Toward construction of a bacterium which can produce high amounts of fatty compounds from CO2 using sunlight

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26340102
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Design and evaluation of sustainable and environmental conscious system
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Teramoto Maki 高知大学, 教育研究部総合科学系複合領域科学部門, 准教授 (60545234)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): 河地 正伸 独立行政法人国立環境研究所, 生物生態系環境研究センター, 室長 (50260469)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 脂肪族化合物合成遺伝子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fatty compounds can be various commercial products, such as fuels. In this research, a genetically engineered microbe that can accumulate high amounts of fatty compounds was constructed towards the low-cost and renewable fuel production from renewable feedstocks.
A novel bacterium that accumulates conspicuous amounts of fatty compounds (C14,16,18) has been obtained. In this study, a novel gene cluster for the fatty compound synthesis was identified from this bacterium. Moreover, promoters, surrounding genes and growth conditions of the host for gene expression were investigated for high expression of the novel gene cluster and high accumulation of the fatty compounds in a cell. Finally, the genetically engineered microbe (Escherichia coli), which can indirectly utilize CO2 as a carbon source and sunlight as an energy source, was obtained.

Free Research Field

分子微生物学