Recombinant Yeast Fermentation for Dicarboxylic Acid Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bacterial dicarboxylic acid fermentation processes require high pH and sterile conditions, increasing production costs, while fungal cell processes need optimization for improved dicarboxylic acid production.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the fermentation of recombinant yeast under microaerophilic conditions with a carbon dioxide concentration between 25 and 75 v/v% in the fermentation medium, which includes overexpression of genes such as PEP carboxykinase and disruption of ethanol fermentation pathway genes, to enhance dicarboxylic acid yield and productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If bacterial fermentation is used for dicarboxylic acid production, then production levels can be increased, but high pH and sterile conditions are required which increases production costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter from neutral (bacterial requirement) to acidic (fungal requirement), allowing the use of fungal cells that do not require sterile conditions. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by enabling high productivity through fungal fermentation while eliminating the need for expensive sterile maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses genetically modified fungal cells as an alternative model system to bacteria, copying the metabolic engineering approach but applying it to fungi. This allows achieving high dicarboxylic acid production levels while utilizing the natural advantage of fungi growing in non-sterile acidic conditions
2Productivity
If bacterial fermentation is used for dicarboxylic acid production, then production levels can be increased, but sterile process conditions are needed which increases production costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter from neutral to acidic, which fundamentally alters the process reliability requirements. Fungal cells thrive in acidic conditions without requiring sterile environments, thereby maintaining high productivity while reducing the stringency of process condition requirements
3Productivity
If carbon dioxide concentration is increased beyond 10 v/v%, then production levels may increase, but higher concentrations were not effective in previous studies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the carbon dioxide concentration parameter from the previously studied 10 v/v% to a higher range of 25-75 v/v%. This parameter extension reveals a new effective concentration range that significantly enhances dicarboxylic acid production, demonstrating improved adaptability of the fungal system to high CO2 conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly increases the yield and specific productivity of dicarboxylic acids like succinic acid, fumaric acid, and malic acid, compared to processes outside the specified carbon dioxide range, reducing production costs and maintaining non-sterile conditions.
Implementation Method 1
fermenting a recombinant yeast in a suitable fermentation medium
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for producing a dicarboxylic acid, comprising fermenting a recombinant fungal cell in a suitable fermentation medium, in the presence of high carbon dioxide concentrations.