Metabolic Engineering, Optimization and Control of Ethanol Production in Escherichia coli

这个项目的目标是研究一种基于控制论模型的代谢工程方法。这一方法将解决代谢工程目标可能被整个途径中的调节现象所折衷的各种方式，并提供基因变化的最佳设计。控制论模型的建立基于野生型细胞和由此产生的选定遗传菌株的实验数据，被视为捕捉到整个途径的调控特征。这样的模型构成了研究该途径中所有可能的基因变化的后果的基础。此外，所得到的模型适用于基于模型的生物反应器的最优控制，以最大化产物的形成。模型系统是一株产乙醇的大肠杆菌菌株。这个合作的Goali项目涉及普渡大学、特拉华大学和杜邦化学公司。

The objective of this project is to investigate a cybernetic model-based approach to metabolic engineering. This approach would address various ways in which the metabolic engineering goal may be compromised by regulatory phenomena in the overall pathway and to provide for the optimal design of genetic changes. The formulation of the cybernetic model, based on experimental data with both wild type cells and selected genetic strains derived therefrom, is viewed to capture the regulatory features in the entire pathway. Such a model forms the basis of examining the consequences of all possible genetic changes in the pathway. Also, the resulting model is suited for model-based optimal control of the bioreactor for maximizing product formation. The model system is an E. coli strain that produces ethanol. This collaborative GOALI project involves Purdue University, the University of Delaware, and the DuPont Chemical Company.