Characterization of volatile fatty-acid utilization in Escherichia coli aiming for robust valorisation of food residues

• Valorisation of food residues would greatly benefit from development of robust processes that create added value compared to current feed- and biogas applications. Recent advances in membrane-bioreactor-based open mixed microbial cultures, enable robust conversion of fluctuating streams of food residues to a mixture of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). In this study, such a mixed stream of VFAs was investigated as a substrate for Escherichia coli, a well-studied organism suitable for application in further conversion of the acids into compounds of higher value, and/or that are easier to separate from the aqueous medium. E. coli was cultured in batch on a VFA-rich anaerobic digest of food residues, tolerating up to 40 mM of total VFAs without any reduction in growth rate. In carbon-limited chemostats of E. coli W3110 ΔFadR on a simulated VFA mixture, the straight-chain VFAs (C2-C6) in the mixture were readily consumed simultaneously. At a dilution rate of 0.1 h−1, mainly acetic-, propionic- and caproic acid were consumed, while consumption of all the provided acids were observed at 0.05 h−1. Interestingly, also the branched isovaleric acid was consumed through a hitherto unknown mechanism. In total, up to 80% of the carbon from the supplied VFAs was consumed by the cells, and approximately 2.7% was excreted as nucleotide precursors in the medium. These results suggest that VFAs derived from food residues are a promising substrate for E. coli.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Industriell bioteknik -- Bioprocessteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Industrial Biotechnology -- Bioprocess Technology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Anaerobic digest

Escherichia coli

Food waste

VFA

Volatile fatty acids

acetic acid

ammonia

butyric acid

carbon

hexanoic acid

isovaleric acid

phosphate

polyethersulfone

propionic acid

valeric acid

volatile fatty acid

anaerobic digestion

Article

bacterial growth

biodegradation

biomass

carbon source

growth rate

metabolomics

methanogenesis

microbial community

nonhuman

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)