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My research
focuses on the genetic control of the transition from acidogenesis to
solventogenesis in Clostridium acetobutylicum, and the involvement of other
factors that may affect solvent production.
The response regulator
Spo0A has been shown to be a key player in regulating the solvent
transition. The transcription factor AbrB has been shown in Bacillus
subtilis to be intricately involved in Spo0A-mediated responses. I have
shown that a homologue in C. acetobutylicum designated AbrB310 is highly
expressed, and may have an effect on the transition to solventogenesis.
Current work is focused on determining the expression profile of abrB310 in
wild type and spo0A-deleted strains of C. acetobutylicum.
Decreased expression of
the early sporulation gene spoIIE causes elevated concentrations of acetone
and butanol by extending the solventogenesis window. Currently I am
constructing genetically stable strains of C. acetobutylicum, in which
spoIIE expression is abolished, and will test these strains to fully
characterize their high-solvent phenotype.
I am also
attempting to develop a gene-disruption system utilizing the Ltr.L1 intron
from Lactobacillus lactis, to allow targeted and potentially antibiotic-free
disruption of genes in C. acetobutylicum.
Relevant references
Scotcher, M. C. and Bennett G. N. (2005). SpoIIE regulates sporulation but
does not directly affect solventogenesis in Clostridium acetobutylicum
ATCC824. (in press, Journal of Bacteriology).
Scotcher, M. C., Rudolph, F. B. and Bennett G. N. (2004). The expression of
abrB310 and sinR, and the effects of decreased abrB310 expression on the
transition from acidogenesis to solventogenesis, in Clostridium
acetobutylicum ATCC824 (in press, Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
Scotcher, M. C., Huang, K. X., Harrison, M. L., Rudolph, F. B., and Bennett,
G. N. (2003). Sequences affecting the regulation of solvent production in
Clostridium acetobutylicum. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 30, 414-420.
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