Engineering A Novel Bacterial Host for Biobutanol Production (PASTA)
In this project we are aiming to develp a novel bacterial host for the production of 1-butanol from renewable feedstocks. The strategy focuses on the modification of a clostridial 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 with competing byproducts being knocked out.
This is a TSB/ BBSRC funded, 18 month project in collaboration with Prof Nigel Minton’s group at Nottingham University