The Need: In today's industrial landscape, the demand for sustainable and cost-effective bio-based chemicals continues to rise. Propionic acid, a valuable building block in various industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and plastics, is no exception. However, conventional production methods suffer from suboptimal yields and excessive acetate byproducts, hindering commercial viability. To address this pressing commercial need, we introduce the groundbreaking technology of utilizing Propionibacterium acidipropionici with inactivated ack gene to significantly enhance propionic acid production while reducing undesirable byproducts.

The Technology: The technology harnesses the capabilities of Propionibacterium acidipropionici, which produces propionic acid from glucose while generating acetic acid, succinic acid, and CO2 as byproducts. By carefully targeting and inactivating the ack gene, responsible for acetate kinase (AK) production, the technology achieves a remarkable reduction in acetate formation during propionic acid fermentation. The engineered P. acidipropionici strains exhibit enhanced propionic acid yields, making it a game-changing solution for sustainable chemical production.

Commercial Applications: The technology's versatility opens up a plethora of commercial applications across diverse industries. Some of the key applications include:

• Food Industry: The enhanced propionic acid production can be leveraged to create food preservatives, ensuring food safety and prolonging shelf life without the need for harmful synthetic additives.

• Pharmaceuticals: Propionic acid is a crucial intermediate for various pharmaceutical compounds, making the technology instrumental in cost-efficient drug synthesis.

• Plastics and Polymers: With its bio-based and eco-friendly nature, the technology can be utilized to develop sustainable plasticizers and resins, meeting the growing demand for green alternatives in the plastics industry.

Benefits/Advantages: The technology's exceptional features promise numerous benefits and advantages, revolutionizing the landscape of propionic acid production:

• Enhanced Yield: The technology significantly increases the propionate yield by approximately 13%, maximizing the output of the target compound with minimal resources.

• Reduced Acetate Formation: By reducing acetate production by up to 43%, the engineered strains ensure higher purity and quality of the propionic acid product.

• Sustainability: The process relies on renewable glucose as the feedstock, promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible chemical production.

• Cost-Efficiency: The optimized production process minimizes wasteful byproducts, leading to a cost-effective and streamlined manufacturing process.

• Broad Industrial Applicability: The technology's versatility allows its integration into various industries, enabling wide-ranging applications of propionic acid.

Embrace the future of propionic acid production with Propionibacterium acidipropionici technology. Unlock the full potential of sustainable, high-yield bio-based chemical production for a greener and more prosperous tomorrow.