Development of Clostridium carboxidivorans as a Platform for Butanol Production via Co-fermentation of Lignocellulosic Biomass-Phase 2

2021 USDA-NIFA Center Award

 

Principal Investigators and affiliations:

PI:  Dr. Hasan Atiyeh, Oklahoma State University

Co-PI: Dr. Thaddeus Ezeji , Ohio State University

Funded: $146,360

Start Date: 12/01/2021

End Date: 11/30/2022

 

Project Goal

To develop efficient and economically viable biorefinery operation to produce biobased building blocks for energy production technologies that promote national security, environmental sustainability of agricultural production and economic diversification in rural areas of the U.S.  Specifically, to further improve butanol producing capacity of Clostridium carboxidivorans (Cc) platform using switchgrass hydrolysates (SH) and CO₂as substrates.

 

Objectives

1. Develop Cc with enhanced tolerance to lignocellulose derived microbial inhibitory compounds (LDMICs) and enhanced butanol producing capacity.
2. Evaluate butanol producing capacity of 3 developed Cc strains and process optimization for fed-batch fermentations with in situ butanol recovery using co-cultures of inhibitor-tolerant and butanol-overproducing strains of Cc and C. beijerinckii.

 

Expected Project Outcomes

On or before the end of Phase 2 of this project, BCD-COAT, and SDR-BCD-COAT positive Cc strains with increased tolerance to LDMICs and high butanol producing capacity will be generated.