Regulation of metabolic flux in Lactobacillus casei for lactic acid production by overexpressed ldhL gene with two-stage oxygen supply strategy

Abstract

This study describes a novel strategy to regulate the metabolic flux for lactic acid production in Lactobacillus casei. The ldhL gene encoding L-lactate dehydrogenase (L-LDH) was overexpressed in L. casei, and a two-stage oxygen supply strategy (TOS) that maintained a medium oxygen supply level during the early fermentation phase, and a low oxygen supply level in the later phase was carried out. As a consequence, a maximum L-LDH activity of 95.6 U/ml was obtained in the recombinant strain, which was over 4-fold higher than that of the initial strain. Under the TOS for L. casei (pMG-ldhL), the maximum lactic acid concentration of 159.6 g/l was obtained in 36 h, corresponding to a 62.8% increase. The results presented here provide a novel way to regulate the metabolic flux of L. casei for lactic acid production in different fermentation stages, which is available to enhance organic acid production in other strains.