Unraveling the biochemical and metabolic networks controlling bacterial cellulose biosynthesis
EMSL Project ID
60321
Abstract
Synthetic biology is a rapidly evolving field that uses novel engineering approaches to enhance the capabilities of organisms. Cellulose producing bacteria with commercial value, such as many in the genus Komagataeibacter, are strong candidates for molecular enhancement. Bacterial cellulose (BC) exhibits unique structural and chemical features that are attractive for use in electrical, biotechnology, medical, and pharmaceutical applications. BC is considered a green alternative biomaterial in manufacturing, but its large-scale success is limited by the performance capabilities of the bacteria. This biological challenge has yet to be overcome using traditional microbiological techniques and our current understanding of bacterial cellulose biosynthesis. The overarching goal of this proposal is to unravel the metabolic pathways controlling the physicochemical properties of cellulose produced by bacteria in the genus Komagataeibacter. For this project, the responsiveness of cellulose producing strains grown under different culture conditions will be evaluated. Support from EMSL will enable us to untangle the complex relationship between gene function, metabolic pathways, and phenotype (cellulose yield and structure) through the integration of structural, biochemical and -omic datasets (transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics). The comprehensive molecular-level information generated from this project will have broad applicability for the metabolic engineering of cellulose producing bacteria.
Project Details
Project type
Large-Scale EMSL Research
Start Date
2022-10-01
End Date
N/A
Status
Active
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Co-Investigator(s)
Team Members