Production of Succinic Acid Using Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase in Escherichia coli

Abstract

Succinic acid has been of interest with its various uses as a precursor for industrially useful chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biopolymers. Native succinic acid producers including Mannheimia succiniciproducens were found to produce phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase as a main catalyst for the carboxylation of PEP yielding oxaloacetate, a key intermediate for succinic acid1. Hence, we employed the PEP carboxykinase from M. succiniciproducens to a metabolically engineered E. coli strain which generated succinic acid with a high yield by increasing PEP pool under the anaerobic condition. In addition to the introduction of the enzyme, we also constructed the genetic environment to amplify the effect of PEP carboxykinase. Consequently, we observed the advantages of using PEP carboxykinase originated from M. succiniciproducens in a non-natural succinic acid producer and developed enhanced succinic acid producing E. coli strain in the aspect of both productivity and yield while reducing byproducts.