™ cycle to drive strain development and improvement. Rapid cycle times, high capacity, and high throughput are achieved by employing automated DNA design and DNA fabrication methods, advanced transformation and DNA editing, and high throughput micro-fermentation systems. Improved strains from rational and random libraries that perform better in primary screens are further tested in bench scale bioreactors. Top strains are then promoted to pilot scale testing.