Development of Pseudomonas asiatica as a host for the production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid from glycerol

[Display omitted] •New Pseudomonas asiatica C1 naturally producing coenzyme B12 was isolated.•P. asiatica C1 was genetically modified for efficient 3-HP production from glycerol.•700 mM of 3-HP was produced without much byproduct in fed-batch bioreactor exp.•P. asiatica C1 was demonstrated as promising host for 3-HP production from glycerol. Pseudomonas asiatica C1, which could grow on glucose and aerobically synthesize coenzyme B12, was isolated and developed as a microbial cell factory for the production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) from glycerol. Three heterologous enzymes, glycerol dehydratase (GDHt), GDHt reactivase (GdrAB) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), constituting the 3-HP synthesis pathway, were introduced, and three putative dehydrogenases, responsible for 3-HP degradation, were disrupted. In addition, the transcriptional repressor glpR and the glycerol kinase glpK were removed to increase glycerol import while eliminating the catabolic use of glycerol. Furthermore, the global regulatory protein encoded by crc and several putative oxidoreductases (PDORs) were disrupted. One resulting strain, when grown on glucose, could produce 3-HP at ~ 700 mM in 48 h in a fed-batch bioreactor experiment, with the molar yield > 0.99 on glycerol without much by-products. This study demonstrates that P. asiatica C1 is a promising host for production of 3-HP from glycerol.