The objectives of the proposed research are to produce new knowledge on the molecular genetics and enzymology of anaerobic butryic-acid clostridia that will allow beneficial genetic alterations of cell metabolism (metabolic engineering) for a variety of applications. Butryic-acid clostridia have an excellent potential for industrial applications to produce commodity and specialty chemicals. The current knowledge base on the molecular genetics, cell regulation and metabolic engineering of clostridia cells is very narrow, but expanding as a result of current efforts by the Principal Investigators of this proposal. Proposed studies include construction of a variety of cells with altered enzymatic pathways and testing of these cells in batch, continuous and cell-recycle bioreactors to study the stability of these cells and the effectiveness of the recombinant enzymes in product formation.
