Kanazawa University research: Bacteria in heat--high temperatures facilitate fermentation

KANAZAWA, Japan, April 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a study published in Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology biologists at Kanazawa University report an increase in the synthesis of fermentation products in bacteria at high reaction temperatures.

Mankind has long relied on fermentation—the metabolic processes within microorganisms—to procure useful compounds such as lactic acid (found in yogurt and kimchi) and ethanol (present in that daily glass of wine). Corynebacterium glutamicum is a bacterium used for industrial scale production of lactic acid and succinic acid, which can be used as bio-based plastic monomers. To-date, fermentation in C. glutamicum is conducted at temperatures of ~30°C, wherein the bacterium can grow comfortably. Now, Hikaru Mizuno and Yota Tsuge from Kanazawa University show that the production efficiency of some fermentation products can instead be magnified by simply increasing the reaction temperature above growth thresholds.

The energy producing pathway in C. glutamicum is the primary source of lactic acid and succinic acid. The researchers started their study by incubating the bacteria with glucose (the primary source of energy) and gradually raising the temperature above 30°C. Lactic acid was found to be 69% greater at 42.5°C whereas succinic acid levels were highest at 35°C and then slowly began declining.

Lactic acid and succinic acid are each produced by two different branches of glucose metabolism. Thus, enzymes, the primary regulators of any metabolic reaction, for both pathways are different. The activity of their respective enzymes at higher temperatures was then observed. Pyruvate kinase (PYK), the enzyme favoring lactic acid production showed increased activity at higher temperatures, whereas phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), which oversees succinic acid synthesis seemed subdued. Indeed, changes in both products at high temperatures were a function of enzyme activity. What's more, PYK and PEPC were competing the substrate with each other.

To understand this dynamic better, the lactic acid producing branch in C. glutamicum was shut down by inhibiting the enzyme involved, and another route to succinic acid catalyzed by pyruvate carboxylase (PYC) was enhanced. Succinic acid production was subsequently found to be 34% higher than at 42.5°C. The growth of bacteria was stalled at this temperature as expected, suggesting that the production efficiency increased even with just a fixed number of microbes. Controlling specific enzyme activities was thus favorable in increasing the production efficiency of the desired candidate.

"[W]e report that elevated temperatures, exceeding the upper limit for cell growth, can be used to increase the production of target compounds in C. glutamicum," concludes the researchers. Optimizing fermentation at high temperatures can not only reduce the risk of contamination from other microbes but also save costs of maintaining cooler conditions. This strategy can also be tweaked to increase the efficiency of any desired product, as done for the organic acids in this case.

Background:

Fermentation – Fermentation is referred to as the energy-producing metabolic pathway in microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast. These organisms utilize enzymes to breakdown sources of carbohydrates. Lactic acid and succinic acid are examples of by-products which are formed during the breakdown of carbohydrates in certain bacteria. Since several such products are released during the energy-releasing steps, finding ways to optimize the synthesis of target products can help reduce costs and expedite the entire reaction.

Reference:

Hikaru Mizuno & Yota Tsuge. Elevated, non-proliferative temperatures change the profile of fermentation products in Corynebacterium glutamicum. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2021.

DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-11024-w

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00253-020-11024-w

Link to related figure

https://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2120407_Figure1.jpg

caption：The amino acid producer Corynebacterium glutamicum produces lactic and succinic acids under anaerobic conditions. This bacterium optimally grows at 30 ºC under aerobic conditions, but stops cell growth under anaerobic conditions. This study revealed that this bacterium produces lactic and succinic acids at 42.5 ºC under anaerobic conditions via modulation of enzymatic activities.

About Kanazawa University

http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/e/

As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities.

The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa – a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas.

Contact details

Mr Tomoya Sato
Kanazawa University, Frontier Science and Social Co-creation Initiative
Kakuma, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, JAPAN
EMAIL: intl.pr@adm.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Telephone: 81-762-645-076