Heterologous expression of a bacterial haemoglobin improves the growth properties of recombinant Escherichia coli

Abstract

Rational design of novel as well as improved cellular biocatalysts by genetic manipulation of cellular metabolism has recently attracted considerable interest. A wide range of bacteria have been genetically modified by integrating new enzymatic functions into their metabolic network^1–7. A central problem in the aerobic growth of any cell culture is the maintenance of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations above growth-limiting levels especially in high cell-density fermentations which are usually of a fed-batch type. The optimal rate of nutrient addition (and consequently the productivity) is ultimately limited by the rate at which cells can aerobically catabolize the carbon source without generating growth-inhibitory metabolites such as lactate and acetate^8,9. All approaches thus far have concentrated on improving the oxygen mass transfer rates by manipulating various environmental parameters. We¹⁰ have isolated the gene for a haemoglobin-like molecule, expressed by the aerobic bacterium Vitreoscilla in poorly-oxygenated environments^11,12, and expressed it in Escherichia coli. The recombinant cells contain enhanced haem as well as active haemoglobin, and they grow faster and to considerably greater cell densities than comparable plasmid-containing cells which do not express haemoglobin. This haemoglobin increases the rate of oxygen use, especially when dissolved oxygen is less than 5% of air saturation.