Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

2, 5-Furan Dicarboxylic Acid (FDCA) is an important renewable building block because it serves as an environmentally friendly substitute for terephthalic acid in the production of polyesters. Currently, FDCA is mainly produced through chemical oxidation which can cause severe environmental pollution. In this study, we developed an environmentally friendly process for the production of FDCA from 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF) using a newly isolated strain, Raoultella terrigena BF60. First, R. terrigena BF60 was screened and isolated. The maximum FDCA titer was 7.95 g/L and the maximal molar conversion ratio of 5-HMF to FDCA was 50.9% (mol/ml) under optimal conditions (100 mM 5-HMF, 45 g/L whole-cell biocatalyst, 30 �°C, 50 mM phosphate buffer [pH 8.0]). Next, dcaD, encoding dicarboxylic acid decarboxylase was deleted to block FDCA degradation to furoic acid, thus, increasing FDCA production to 9.19 g/L. Subsequently, aldR encoding aldehyde reductase was deleted to block the catabolism of 5-HMF to HMF alcohol further increasing the FDCA titer to 11.28 g/L. Finally, aldh encoding aldehyde dehydrogenase was over-expressed. The FDCA titer increased to 13.87 g/L, 1.7-fold higher than that of the wild-type strain and the molar conversion ratio increased to 88.91%. This work establishes an eco-friendly bioprocess for the green production of FDCA by engineered R. terrigena and provides a starting point for further metabolic engineering to establish a process for the industrial production of FDCA using R. terrigena.

Biography

Email: lijianghua@jiangnan.edu.cn