Overcoming the energetic limitations of syngas fermentation.

Overcoming the energetic limitations of syngas fermentation. Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2017 Nov 06;41:84-92 Authors: Molitor B, Marcellin E, Angenent LT Abstract The fermentation of synthesis gas (including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen) with anaerobic acetogens is an established biotechnological process that has recently been transferred to a commercial scale. The natural product spectrum of acetogens is natively restricted to acetate, ethanol, and 2,3-butanediol but is rapidly expanding to heterologous products. Syngas fermentation can achieve high carbon-efficiencies; however, the underlying metabolism is operating at a thermodynamic limit. This necessitates special enzymatic properties for energy conservation by acetogens. Therefore, the availability of cellular energy is considered to restrain the efficient production of energy-intense products with complex production pathways. The optimization of the feed-gas composition and other process parameters, genetic engineering, and integration with other biotechnologies is required to overcome this limitation. PMID: 29125940 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Current Opinion in Chemical Biology - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: Curr Opin Chem Biol Source Type: research