Abstract
Plasmids carrying the pyc gene from Rhizobium etli were used to express pyruvate carboxylase in Escherichia coli. Results of batch fermentations of a wild-type E. coli (MG1655), this wild-type with the pUC18 cloning/expression vector (MG1655/pUC18) and this wild-type carrying the pyc gene (MG1655/pUC18-pyc) were compared in glucose-limited medium. The results indicate that the final succinate concentration upon complete glucose utilization was increased from 1.18 g/L to 1.77 g/L by the expression of pyc, while the final succinate concentration in MG1655/pUC18 was slightly lower than in the parent strain. This increased succinate concentration came at the expense of lactate synthesis, whose final concentration decreased from 2.33 g/L to 1.88 g/L. The expression of pyc did not affect the maximum glucose uptake (2.17 g/L⋅h for MG1655 versus 2.47 g/L⋅h for MG1655/pUC18-pyc), but did decrease the maximum rate of cell mass production (0.213 g/L⋅h for MG1655, 0.169 g/L⋅h for MG1655/pUC18 and 0.199 g/L⋅h for MG1655/pUC18-pyc).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clark, DP (1989). FEMS Micrabiol Rev 63:223–234.
Diaz-Ricci, JC, Regan, L and Bailey, JE (1991). Biotechnol Bioeng 38:1318–1324.
Diaz-Ricci, JC, Tsu, M and Bailey, JE (1992). Biotechnol Bioeng 39:59–65.
Goel, A, Ferrance, J, Jeong, J and Ataai, M (1993). Biotechnol Bioeng 42:686–696.
Gottschalk, G (1985). Bacterial Metabolism; 2nd ed., Springer, NY.
Guyer, MS, Reed, RR, Steitz, JA and Low, KB (1980). Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 45:135–140.
Lowry, OH, Rosebrough, NJ, Farr, AL and Randall, RJ (1951). J Biol Chem 193:265–275.
Millard, CS, Chao, YP, Liao, JC and Donnelly, MI (1996). Appl Environ Microbiol 62:1808–1810.
Papoutsakis, ET and Meyer, CL (1985). Biotechnol Bioeng 27:56–66.
Park, SM, Sinskey, AJ and Stephanopolous, G (1997). Biotechnol Bioeng 55:864–879.
Payne, J and Morris, JG (1969). J Gen Microbiol 59:97–101.
Reardon, KF, Scheper, TH and Bailey, JE (1987). Biotechnol Prog 3:153–167.
Stols, L, Kulkarni, G, Harris, BG and Donnelly, MI (1997). Appl Biochem Biotechnol 63/65:153–158.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gokarn, R., Eiteman, M. & Altman, E. Expression of Pyruvate Carboxylase Enhances Succinate Production in Escherichia coli without Affecting Glucose Uptake. Biotechnology Letters 20, 795–798 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BILE.0000015925.52287.1f
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BILE.0000015925.52287.1f