Production of hydroxyectoine from biogas by an engineered strain of Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum using a novel Taylor‐flow bioreactor

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AbstractBACKGROUNDThe production of compatible solutes, such as ectoine and hydroxyectoine, is of great interest due to their industrial and biotechnological applications. Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum was genetically engineered to replace a native gene with a heterologous one, aiming to enhance ectoine production. This study focuses on the optimization of bioreactor conditions to maximize the microbial production of these metabolites from methane.RESULTSThe engineered strain (M. alcaliphilum PstEctD) was cultured in a Taylor flow bioreactor under varying gas recirculation flow rates. Increased flow rates enhanced methane consumption, biomass concentration, and ectoine production. The highest production of ectoine (32 mg/g‐VSS) and hydroxyectoine (272 mg/g‐VSS) was observed at a flow rate of 0.7 L min−1, while methane removal efficiency improved from 30% to over 60% as flow rates increased.CONCLUSIONSOptimizing bioreactor conditions, particularly gas recirculation flow rates, significantly improved both the efficiency of methane consumption and the production of ectoine derivatives. This work provides a scalable approach for the sustainable production of compatible solutes from methane, offering potential applications in biotechnological processes utilizing renewable carbon sources. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).