Impact of scale-up stimuli on cellular regulation and population heterogeneity for Corynebacterium glutamicum: Example CO2/HCO3

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Ralf Takors
• Subject Area: Biological Process Engineering
• Term: from 2011 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 195460387

The previous study TA241/5-1 suceeded to develop and implement a novel cascade technology for investigating transcriptional dynamics caused by scale-up induced pCO2 gradients. Basic mechanisms of transcriptional regulation were unravelled including underlying dynamics.Results of TA241/5-1 were published in 4 international, peer reviewed journals. 1 submission is under review.This project carries on with the topics of TA241/5-1 by (i) addressing CO2/HCO3 induced regulatory response of DtxR (diphteria toxin regulator) linked to the activation of thiamine biosynthesis and (ii) by studying stress induced population heterogenity. The later will be investigated with respect to CO2/HCO3 imposed stress making use of a previously identified cell cycle modelling approach. It is planned to link population balance models with cell cycle to model population heterogenetities (e.g. occuring in fed-batch processes) as a consequence of (dynamically) imposed stress. Noteworthy, the data-driven modelling approach should be transferrable to different stress types and microbes thus giving the study a fundamental importance.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Bastian Blombach