Elementary Mode Analysis for the Rational Design of Efficient Succinate Conversion from Glycerol by Escherichia coli

By integrating the restriction of oxygen and redox sensing/regulatory system, elementary mode analysis was used to predict the metabolic potential of glycerol for succinate production by E. coli under either anaerobic or aerobic conditions. It was found that although the theoretical maximum succinate yields under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions are 1.0 mol/mol glycerol, the aerobic condition was considered to be more favorable for succinate production. Although increase of the oxygen concentration would reduce the succinate yield, the calculation suggests that controlling the molar fraction of oxygen to be under 0.65 mol/mol would be beneficial for increasing the succinate productivity. Based on the elementary mode analysis, the rational genetic modification strategies for efficient succinate production under aerobic and anaerobic conditions were obtained, respectively. Overexpressing the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase or heterogeneous pyruvate carboxylase is considered to be the most efficient strategy to increase the succinate yield.