FURI | Fall 2022

Expression of Non-Native Inorganic Carbon Transporters in E. coli for Improved Succinate Production

Engineering bacteria provides a sustainable route for the production of succinate, an important platform chemical. The E. coli strain KJ122 can produce up to 80 g/L succinate, but is potentially limited by a lack of native transporters for the active uptake of inorganic carbon, necessary precursors for succinate production. This project explores the use of non-native transporters as a method to increase heterotrophic carbon fixation in succinate bioproduction. The heterologous bicarbonate transporter, SbtA, and CO2 transporter, DabAB, were characterized through tube and bottle-based fermentations.