Improved production of 2,3‐butanediol and isobutanol by engineering electron transport chain in Escherichia coli

In this study, we attempted to reduce the electron transport chain (ETC) activity by making multiple mutants to secure availability of NADH, and then heterologous pathways for synthesis of 2,3‐butanediol and isobutanol were introduced. ETC mutants produced higher levels of metabolites with higher NADH/NAD+ ratio. The results proved that engineering of ETC is a useful metabolic engineering approach for production of reduced metabolites. Summary The electron transport chain (ETC) is one of the major energy generation pathways in microorganisms under aerobic condition. Higher yield of ATP can be achieved through oxidative phosphorylation with consumption of NADH than with substrate level phosphorylation. However, most value‐added metabolites are in an electrochemically reduced state, which requires reducing equivalent NADH as a cofactor. Therefore, optimal production of value‐added metabolites should be balanced with ETC in terms of energy production. In this study, we attempted to reduce the activity of ETC to secure availability of NADH. The ETC mutants exhibited poor growth rate and production of fermentative metabolites compared to parental strain. Introduction of heterologous pathways for synthesis of 2,3‐butanediol and isobutanol to ETC mutants resulted in increased titres and yields of the metabolites. ETC mutants yielded higher NADH/NAD+ ratio but similar ATP content than that by the parental strain. Furthermore, ETC mutants operated fermentative metabolism pathways independent of oxygen supply in large‐scale fermenter, resulting in increased yield and titre of 2,3‐butanediol. Thus, engineering of ETC is a useful metabolic engineering approach for production of reduced metabolites.