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Energizing microbes with redox mediators for new bioproductions

Project description

Redox mediators in bioproductions

Currently, a broad bioproduct portfolio in many bioprocesses can only be achieved when microorganisms have access to oxygen as an electron acceptor. However, for many target substances, oxygen is harmful to the operation of the bioprocess and for product stability. The central goal of the EU-funded e-MICROBe project is to couple microbial metabolism and electrochemistry via a self-secreted soluble electron mediator to achieve efficient oxygen-independent energy metabolism and directly control metabolism and product formation. The project will evaluate an all-in-one strategy, where one cell is generating the mediators and the targeted product, and the alternative approach of a co-culture system, where one cell produces the mediators and a partner cell utilises them for electro-respiration and product formation.

Objective

In many bioprocesses a broad bioproduct portfolio can currently only be obtained when microorganisms can access oxygen as an electron acceptor. For numerous target substances, however, oxygen is detrimental to product stability and the bioprocess operation. The central aim of e-MICROBe is to innately couple microbial metabolism and electrochemistry via a self-secreted soluble electron mediator to achieve efficient oxygen independent energy metabolism and to directly steer and control metabolism and product formation. This will require creating entirely new physiological traits for production and utilization of redox mediators to generate cellular energy. Thereby, mediators can either act as electron discharge shuttle to enable electro-respiration at an anode or they are employed as inorganic energy donor to deliver electrons from a cathode into the metabolism. We will clarify the underlying reaction pathways in known environmental microorganisms and re-engineer the energy metabolism of common biotech hosts. Thereby, we will switch cellular energy generation from aerobic respiration to anaerobic anodic electro-respiration or from hydrogen consumption as autotrophic electron donor to cathodic electron consumption. The latter process will provide a mechanism to store electrical energy in microbial products. For a new level of in situ insight into microbial energy metabolism, a novel micro-scale bioelectrochemical reactor coupled to microscopic observation and high performance analysis will be developed. With this technique two fundamental concepts for future mediator-based bioprocesses will be evaluated: An all-in-one strategy where one cell is generating the mediators and the targeted product as well as a co-culture system, whereby one cell produces the mediators and a partner cell utilizes them for electro-respiration and product formation. This concept will lay the foundation for a plug-and-play exchange of biotech strains in a mediator-producing co-culture system.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2019-COG

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Host institution

LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUR NATURSTOFF-FORSCHUNG UND INFEKTIONSBIOLOGIE EV HANS-KNOLL-INSTITUT
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 999 991,00
Address
BEUTENBERG STRASSE 11A
07745 Jena
Germany

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Region
Thüringen Thüringen Jena, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 999 991,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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