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Bioprospecting of Extremophilic Microorganisms to Address Environmental Pollution
Published on: December 30, 2021
Thermophilic Moorella thermoacetica as a platform microorganism for C1 gas utilization: physiology, engineering, and
Dechen Jia1,2, Wangshuying Deng1,2, Peng Hu3
1CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
Abstract:
In the context of the rapid development of low-carbon economy, there has been increasing interest in utilizing naturally abundant and cost-effective one-carbon (C1) substrates for sustainable production of chemicals and fuels. Moorella thermoacetica, a model acetogenic bacterium, has attracted significant attention due to its ability to utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) via the Wood-Ljungdahl (WL) pathway, thereby showing great potential for the utilization of C1 gases. However, natural strains of M. thermoacetica are not yet fully suitable for industrial applications due to their limitations in carbon assimilation and conversion efficiency as well as limited product range. Over the past decade, progresses have been made in the development of genetic tools for M. thermoacetica, accelerating the understanding and modification of this acetogen. Here, we summarize the physiological and metabolic characteristics of M. thermoacetica and review the recent advances in engineering this bacterium. Finally, we propose the future directions for exploring the real potential of M. thermoacetica in industrial applications.
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