Changes in membrane fatty acid composition through proton-induced fabF mutation enhancing 1-butanol tolerance in E-coli

While a rational approach based on genomic data has become the preferred method for microbial strain development, radiation-induced random mutagenesis is still a robust method for organisms such as plants whose genome or target gene information is unavailable. We previously reported on a combined approach that consists of proton irradiation and a long-term experimental evolution to enhance 1-butanol tolerance of the E. coli C strain so that it can be used as a basal strain for the production of 1-butanol, a potential biofuel along with ethanol. Genome sequencing of one randomly chosen clone (PKH5000) from the endpoint population revealed eleven mutations occurring in the coding regions, and we found that a mutation (F74C) in fabF gene encoding beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthases II is associated with a twofold increase in the major unsaturated fatty acid, cis-vaccenic acid. The increase of cis-vaccenic acid by wild-type FabF, which is more active at low temperatures or in the presence of organic compounds, is considered to be a protective mechanism against cold stress. A structural analysis of the FabF protein suggests that the F74C mutation may affect the enzyme activity through a change in flexibility around the catalytic site. The expression of a plasmid that harbors mutant fabF gene in the fabF knockout strain enhanced growth in a medium containing butanol with a concomitant elevation of the cis-vaccenic acid level. Among the eight available Keio knockout strains for genes that have amino acid substitution in the PKH5000 strain, the fabF mutant showed the slowest growth in the presence of 0.7% butanol. We propose that fabF, as probably the gene most responsible for butanol tolerance in wild-type form, contributes further when converted into a F74C missense mutation, which is beneficial as it increases the level of cis-vaccenic acid.