Engineering A Novel Bacterial Host for Biobutanol Production

We aim to develp a novel bacterial host for the production of 1-butanol from renewable feedstocks. The strategy focuses on the modification of a clostridia species (Clostridium pasteurianum). This microbe has many desirable features that make it an attractive fermentation host (fast growth rates, robustness and good butanol tolerance) but suffers from a limited substrate range, relatively poor butanol yields and is notriously difficult to genetically manipulate. In this project, we will deploy advanced molecular biology tools for Clostridia to introduce synthetic metabolic pathways for starch metabolism and also for butanol production. Competing byproducts will be knocked out. The deliverable will be a novel engineered strain C. pasteurianum that ferments starch to butanol in high yield.