Fed-Batch Cultivations of Rhodospirillum rubrum Under Multiple Nutrient-Limited Growth Conditions on Syngas as a Novel Option to Produce Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)

• Main Authors: Stephanie Karmann, Sven Panke, Manfred Zinn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-04-01
• Series: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
• Subjects: Rhodospirillum rubrum; syngas; fed-batch; poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB); multiple nutrient-limitation; gas transfer
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fbioe.2019.00059/full

Syngas from gasified organic waste materials is a promising feedstock for the biotechnological synthesis of the bioplastic poly([R]-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) with Rhodospirillum rubrum. In a first approach, growth studies were carried out with this strain in gas-tight serum vials. When syngas (40% CO, 40% H2, 10% CO2, and 10% N2 v/v) was diluted with N2 to 60%, a 4-fold higher biomass production was detected compared to samples grown on 100% syngas, thus indicating a growth inhibitory effect. The best performing syngas-mixture was then used for C-, C,N-, and C,P-limited fed-batch fermentations in a bioreactor with continuous syngas and acetate supply. It was found that C,P-limited PHB productivity was 5 times higher than for only C-limited growth and reached a maximal PHB content of 30% w/w. Surprisingly, growth and PHB production stopped when N, as a second nutrient, became growth-limiting. Finally, it was concluded that a minimal supply of 0.2 g CO g−1 biomass h−1 has to be guaranteed in order to cover the cellular maintenance energy.