Transcriptomic characterization of recombinant Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 expressing methylglyoxal synthase and glyoxal reductase from Clostridium pasteurianum ATCC 6013.

Bioconversion of abundant lactose-replete whey permeate to value-added chemicals holds promise for valorization of this expanding food processing waste. Efficient conversion of whey permeate-borne lactose requires adroit microbial engineering to direct carbon to the desired chemical. An engineered strain of Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 (C. beijerinckii_mgsA+mgR) that produces 87% more butanol on lactose than the control strain was assessed for global transcriptomic changes. The results revealed broadly contrasting gene expression patterns in C. beijerinckii_mgsA+mgR relative to the control strain. These were characterized by widespread decreases in the abundance of mRNAs of Fe-S proteins in C. beijerinckii_mgsA+mgR, coupled with increased differential expression of lactose uptake and catabolic genes, iron uptake genes, two-component signal transduction and motility genes, and genes involved in the biosynthesis of vitamins B5 and B12, aromatic amino acids (particularly tryptophan), arginine, and pyrimidines. Conversely, the mRNA patterns suggest that the L-aspartate-dependent de novo biosynthesis of NAD as well as biosynthesis of lysine and asparagine and metabolism of glycine and threonine were likely down-regulated. Furthermore, genes involved in cysteine and methionine biosynthesis and metabolism, including cysteine desulfurase-a central player in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis-equally showed reductions in mRNA abundance. Genes involved in biosynthesis of capsular polysaccharides and stress response also showed reduced mRNA abundance in C. beijerinckii_mgsA+mgR. The results suggest that remodeling of cellular and metabolic networks in C. beijerinckii_mgsA+mgR to counter anticipated effects of methylglyoxal production from heterologous expression of methylglyoxal synthase led to enhanced growth and butanol production in C. beijerinckii_mgsA+mgR. IMPORTANCE: Biological production of commodity chemicals from abundant waste streams such as whey permeate represents an opportunity for decarbonizing chemical production. Whey permeate remains a vastly underutilized feedstock for bioproduction purposes. Thus, enhanced understanding of the cellular and metabolic repertoires of lactose-mediated production of chemicals such as butanol promises to identify new targets that can be fine tuned in recombinant and native microbial strains to engender stronger coupling of whey permeate-borne lactose to value-added chemicals. Our results highlight new genetic targets for future engineering of C. beijerinckii for improved butanol production on lactose and ultimately in whey permeate.

Light-induced H2 generation in a photosystem I-O2-tolerant [FeFe] hydrogenase nanoconstruct.

The fusion of hydrogenases and photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) has proven to be a promising strategy for the production of sustainable biofuels. Type I (iron-sulfur-containing) RCs, acting as photosensitizers, are capable of promoting electrons to a redox state that can be exploited by hydrogenases for the reduction of protons to dihydrogen (H2). While both [FeFe] and [NiFe] hydrogenases have been used successfully, they tend to be limited due to either O2 sensitivity, binding specificity, or H2 production rates. In this study, we fuse a peripheral (stromal) subunit of Photosystem I (PS I), PsaE, to an O2-tolerant [FeFe] hydrogenase from Clostridium beijerinckii using a flexible [GGS]4 linker group (CbHydA1-PsaE). We demonstrate that the CbHydA1 chimera can be synthetically activated in vitro to show bidirectional activity and that it can be quantitatively bound to a PS I variant lacking the PsaE subunit. When illuminated in an anaerobic environment, the nanoconstruct generates H2 at a rate of 84.9 ± 3.1 µmol H2 mgchl-1 h-1. Further, when prepared and illuminated in the presence of O2, the nanoconstruct retains the ability to generate H2, though at a diminished rate of 2.2 ± 0.5 µmol H2 mgchl-1 h-1. This demonstrates not only that PsaE is a promising scaffold for PS I-based nanoconstructs, but the use of an O2-tolerant [FeFe] hydrogenase opens the possibility for an in vivo H2 generating system that can function in the presence of O2.

Multiplex genome engineering in Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 using CRISPR-Cas12a.

Clostridium species are re-emerging as biotechnological workhorses for industrial acetone-butanol-ethanol production. This re-emergence is largely due to advances in fermentation technologies but also due to advances in genome engineering and re-programming of the native metabolism. Several genome engineering techniques have been developed including the development of numerous CRISPR-Cas tools. Here, we expanded the CRISPR-Cas toolbox and developed a CRISPR-Cas12a genome engineering tool in Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052. By controlling the expression of FnCas12a with the xylose-inducible promoter, we achieved efficient (25-100%) single-gene knockout of five C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 genes (spo0A, upp, Cbei_1291, Cbei_3238, Cbei_3832). Moreover, we achieved multiplex genome engineering by simultaneously knocking out the spo0A and upp genes in a single step with an efficiency of 18%. Finally, we showed that the spacer sequence and position in the CRISPR array can affect the editing efficiency outcome.

Identification of serine/threonine kinases that regulate metabolism and sporulation in Clostridium beijerinckii.

Serine/threonine protein kinases (STKs) are important for signal transduction and involved in multiple physiological processes, including cell growth, central metabolism, and sporulation in bacteria. However, the role of STKs in solventogenic clostridia remains unclear. Here, we identified and comprehensively investigated six STK candidates in Clostridium beijerinckii. These STKs were classified into four groups with distinct characteristics via analysis of genetic organizations, prediction of protein domains, and multiple sequence alignment. Cbei0566 is a member of the PrkA family with 41% identity to PrkA from Bacillus subtilis, and both Cbei0666 and Cbei0813 are two-component-like STKs. Cbei1151 and Cbei1929 belong to the Hanks family STKs and consist of a cytoplasmic catalytic domain, a transmembrane region, and extracellular sensor domains. In-frame deletion mutants of cbei0566, cbei0666, cbei1929, and cbei2661 displayed similar cell growth with wild type. Both Δcbei0666 and Δcbei2661 improved acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) production by 14.3% (19.2 g/L vs. 16.8 g/L), and the sporulation frequencies of Δcbei0566, Δcbei1929, and Δcbei2661 significantly decreased to 35.5%, 55.1% and 44.8%, respectively. The restored phenotypes after genetic complementation demonstrated their direct link to STKs deletion. Remarkably, overexpressing cbei0566 contributed to 41.5% more spore formation and cbei1929 overexpression enhanced ABE production from 19.3 to 24.2 g/L, along with 25% less acids. These results revealed that Cbei0566 and Cbei1929 had prominent regulatory functions. This study expands the current knowledge of the existence and functions of STKs in prokaryotes and highlights the importance of STK-mediated signaling networks in developing superior strains. KEY POINTS: • First reported serine/threonine protein kinases in solventogenic clostridia • Six STKs with distinct properties possessed diverse functions in C. beijerinckii • Cbei1929 and Cbei0566 remarkably regulated solventogenesis and sporulation.

Transcriptomic studies of solventogenic clostridia, Clostridium acetobutylicum and Clostridium beijerinckii.

Solventogenic clostridia are not a strictly defined group within the genus Clostridium but its representatives share some common features, i.e. they are anaerobic, non-pathogenic, non-toxinogenic and endospore forming bacteria. Their main metabolite is typically 1-butanol but depending on species and culture conditions, they can form other metabolites such as acetone, isopropanol, ethanol, butyric, lactic and acetic acids, and hydrogen. Although these organisms were previously used for the industrial production of solvents, they later fell into disuse, being replaced by more efficient chemical production. A return to a more biological production of solvents therefore requires a thorough understanding of clostridial metabolism. Transcriptome analysis, which reflects the involvement of individual genes in all cellular processes within a population, at any given (sampling) moment, is a valuable tool for gaining a deeper insight into clostridial life. In this review, we describe techniques to study transcription, summarize the evolution of these techniques and compare methods for data processing and visualization of solventogenic clostridia, particularly the species Clostridium acetobutylicum and Clostridium beijerinckii. Individual approaches for evaluating transcriptomic data are compared and their contributions to advancements in the field are assessed. Moreover, utilization of transcriptomic data for reconstruction of computational clostridial metabolic models is considered and particular models are described. Transcriptional changes in glucose transport, central carbon metabolism, the sporulation cycle, butanol and butyrate stress responses, the influence of lignocellulose-derived inhibitors on growth and solvent production, and other respective topics, are addressed and common trends are highlighted.

A comparative phenotypic and genomic analysis of Clostridium beijerinckii mutant with enhanced solvent production.

The acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by solventogenic clostridia has a long history of industrial butanol production. The Clostridium beijerinckii mutant BA101 has been widely studied for ABE fermentation owing to its enhanced butanol production capacity. Here, we characterized the BA101 mutant under controlled environmental conditions in parallel with the parental strain C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052. To investigate the correlation between phenotype and genotype, we carried out the genome sequencing of BA101. Through comparative genomic analysis, several mutations in the genes encoding transcriptional regulator, sensor kinase, and phosphatase were identified in the BA101 genome as well as other sibling mutants. Among them, the SNP in the Cbei_3078 gene encoding PAS/PAC sensor hybrid histidine kinase was unique to the BA101 strain. The identified mutations relevant to the observed physiological behaviors of BA101 could be potential genetic targets for rational engineering of solventogenic clostridia toward desired phenotypes.

Deeper below the surface-transcriptional changes in selected genes of Clostridium beijerinckii in response to butanol shock.

The main bottleneck in the return of industrial butanol production from renewable feedstock through acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by clostridia, such as Clostridium beijerinckii, is the low final butanol concentration. The problem is caused by the high toxicity of butanol to the production cells, and therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which clostridia react to butanol shock is of key importance. Detailed analyses of transcriptome data that were obtained after butanol shock and their comparison with data from standard ABE fermentation have resulted in new findings, while confirmed expected population responses. Although butanol shock resulted in upregulation of heat shock protein genes, their regulation is different than was assumed based on standard ABE fermentation transcriptome data. While glucose uptake, glycolysis, and acidogenesis genes were downregulated after butanol shock, solventogenesis genes were upregulated. Cyclopropanation of fatty acids and formation of plasmalogens seem to be significant processes involved in cell membrane stabilization in the presence of butanol. Surprisingly, one of the three identified Agr quorum-sensing system genes was upregulated. Upregulation of several putative butanol efflux pumps was described after butanol addition and a large putative polyketide gene cluster was found, the transcription of which seemed to depend on the concentration of butanol.

Metabolic and Process Engineering of Clostridium beijerinckii for Butyl Acetate Production in One Step.

n-Butyl acetate is an important food additive commonly produced via concentrated sulfuric acid catalysis or immobilized lipase catalysis of butanol and acetic acid. Compared with chemical methods, an enzymatic approach is more environmentally friendly; however, it incurs a higher cost due to lipase production. In vivo biosynthesis via metabolic engineering offers an alternative to produce n-butyl acetate. This alternative combines substrate production (butanol and acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA)), alcohol acyltransferase expression, and esterification reaction in one reactor. The alcohol acyltransferase gene ATF1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was introduced into Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052, enabling it to directly produce n-butyl acetate from glucose without lipase addition. Extractants were compared and adapted to realize glucose fermentation with in situ n-butyl acetate extraction. Finally, 5.57 g/L of butyl acetate was produced from 38.2 g/L of glucose within 48 h, which is 665-fold higher than that reported previously. This demonstrated the potential of such a metabolic approach to produce n-butyl acetate from biomass.

Genetic sensor-regulators functional in Clostridia.

This study addressed the functionality of genetic circuits carrying natural regulatory elements of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 in the presence of the respective inducer molecules. Specifically, promoters and their regulators involved in diverse carbon source utilization were characterized using mCherryOpt or beta-galactosidase as a reporter. Consequently, most of the genetic circuits tested in this study were functional in Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 in the presence of an inducer, leading to the expression of reporter proteins. These genetic sensor-regulators were found to be transferable to another Clostridium species, such as Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052. The gradual expression of reporter protein was observed as a function of the carbohydrates of interest. A xylose-inducible promoter allows a titratable and robust expression of a reporter protein with stringency and efficacy. This xylose-inducible circuit was seen to enable induction of the expression of reporter proteins in the presence of actual sugar mixtures incorporated in woody hydrolysate wherein glucose and xylose are present as predominant carbon sources.

Metabolic Engineering and Adaptive Evolution of Clostridium beijerinckii To Increase Solvent Production from Corn Stover Hydrolysate.

The production of acetone-butanol-ethanol by solventogenic Clostridium using lignocellulosic biomass can be a potential alternative to petroleum-based butanol. However, previous studies on nondetoxified lignocellulose hydrolysate could not provide better results when compared to those in synthetic medium. In this study, we engineered the pentose pathway of Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052, which was then subjected to adaptive laboratory evolution in the gradient mixture of synthetic medium and pretreated corn stover enzymatic hydrolysate (CSH) prepared according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) standard. The final resultant strain CIBTS1274A produced 20.7 g/L of total solvents in NREL CSH diluted to 6% initial total sugars, supplemented with ammonium acetate. This performance was comparable with that of corn-based butanol. In addition, this strain was successfully used in the scale-up operation using nondetoxified corn stover and corncob hydrolysate at Lignicell Refining Biotechnologies Ltd., which once was the only commercial biobutanol industry in the world.

Biological hydrogen production from palm oil mill effluent (POME) by anaerobic consortia and Clostridium beijerinckii.

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) was tested as a substrate to produce hydrogen by dark fermentation. Two microbial consortia and a pure culture of Clostridium beijerinckii (ATCC 8260) were cultured anaerobically in raw, diluted and hydrolyzed POME to compare biohydrogen production yields in all three media. Experiments were done in 15 mL Hungate tubes containing 5 mL of medium and 1 mL of inoculum. When Clostridium beijerinckii was cultivated at 30 °C in the hydrolyzed POME (P003), containing 7.5 g/L of sucrose, during 8 days of fermentation and 20 % of the inoculum, the maximum biohydrogen production yield was 4.62 LH2/Lmed. Consortium C3 also showed the best production in hydrolyzed POME while consortium C6 achieved its maximum production in raw POME. This effluent is a potential substrate for biohydrogen production.

Combined evolutionary engineering and genetic manipulation improve low pH tolerance and butanol production in a synthetic microbial Clostridium community.

Synthetic microbial communities have become a focus of biotechnological research since they can overcome several of the limitations of single-specie cultures. A paradigmatic example is Clostridium cellulovorans DSM 743B, which can decompose lignocellulose but cannot produce butanol. Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 however, is unable to use lignocellulose but can produce high amounts of butanol from simple sugars. In our previous studies, both organisms were cocultured to produce butanol by consolidated bioprocessing. However, such consolidated bioprocessing implementation strongly depends on pH regulation. Since low pH (pH 4.5-5.5) is required for butanol fermentation, C. cellulovorans cannot grow well and saccharify sufficient lignocellulose to feed both strains at a pH below 6.4. To overcome this bottleneck, this study engineered C. cellulovorans by adaptive laboratory evolution, inactivating cell wall lyases genes (Clocel_0798 and Clocel_2169), and overexpressing agmatine deiminase genes (augA, encoded by Cbei_1922) from C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052. The generated strain WZQ36: 743B*6.0*3△lyt0798△lyt2169-(pXY1-Pthl -augA) can tolerate a pH of 5.5. Finally, the alcohol aldehyde dehydrogenase gene adhE1 from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 was introduced into the strain to enable butanol production at low pH, in coordination with solvent fermentation of C. beijerinckii in consortium. The engineered consortium produced 3.94 g/L butanol without pH control within 83 hr, which is more than 5-fold of the level achieved by wild consortia under the same conditions. This exploration represents a proof of concept on how to combine metabolic and evolutionary engineering to coordinate coculture of a synthetic microbial community.

Ferrous-Iron-Activated Transcriptional Factor AdhR Regulates Redox Homeostasis in Clostridium beijerinckii.

The AdhR regulatory protein is an activator of σ54-dependent transcription of adhA1 and adhA2 genes, which are required for alcohol synthesis in Clostridium beijerinckii Here, we identified the signal perceived by AdhR and determined the regulatory mechanism of AdhR activity. By assaying the activity of AdhR in N-terminally truncated forms, a negative control mechanism of AdhR activity was identified in which the central AAA+ domain is subject to repression by the N-terminal GAF and PAS domains. Binding of Fe2+ to the GAF domain was found to relieve intramolecular repression and stimulate the ATPase activity of AdhR, allowing the AdhR to activate transcription. This control mechanism enables AdhR to regulate transcription of adhA1 and adhA2 in response to cellular redox status. The mutants deficient in AdhR or σ54 showed large shifts in intracellular redox state indicated by the NADH/NAD+ ratio under conditions of increased electron availability or oxidative stress. We demonstrated that the Fe2+-activated transcriptional regulator AdhR and σ54 control alcohol synthesis to maintain redox homeostasis in clostridial cells. Expression of N-terminally truncated forms of AdhR resulted in improved solvent production by C. beijerinckiiIMPORTANCE Solventogenic clostridia are anaerobic bacteria that can produce butanol, ethanol, and acetone, which can be used as biofuels or building block chemicals. Here, we show that AdhR, a σ54-dependent transcriptional activator, senses the intracellular redox status and controls alcohol synthesis in Clostridium beijerinckii AdhR provides a new example of a GAF domain coordinating a mononuclear non-heme iron to sense and transduce the redox signal. Our study reveals a previously unrecognized functional role of σ54 in control of cellular redox balance and provides new insights into redox signaling and regulation in clostridia. Our results reveal AdhR as a novel engineering target for improving solvent production by C. beijerinckii and other solventogenic clostridia.

Control of solvent production by sigma-54 factor and the transcriptional activator AdhR in Clostridium beijerinckii.

Clostridia are obligate anaerobic bacteria that can produce solvents such as acetone, butanol and ethanol. Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) play a key role in solvent production; however, their regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we characterized the regulatory mechanisms of two ADH-encoding genes in C. beijerinckii. SigL (sigma factor σ54 ) was found to be required for transcription of adhA1 and adhA2 genes. Moreover, a novel transcriptional activator AdhR was identified, which binds to the σ54 promoter and activates σ54 -dependent transcription of adhA1 and adhA2. Clostridia beijerinckii mutants deficient in SigL or AdhR showed severely impaired butanol and ethanol production as well as altered acetone and butyrate synthesis. Overexpression of SigL resulted in significantly improved solvent production by C. beijerinckii when butyrate was added to cultures. Our results reveal SigL as a novel engineering target for improving solvent production by C. beijerinckii and other solvent-producing clostridia. Moreover, this study gains an insight into regulation of alcohol metabolism in diverse clostridia.

Adaptation and application of a two-plasmid inducible CRISPR-Cas9 system in Clostridium beijerinckii.

Recent developments in CRISPR technologies have opened new possibilities for improving genome editing tools dedicated to the Clostridium genus. In this study we adapted a two-plasmid tool based on this technology to enable scarless modification of the genome of two reference strains of Clostridium beijerinckii producing an Acetone/Butanol/Ethanol (ABE) or an Isopropanol/Butanol/Ethanol (IBE) mix of solvents. In the NCIMB 8052 ABE-producing strain, inactivation of the SpoIIE sporulation factor encoding gene resulted in sporulation-deficient mutants, and this phenotype was reverted by complementing the mutant strain with a functional spoIIE gene. Furthermore, the fungal cellulase-encoding celA gene was inserted into the C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 chromosome, resulting in mutants with endoglucanase activity. A similar two-plasmid approach was next used to edit the genome of the natural IBE-producing strain C. beijerinckii DSM 6423, which has never been genetically engineered before. Firstly, the catB gene conferring thiamphenicol resistance was deleted to make this strain compatible with our dual-plasmid editing system. As a proof of concept, our dual-plasmid system was then used in C. beijerinckii DSM 6423 ΔcatB to remove the endogenous pNF2 plasmid, which led to a sharp increase of transformation efficiencies.

Transcriptional analysis of amino acid, metal ion, vitamin and carbohydrate uptake in butanol-producing Clostridium beijerinckii NRRL B-598.

In-depth knowledge of cell metabolism and nutrient uptake mechanisms can lead to the development of a tool for improving acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation performance and help to overcome bottlenecks in the process, such as the high cost of substrates and low production rates. Over 300 genes potentially encoding transport of amino acids, metal ions, vitamins and carbohydrates were identified in the genome of the butanol-producing strain Clostridium beijerinckii NRRL B-598, based on similarity searches in protein function databases. Transcriptomic data of the genes were obtained during ABE fermentation by RNA-Seq experiments and covered acidogenesis, solventogenesis and sporulation. The physiological roles of the selected 81 actively expressed transport genes were established on the basis of their expression profiles at particular stages of ABE fermentation. This article describes how genes encoding the uptake of glucose, iron, riboflavin, glutamine, methionine and other nutrients take part in growth, production and stress responses of C. beijerinckii NRRL B-598. These data increase our knowledge of transport mechanisms in solventogenic Clostridium and may be used in the selection of individual genes for further research.

ßγ-Crystallination Endows a Novel Bacterial Glycoside Hydrolase 64 with Ca2+-Dependent Activity Modulation.

The prokaryotic ßγ-crystallins are a large group of uncharacterized domains with Ca2+-binding motifs. We have observed that a vast number of these domains are found appended to other domains, in particular, the carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZy) domains. To elucidate the functional significance of these prospective Ca2+ sensors in bacteria and this widespread domain association, we have studied one typical example from Clostridium beijerinckii, a bacterium known for its ability to produce acetone, butanol, and ethanol through fermentation of several carbohydrates. This novel glycoside hydrolase of family 64 (GH64), which we named glucanallin, is composed of a ßγ-crystallin domain, a GH64 domain, and a carbohydrate-binding module 56 (CBM56). The substrates of GH64, ß-1,3-glucans, are the targets for industrial biofuel production due to their plenitude. We have examined the Ca2+-binding properties of this protein, assayed its enzymatic activity, and analyzed the structural features of the ß-1,3-glucanase domain through its high-resolution crystal structure. The reaction products resulting from the enzyme reaction of glucanallin reinforce the mixed nature of GH64 enzymes, in contrast to the prevailing notion of them being an exotype. Upon disabling Ca2+ binding and comparing different domain combinations, we demonstrate that the ßγ-crystallin domain in glucanallin acts as a Ca2+ sensor and enhances the glycolytic activity of glucanallin through Ca2+ binding. We also compare the structural peculiarities of this new member of the GH64 family to two previously studied members.IMPORTANCE We have biochemically and structurally characterized a novel glucanase from the less studied GH64 family in a bacterium significant for fermentation of carbohydrates into biofuels. This enzyme displays a peculiar property of being distally modulated by Ca2+ via assistance from a neighboring ßγ-crystallin domain, likely through changes in the domain interface. In addition, this enzyme is found to be optimized for functioning in an acidic environment, which is in line with the possibility of its involvement in biofuel production. Multiple occurrences of a similar domain architecture suggest that such a "ßγ-crystallination"-mediated Ca2+ sensitivity may be widespread among bacterial proteins.

σ54 (σL) plays a central role in carbon metabolism in the industrially relevant Clostridium beijerinckii.

The solventogenic C. beijerinckii DSM 6423, a microorganism that naturally produces isopropanol and butanol, was previously modified by random mutagenesis. In this work, one of the resulting mutants was characterized. This strain, selected with allyl alcohol and designated as the AA mutant, shows a dominant production of acids, a severely diminished butanol synthesis capacity, and produces acetone instead of isopropanol. Interestingly, this solvent-deficient strain was also found to have a limited consumption of two carbohydrates and to be still able to form spores, highlighting its particular phenotype. Sequencing of the AA mutant revealed point mutations in several genes including CIBE_0767 (sigL), which encodes the σ54 sigma factor. Complementation with wild-type sigL fully restored solvent production and sugar assimilation and RT-qPCR analyses revealed its transcriptional control of several genes related to solventogensis, demonstrating the central role of σ54 in C. beijerinckii DSM 6423. Comparative genomics analysis suggested that this function is conserved at the species level, and this hypothesis was further confirmed through the deletion of sigL in the model strain C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052.

Chromosomal integration of aldo-keto-reductase and short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase genes in Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 enhanced tolerance to lignocellulose-derived microbial inhibitory compounds.

In situ detoxification of lignocellulose-derived microbial inhibitory compounds is an economical strategy for the fermentation of lignocellulose-derived sugars to fuels and chemicals. In this study, we investigated homologous integration and constitutive expression of Cbei_3974 and Cbei_3904, which encode aldo-keto reductase and previously annotated short chain dehydrogenase/reductase, respectively, in Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 (Cb), resulting in two strains: Cb_3974 and Cb_3904. Expression of Cbei_3974 led to 2-fold increase in furfural detoxification relative to Cb_3904 and Cb_wild type. Correspondingly, butanol production was up to 1.2-fold greater in furfural-challenged cultures of Cb_3974 relative to Cb_3904 and Cb_wild type. With 4-hydroxybezaldehyde and syringaldehyde supplementation, Cb_3974 showed up to 2.4-fold increase in butanol concentration when compared to Cb_3904 and Cb_wild type. Syringic and vanillic acids were considerably less deleterious to all three strains of Cb tested. Overall, Cb_3974 showed greater tolerance to furfural, 4-hydroxybezaldehyde, and syringaldehyde with improved capacity for butanol production. Hence, development of Cb_3974 represents a significant progress towards engineering solventogenic Clostridium species that are tolerant to lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates as substrates for ABE fermentation.