ME: Metabolic Engineering of Photosynthetic Bacteria for Enhanced Carbon Fixation and Product Synthesis

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

0331364 Stephanopoulos The general objective of this research program is to understand the regulation and flux control of central carbon metabolism in photosynthetic microorganisms and in particular the interaction of central carbon metabolic reactions and downstream pathways of carbon utilization for product synthesis. The specific aims of the present research are to: (i) evaluate the effect of modifications in specific single-gene expression on the rate of growth, CO2 fixation and biopolymer product synthesis, (ii) investigate the potential of modifications in multiple-gene expression for achieving improved phenotypes, (iii) elucidate the mechanism of regulation of the biopolymer synthesis pathway to allow high production under realistic levels of CO2 partial pressures, and (iv) evaluate the physiology of promising recombinant Synechocystis strains.