Development of Microbioreactor Technology for Obligate Anaerobes

The 2005 DOE Research Roadmap for biofuels concluded that ¿efficient conversion of biomass to liquid fuels will require new and innovative approaches for controlling cultivation and simultaneously monitoring cell physiological states and metabolic processes under a range of conditions.¿ In support of this requirement, this project will customize a bench-top bioreactor system that will allow high-throughput cultivation of obligate anaerobes under a range of controlled conditions. In this approach, integrated, on-line sensors will enable detailed monitoring of culture conditions (including pH and trace oxygen), and of cell concentration and activity, without the risk of introducing oxygen. Phase I developed and tested five generations of bioreactor devices to overcome problems inherent in anaerobic culture. Three different obligate anaerobies ¿ Clostridum, Bifido, and Ruminococcus ¿ were grown in parallel bioreactor devices, and the development of a sixth-generation device was begun to further improve performance. Phase II will develop prototype systems for beta testing with industrial partners. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The micorbioreactor technology should be useful for culturing and screening anaerobes and extremophiles from diverse sources with regard to beneficial properties (e.g., the production of industrially or medically relevant compounds and enzymes). The technology also should enable the screening of libraries of mutagenized/modified anaerobes to identify those that produce enzymes with improved activities. Furthermore, because of its parallel format, the microbioreactors should enable rapid optimization of culture conditions for the purposes of commercially manufacturing anaerobe-derived enzymes and chemicals