Líffræðifélag Íslands
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2015

Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster V93

Biotechnological Potential of Clostridium AK1 – A Novel, Moderately Thermophilic Anaerobe

Eva Maria Ingvadottir (1), Sean Michael Scully(1), Johann Orlygsson(1)

1. University of Akureyri

Kynnir / Presenter: Eva Maria Ingvadottir

Tengiliður / Corresponding author: Johann Orlygsson (jorlygs@unak.is)

Clostridium strain AK1 was isolated from Grensdalur(SW Iceland) and represents a novel species (92.3% similarity with Ruminococcus champenellensis) within Cluster IV of Class Clostridium and likely represents a novel genus. Unlike its most closely related phylogenetic neighbor, AK1 is moderately thermophilic. AK1 is strictly anaerobic, highly saccharolytic, and ethanologenic. It is capable of fermenting a broad range of hexoses, pentoses, disaccharides, starch, and pectin. The fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates has demonstrated that the strain is capable of producing more than 7 mM of ethanol per gram of dry biomass. AK1 also produces (S)-1,2-propanediol from L-rhamnose. The aim of present investigation is to explore the effect of various culture conditions such as pH, liquid-gas-phase ratio, phosphate concentration, and substrate loading on the ability of AK1 to ferment lignocellulosic and macro algae hydrolysates for the production of bioethanol and 1,2-propanediol. The progress of this work as well as future directions will be presented.