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Virginia Tech

Overproduction of xylose isomerase in recombinant Escherichia coli

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Aspects of recombinant enzyme production were characterized in genetically engineered Escherichia coli. Five strains transformed with the xylose isomerase overproduction system (pRK248/pTXI-1) were compared, based on parameters of cell metabolism and inducible enzyme activity in shake flask cultures. E. coli strain LE392 (pRK248/pTXI-l) performed the best with respect to nearly all of the parameters tested. The stability of the overproducing plasmids was tested in prolonged serial shake flask cultures. Segregational instability occurred in cultures lacking antibiotic selective pressure. The onset of this instability was influenced by host strain, plasmid construct and cultivation media. Despite its occurrence, the degree of plasmid instability, even in the worst case, would not be detrimental in the proposed application of this overproduction system. The cell mass and enzyme production of strain LE392 (pRK248/pTXI-1) was characterized in four batch cultures. It was determined that both carbon source starvation and the accumulation of acetate as a byproduct of glucose metabolism diminished the E. coli's ability to produce xylose isomerase. The peak enzyme production was determined to be 1320 International Units (IU) of xylose isomerase activity per liter of culture. The cell mass and enzyme production of strain LE392 (pRK248/pTXI-l) was studied in fed-batch cultures. The amount of xylose isomerase the cells produced was dependent on the degree of glucose limitation they experienced during cultivation. The peak enzyme production was 3250 IU/L. The results of these experiments were interpreted in the context of this overproduction system and its proposed application for the production of ethanol from plant biomass.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Biochemistry
Department dc:contributor.department
Biochemistry
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1996

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Spencer, C. Thomas
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Potts, Malcolm
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Claus, George William
  • Larson, Timothy J.
  • Gregory, Eugene M.
  • Rivard, Christopher J.

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-05112006-154826
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/27651

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Spencer, C. Thomas. Overproduction of xylose isomerase in recombinant Escherichia coli. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27651