Production of 1,3-Propanediol From Glycerol by Recombinant Bacteria Expressing Recombinant Diol Dehydratase

This invention relates to a process for the bioconversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol by recombinant bacteria harboring a foreign gene encoding a diol dehydratase.

1,3-Propanediol is a monomer having potential utility in the production of polyester fibers and the manufacture of polyurethanes and cyclic compounds.

A variety of chemical routes to 1,3-propanediol are known. For example, 1,3-propanediol may be prepared from ethylene oxide and a catalyst in the presence of phosphine, water, carbon monoxide, hydrogen and an acid; by the catalytic solution phase hydration of acrolein followed by reduction; or from hydrocarbons such as glycerol, reacted in the presence of carbon monoxide and hydrogen over periodic table group VIII catalysts. Although it is possible to generate 1,3-propanediol by these methods, they are expensive and generate waste streams containing environmental pollutants.

Biological routes to 1,3-propanediol are known which utilize feedstocks produced from renewable resources. For example, bacterial strains able to convert glycerol into 1,3-propanediol are found e.g., in the species Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Clostridium, and Lactobacillus. In these bacteria, glycerol can enter either an oxidative or reductive pathway. Oxidation of glycerol results in the conversion of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone (DHA) by glycerol dehydrogenase and the DHA is phosphorylated by an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) dependent kinase to yield dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) which enters the glycolytic pathway in the cell. Reduction of glycerol is accomplished by an initial isomerization and dehydration catalyzed by glycerol dehydrates to yield 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde which is further reduced by 1,3-propanediol:NAD.sup.+ oxidoreductase to yield 1,3-propanediol, a dead end cellular metabolite. The expression of at least the first two enzymes involved in the oxidative pathway as well as the two enzymes involved in the reductive pathway in K. pneumoniae are coordinately regulated. The four enzyme system is functionally linked where the production of 1,3-propanediol from glycerol is dependent on the presence of the reductants supplied by the DHA to DHAP pathway.

The genes responsible for the conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol have been isolated and are all encompassed by the dha regulon. In order to make use of the potential advantages of higher protein expression and growth rate of recombinant bacteria, several attempts have been made to express the dha regulon as heterologous genes in E. coli. For example, the dha regulon from Citrobacter (Daniel et al., FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 100, 281, (1992)) and Klebsiella (Tong et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 57, 3541, (1991); have been expressed in E. coli and have been shown to convert glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. The expression of the dha regulon in recombinant bacteria offers potential advantages over wild type production of 1,3-propanediol. The genes involved in the dha regulon provide both the enzymes and the necessary reductants needed for the efficient conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. However, simultaneous overexpression of both glycerol dehydrogenase and glycerol dehydrates results in some of the glycerol being converted to DHA. It would be advantageous to convert all the glycerol to 1,3-propanediol by expressing only the reductive pathway enzymes while providing a different substrate for the generation of reductant. A preferred system would provide for a more efficient use of the glycerol substrate while maintaining high yields of diol product.

It has long been known that a number of bacteria are capable of using 1,2-propanediol is a sole carbon source. It is thought that this ability is conferred by a specific vitamin B.sub.12 dependent diol dehydratase which is encoded by the pdu operon. The pdu operon is linked to the cob operon which encodes enzymes needed for the biosynthesis of vitamin B.sub.12 and both operons are subject to the regulation of the same activator protein encoded by the c pocR gene.

Recently the genes encoding the diol dehydratase of Klebsiella oxytoca were cloned and sequenced and the genes were expressed in E. coli. Although active diol dehydratase was observed in these transformants, there is no evidence that these clones are able to metabolize a carbon substrate to 1,3-propanediol.

Various Salmonella and Klebsiella sp. are known to produce a diol dehydratase which catalyzes the conversion of 1,2-propanediol, under anaerobic conditions, to propionaldehyde and eventually to 1-propanol and propionic acid. The diol dehydratase has also been identified in Clostridia, and Propionibacterium but not in E. coli. The diol dehydratase from Klebsiella sp. can convert glycerol to 1,3-propanediol (Forage et al., Bacteriol, 149, 413 (1981)).

Although the primary function of the pdu diol dehydratase is in the metabolism of 1,2-propanediol, applicants have discovered that the expression of K. pneumoniae diol dehydratase in E. coli will catalyze the conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. The recombinant bacteria expressing the dial dehydratase pathway converts glycerol to the desired 1,3-propanediol product and is not dependent on a linked system as with the glycerol dehydratase system. Applicants have discovered that transformation of recombinant bacteria with the pdu diol dehydratase genes from Klebsiella sp. affords a new, efficient and cost effective biological route to 1,3-propanediol.

The present invention comprises a cosmid comprising a DNA fragment of about 35 kb isolated from Klebsiella pneumoniae wherein said fragment encodes an active diol dehydrates enzyme having the restriction digest in FIG. 5, columns numbered 4.

The present invention further comprises a transformed microorganism comprising a host micro-organism and the above-described cosmid.

The present invention further comprises a gene encoding an active diol dehydratase enzyme having the DNA sequence as listed in SEQ ID NO.: 1 or a gene encoding an active alcohol dehydrogenase having the DNA sequence as listed in SEQ ID NO.: 2.

The present invention further comprises a transformed microorganism comprising a host micro-organism and either of the above-described genes.

The present invention further comprises the bioconversion of a carbon substrate by transforming a microbial host with genes capable of expressing a diol dehydratase and contacting said transformed host with said substrate.

The present invention further comprises the bioconversion of a carbon substrate by transforming a microbial host with genes derived from a cosmid comprising a fragment of about 35 kb isolated from Klebsiella pneumoniae wherein said genes encode an active diol dehydratase enzyme and any other functional bacterial protein encoded by said cosmid, and contacting said transformed host with said substrate.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the gene organization of pdu-cob region of K. pneumoniae. The DNA sequence was analyzed using the GCG-Wisconsin package and the open reading frames were compared to the S. typhimurium sequence using GAP. The percent identity and similarity are shown.

FIG. 2 is a comparison of the amino acid sequence encoded by the pduC gene of S. typhimurium (SEQ ID NO.: 3) with the amino acid sequence encoded by the pduC gene of K. pneumoniae (SEQ ID NO.: 4).

FIG. 3 is a comparison of amino acid sequence coded by pduC gene of K. pneumoniae (SEQ ID NO.: 5) with that of glycerol dehydratase from Citrobacter freundii (SEQ ID NO.: 6) showing percent similarity and percent identity.

FIG. 4 is a comparison of the amino acid sequence deduced from an open reading frame of the glycerol dehydratase gene from K. pneumoniae (SEQ ID NO.: 7) with the amino acid sequence encoded by the same gene from Citrobacter freundii (SEQ ID NO.: 8). The figure shows the percent similarity and percent identity between the two deduced amino acid sequences.

FIG. 5 depicts restriction digests (EcoR 1, BamH 1, EcoR V and Not1) of cosmids pKP1, pKP2 and pKP4, labeled as columns 1, 2 and 4 respectively, and separation on a 0.8% agarose gel electrophoresis. Molecular size markers were loaded on the lanes in the end. Columns labeled as number 4 represent the cosmid containing a diol dehydratase enzyme.

As used herein the following terms may be used for interpretation of the claims and specification.

The term "construct" refers to a plasmid, virus, autonomously replicating sequence, phage or nucleotide sequence, linear or circular, of a single- or double-stranded DNA or RNA, derived from any source, in which a number of nucleotide sequences have been joined or recombined into a unique construction which is capable of introducing a promoter fragment and DNA sequence for a selected gene product along with appropriate 3' untranslated sequence into a cell.

The term "transformation" or "transfection" refers to the acquisition of new genes in a cell after the incorporation of nucleic acid.

The term "expression" refers to the transcription and translation to gene product from a gene coding for the sequence of the gene product. In the expression, a DNA chain coding for the sequence of gene product is first transcribed to a complimentary RNA which is often a messenger RNA and, then, the thus transcribed messenger RNA is translated into the above-mentioned gene product if the gene product is a protein.

The term "plasmid" or "vector" or "cosmid" as used herein refers to an extra chromosomal element often carrying genes which are not part of the central metabolism of the cell, and usually in the form of circular double-stranded DNA molecules.

The term "carbon substrate" means any carbon source capable of being metabolized by a microorganism wherein the substrate contains at least one carbon atom.

The term "dehydratase enzyme" will refer to any enzyme that is capable of converting a glycerol molecule to the product 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde. For the purposes of the present invention the dehydratase enzymes are either a glycerol dehydratase or a diol dehydratase having preferred substrates of glycerol and 1,2-propanediol, respectively.

The term "1,3-propanediol" refers to a compound of the formula HOCH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 OH, useful as a monomer in the production of polymers for fiber manufacture.

The following strains were deposited under the terms of the Budapest Treaty with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (12301 Packlawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852, U.S.A.): ATCC 69789 corresponds to E. coli DH5.alpha. containing cosmid pKP1. ATCC 69790 refers to E. coli DH5.alpha. containing cosmid pKP4.

The present invention comprises a process for a biological production of 1,3-propanediol from glycerol using recombinant organisms. The process incorporates a transformed E. coli bacteria, transformed with a heterologous pdu diol dehydratase gene, having a specificity for 1,2-propanediol. The transformed E. coli is grown in the presence of glycerol as a carbon source and 1,3-propanediol is isolated from the growth media.

The process of the present invention provides a rapid, inexpensive and environmentally responsible source of 1,3-propanediol monomer useful in the production of polyesters and other polymers.

The invention provides a transformed host cell suitable for the expression of pdu diol dehydratase. Suitable host cells will generally be those that do not normally harbor a diol dehydratase gene. Preferred in the process of the present invention are E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis or Pichia pastoris. The diol dehydratase within the transformed host cell has been previously described by Toraya et al., J. BioI. Chem., 252, 963, (1977).

Isolation of Genes

The pdu diol dehydratase gene is obtained from any suitable source, but preferably from a bacteria known to be able to use 1,2-propanediol as a sole carbon source. Suitable bacteria known to harbor the pdu gene include but are not limited to Klebsiella sp., Clostridia sp., Salmonella sp., and Citrobacter sp.

Methods of obtaining desired genes from a bacterial genome are common and well known in the art of molecular biology. In the present invention virtually any method may be used to isolate the gene encoding the desired diol dehydratase. For example, if the sequence of the gene is known, suitable genomic libraries created by restriction endonuclease digestion may be screened with probes complementary to the desired gene sequence. Once the sequence is isolated, the DNA may be amplified using standard primer directed amplification methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202) to obtain amounts of DNA suitable for transformation using appropriate vectors.

Alternatively cosmid libraries may be created where large segments of genomic DNA (35-45 kb) may be packaged into vectors and used to transform appropriate hosts. Cosmid vectors are unique in being able to accommodate large quantities of DNA. Generally cosmid vectors have at least one copy of the cos DNA sequence which is needed for packaging and subsequent circularization of the foreign DNA. In addition to the cos sequence these vectors will also contain an origin of replication such as ColE1 and drug resistance markers such as a gene resistant to ampicillin or neomycin. A number of cosmid vectors are known in the art such as pJB8 (Ish-Horowicz et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 9, 2989 (1981)), containing an amp marker, ColE1 origin of replication and a singel cos site; and, c2RB (Bates et al., Gene, 26, 137, (1983)), containing 2 cos sites, both kanamycin and ampicillin resistance genes and the ColE1 origin of replication. Although any cosmid vector is suitable for use in the present invention the vector Supercos 1 provided by Stratagene (La Jolla, Calif.) is most preferred.

Typically, to clone cosmids, foreign DNA is isolated and ligated, using the appropriate restriction endonucleases, adjacent to the cos region of the cosmid vector. Cosmid vectors containing the linearized foreign DNA is then packaged in vitro in DNA packaging vehicle such as bacteriophage .lambda.. During the packaging process the cos sites are cleaved and the foreign DNA is packaged into the head portion of the bacterial viral particle. These particles are then used to transfect suitable host cells such as E. coli. Once injected into the cell, the foreign DNA circularizes under the influence of the cos sticky ends. In this manner, large segments of foreign DNA can be introduced and expressed in recombinant host cells.

Cosmid vectors and cosmid transformation methods were used within the context of the present invention to clone large segments of genomic DNA from bacterial genera known to possess genes capable of processing glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. Specifically, genomic DNA from K. pneumoniae and K. aerogenes was isolated by methods well known in the art and digested with the restriction enzyme Sau3A for insertion into a cosmid vector Supercos 1 and packaged using GigapackII.TM. packaging extracts. Following construction of the vector E. coli XL1-Blue MR cells were transformed with the cosmid DNA. Transformants were screened for the ability to convert glycerol to 1,3-propanediol by growing the cells in the presence of glycerol and analyzing the media for 1,3-propanediol formation.

The DNA sequences generated from cosmid transformations named pKP4 and pKP5 were compared to DNA sequences in the Genbank data base. Several independent clones showing homology to pdu region of S. typhimurium were identified, suggesting that these transformants carried DNA encoding 1,2 propanediol utilizing enzymes including a 1,2-diol dehydratase gene. In contrast, in transformants named pKP1 and pKP2, an open reading frame showed extensive homology to the glycerol dehydratase gene from C. freundii, suggesting that these transformants containing DNA encoding the glycerol dehydratase gene.

Cells

The present invention further comprises a transformed host cell capable of converting a carbon substrate to 1,3-propanediol. As disclosed above, host cells may be transformed with a single gene, encoding the diol dehydratase, a series of specific genes encoding the diol dehydratase and other enzymes known to facilitate the process of bioconversion or with an entire cosmid DNA fragment. Preferred for use in the present invention is DH5.alpha. E. coli. However, it is contemplated that other cells will be amenable to transformation with the instant genes and will include, but are not limited to, other microorganisms such as Bacillus sp., Klebsiella sp., Citrobacter sp., Clostridia sp. and Pichia sp.

Carbon Substrate

The present invention provides a carbon substrate which is converted to the desired 1,3-propanediol end product via the enzymatic machinery of the transformed host organism. Virtually any carbon substrate that will serve as a substrate for a dehydratase enzyme is suitable for the present invention where alcohols are of greatest use. Preferred carbon substrates will include, but are not limited to, glycerol, ethyleneglycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, and 2,3-butanediol, wherein glycerol is most preferred.

Purification and Isolation of 1,3-Propanediol

Methods for the purification of 1,3-propanediol from fermentation media are known in the art. For example propanediols can be obtained from cell media by subjecting the reaction mixture to extraction with an organic solvent, distillation and column chromatography (U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,812). A particularly good organic solvent for this process is cyclohexane (U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,473).

1,3-Propanediol may be identified directly by submitting the media to high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Preferred in the present invention is a method where fermentation media is analyzed on an analytical ion exclusion column using a mobile phase of 0.01N sulfuric acid in an isocratic fashion.

The following Examples are meant to illustrate the invention but are not intended to limit it in any way.

Restriction enzyme digestions, phosphorylations, ligations and transformations were done as described in Sambrook, J. et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1989). GeneClean (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.) was used to remove enzymes from restriction digests, as specified by the manufacturers. Restriction enzymes were obtained from New England Biolabs (Boston, Mass.) or Promega (Madison, Wis.) Growth media was obtained from GIBCO/BRL (Gaithersburg, Md.)

The meaning of abbreviations is as follows: "h" means hour(s), "min" means minute(s), "sec" means second(s), and "d" means day(s).

Media

Synthetic S12 medium was used in the screening of bacterial transformants for the ability to make 1,3-propanediol. S12 medium contains: ammonium sulfate, 10 mM; potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, 50 mM; MgCl.sub.2, 2 mM; CaCl.sub.2, 0.7 mM; MnCl.sub.2, 50 uM; FeCl.sub.3, 1 uM; ZnCl, 1 uM; CuSO.sub.4, 1.72 uM; CoCl.sub.2, 2.53 uM; Na.sub.2 MoO.sub.4, 2.42 uM; and thiamine hydrochloride, 2 uM.

Synthetic S15 medium was also used in the screening of bacterial transformants for the ability to make 1,3-propanediol. S15 medium contains: ammonium sulfate, 10 mM; potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, 1 mM; MOPS/KOH buffer, pH 7.0, 50 mM; MgCl.sub.2, 2 uM; CaCl.sub.2, 0.7 uM; MnCl.sub.2, 50 uM; FeCl.sub.3, 1 uM; ZnCl, 1 uM; CuSO.sub.4, 1.72 uM; CoCl.sub.2, 2.53 uM; Na.sub.2 MoO.sub.4, 2.42 uM; and thiamine hydrochloride, 2 uM.

Isolation and Identification 1,3-Propanediol

The conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol was monitored by HPLC. Analyses were performed using a Waters Maxima 820 HPLC system using UV (210 nm) and RI detection. Samples were injected onto a Shodex SH-1011 column (8 mm.times.300 mm, purchased from Waters, Milford, Mass.) equipped with a Shodex SH-1011P precolumn (6 mm.times.50 mm), temperature controlled at 50.degree. C., using 0.01N H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 as moble phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. When quantitative analysis was desired, samples were prepared with a known amount of trimethylacetic acid as external standard. Typically, the retention times of glycerol (RI detection), 1,3-propanediol (RI detection), and trimethylacetic acid (UV and RI detection) were 20.67 min, 26.08 min, and 35.03 min, respectively.

Production of 1,3-propanediol was confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with a Hewlett Packard 5890 Series II gas chromatograph coupled to a Hewlett Packard 5971 Series mass selective detector (EI) and a HP-INNOWax column (30 m length, 0.25 mm i.d., 0.25 micron film thickness). The retention time and mass spectrum of 1,3-propanediol generated from glycerol were compared to that of authentic 1,3-propanediol (m/e: 57, 58).

Cells

Host cells used for cosmid transformations were E. coli DH5.alpha. fully described in Jesse et al., Focus, 10, 69 (1988) and obtained from GIBCO/BRL.

Construction of K. pneumoniae and K. aerogenes cosmid libraries

K. pneumoniae (ATCC 25955) and K. aerogenes ((K. pneumoniae or Aerobacter aerogenes) ECL 2106) obtained from Dr. E. C. C. Lin, Harvard Medical School, Cambride, Mass., and described in Ruch, F. E. and Lin, E. C. C., Journal of Bacteriology, Vol. 124, p. 348 (October 1975), were grown in 100 ml LB medium for 8 h at 37.degree. C. with aeration. Bacteria (25 ml per tube) were centrifuged at 3,000 rpm for 15 min in a DuPont Sorvall GLC 2.B centrifuge at room temperature. The bacteria were pelleted and supernatant was decanted. The bacterial cell pellet was frozen at -20.degree. C. The chromosomal DNA was isolated as outlined below with special care taken to avoid shearing of DNA (i.e., vortexing was avoided). One tube of bacteria was resuspended in 2.5 ml of 50 mM Tris-10 mM EDTA and 500 ul of lysozyme (1 mg/ml) was added. The pellet was gently resuspended and the suspension was incubated at 37.degree. C. for 15 min. Sodium dodecyl sulfate was added to bring the final concentration to 0.5%. This resulted in the solution becoming clear. Proteinase K (50 ug/ml) was added and the suspension was incubated at 55.degree. C. for 2 h. The tube was removed and transferred to an ice bath and sodium chloride was added to yield a 0.4M final concentration. Two volumes of ethanol were added to the liquid. A glass tube was inserted to the interface and the DNA was gently spooled. DNA was dipped into a tube containing 70% ethanol. After drying in vacuo, the DNA was resuspended in 500 ul of water and the concentration of DNA was determined spectrophotometrically. A diluted aliquot of DNA was run on a 0.5% agarose gel to determine the intact nature of DNA.

The chromosomal DNA was partially digested with Sau3A as outlined by Sambrook et al., supra. DNA (2 ug) was digested with 2 units of Sau3A (Promega, Madison, Wis.) at room temperature in 200 ul of total volume. At 0, 5, 10 and 20 min, samples (50 ul) were removed and transferred to tubes containing 5 umol of EDTA. These tubes were incubated at 70.degree. C. for 10 min. An aliquot (2 ul) was withdrawn and analyzed on a 0.5% agarose gel electrophoresis to determine the level of digestion and the rest of the sample (48 ul) was stored at -20.degree. C. The gel was stained with ethidium bromide and visualized under UV to determine the partial digestion of the chromosomal DNA. A decrease in the size of the chromosomal DNA with increase in time was observed showing that the decrease in the size of the chromosomal DNA is due to the action of Sau3A. DNA was extracted from rest of the sample by standard protocol methods (Sambrook et al., supra).

A cosmid library of partially digested DNA from K. pneumoniae or K. aerogenes was prepared using Supercos cosmid vector kit and GigapackII.TM. packaging extracts using reagents purchased from Stratagene (La Jolla, Calif.). The instructions provided by the manufacturer were followed. The packaged K. pneumoniae contained 4.times.10.sup.4 to 1.0.times.10.sup.5 phage titer and the packaged K. aerogenes contained 1.2.times.10.sup.5 phage per mL as determined by transfecting E. coli XL1-Blue MR.

Cosmid DNA was isolated from 6 of the E. coli transformants and found to contain large insert of DNA (25 to 30 kb).

Example 1 demonstrated the screening of transformed E. coli cells with cosmid library DNA from K. pneumoniae for the presence of an enzyme that converted glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. Sequencing of two positive clones revealed that each contained a gene with a high degree of homology to the gene encoding glycerol dehydratase.

Six transformation plates containing approximately 1,000 colonies of E. coli XL1-Blue MR transfected with K. pneumoniae DNA were washed with 5 ml LB medium and centrifuged. The bacteria were pelleted and resuspended in 5 ml LB medium+glycerol. An aliquot (50 ul) was inoculated into a 15 ml tube containing S12 synthetic medium with 0.2% glycerol+400 ng per ml of vitamin B.sub.12 +0.001% yeast extract+50 ug/ml ampicillin (50 amp). The tube was filled with the medium to the top, wrapped with parafilm and incubated at 30.degree. C. A slight turbidity was observed after 48 h. Aliquots, analyzed for product distribution as described above at 78 h and 132 h, were positive for 1,3-propanediol, the later time points containing increased amounts of 1,3-propanediol.

The bacteria, testing positive for 1,3-propanediol production were plated onto a LB+50 amp, and serial dilutions were performed in order to isolate single colonies. Forty-eight single colonies were isolated and checked again for the production of 1,3-propanediol. Cosmid DNA was isolated from 6 independent clones and transformed into E. coli strain DH5.alpha.. The transformants were again checked for the production of 1,3-propanediol. Two transformants were characterized further and designated as DH5.alpha.-pKP1 and DH5.alpha.-pKP2.

DNA sequence analyses of DH5.alpha.-pKP1 and DH5.alpha.-pKP2 showed the presence of both glycerol dehydrogenase and glycerol dehydratase genes. Furthermore, the glycerol dehydratase gene of the transformed E. coli shared 96% similarity and 95% identity to the glycerol dehydratase gene from Citrobacter freundii (FIG. 4). Thus, pKP 1 and 2 appeared to contain the dha regulon genes from K. pneumoniae.

Example 2 demonstrated the screening of E. coli cells, transformed with cosmid library DNA from K. pneumoniae, for the presence of an active enzyme that enabled the conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. Sequencing of the positive clones revealed that each contained a gene with a high degree of homology to the gene encoding 1,2-propanediol dehydratase, encoded by the pdu operon.

Single colonies of E. coli XL1-Blue MR transfected with packaged cosmid DNA from K. pneumoniae were inoculated into microtiter wells containing 200 ul of S15 medium+0.2% glycerol+400 ng/ml of vitamin B.sub.12 +0.001% yeast extract+50 ug/ml ampicillin (50 amp). In addition to the microtiter wells, a master plate containing LB+50 amp was also inoculated. After 96 h, 100 ul was withdrawn and centrifuged in a Rainin microfuge tube containing a 0.2 micron nylon membrane filter. Bacteria were retained and the filtrate was processed for HPLC. analysis. Positive clones demonstrating 1,3-propanediol production were identified after screening approximately 240 colonies. Three positive clones were identified, two of which had grown on LB+50 amp and one of which had not. Single colonies were isolated from the two positive clones grown on LB+50 amp and verified for the production of 1,3-propanediol and designated as pKP4 and pKP5. Cosmid DNA was isolated from E. coli strains containing pKP4 and pKP5 and E. coli strain DH5.alpha. was transformed. Six independent transformants were verified for the production of 1,3-propanediol. E. coli strain DH5.alpha. containing pKP4 or pKP5 was able to convert glycerol to 1,3-propanediol as described below.

Production of 1,3-Propanediol with E. coli Strains DH5.alpha.-pKP4 and DH5.alpha.-pKP5

A 2 mL screw capped cyrogenic vial, filled to capacity with media, was inoculated with E. coli strain DH5.alpha. containing pKP4 or pKP5 and incubated at 30.degree. C. The media was composed of S12 medium supplemented with 0.01% yeast extract, 0.008% casamino acids, 50 ug/mL ampicillin, 10 ug/mL kanamycin, 0.4 ug/mL vitamin B.sub.12, and either 0.2% glycerol or 0.1% glycerol plus 0.1% D-glucose. Inoculation was performed directly from an agar plate culture (LB supplemented with 50 ug/mL ampicillin). After 66 hr, growth was determined by the absorbance at 600 nm (OD.sub.600) and the extent of reaction and product distribution determined by HPLC. The results are presented in Table 1 and Table 2: the sample is identified by the transformant with a suffix notation indicating independent transformants, Gly is glycerol, Glu is D-glucose, Con. is conversion, Sel. is selectivity, Yld is yield, and NA is not applicable. Conversion, selectivity and yield were based on glycerol consumption.

DNA sequence analysis of pKP4 and pKP5

The size of insert DNA in the case of both pKP4 and pKP5 varied from 25 to 30 Kb. Both clones had certain fragments that were common and certain fragments were different. A 22 kb EcoR1 fragment from pKP4 was eluted from an agarose gel using GeneClean and later digested with BamHI or EcoRV and the various fragments were subcloned into plasmid pIBI31 digested with EcoR1 or BamH1 or HinCII. Clones containing inserts were identified and DNA sequence was generated.

The DNA sequence that was generated showed homology to the cob and pocR and pdu genes of S. typhimurium. It is well known that the pdu operon in S. typhimurium codes for genes that are needed for 1,2-propanediol utilization. (Bobik et al., J. Bacteriol, 174, 2253 (1992)). Similarly, it is known that the cob operon encodes genes that are needed for vitamin B.sub.12 synthesis. Within the pdu operon it is further recognized that the pduC gene encodes for diol dehydratase production.

The region of K. pneumoniae coding for the pdu operon genes is shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the gene organization of pdu-cob region of K. pneumoniae. Comparisons were made between this pdu-cob region and the same regions of the gene belonging to S. typhimurium using algorithms provided by Sequence Analysis Software of the University of Wisconsin (Genetics Computer Group, (1991), Version 7, April 1991, 575 Science Drive, Madison, Wis., U.S.A. 53711). A table giving the percent identity and similarity as calculated by the GAP program of the Genetics Computer Group are shown below.

As can be seen by this comparison, and in FIG. 2, the pduC. open reading frame showed extensive homology (98.31%) to the pduC. gene of S. typhimurium. pduC was linked to pduF and showed homology to the gene encoding glycerol dehydratase from Citrobacter freundii (FIG. 3).

FIG. 3 is a comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence encoded by the pduC gene from K. pneumoniae (SEQ ID NO.: 5) vs. the amino acid sequence encoded by the glycerol dehydratase gene of C. freundii (SEQ ID NO.: 6). These comparisons showed that the percent similarity was only 84% and the identity only 70%. Thus, the pduC gene encoding for diol dehydratase was a clearly different enzyme and is being used to convert glycerol to 1,3-propanediol in these transformed E. coli strains. The sequence of the gene encoding this diol dehydratase enzyme is given in SEQ ID NO.: 1.

Additionally, another open reading frame has been identified on the pdu gene which showed a high degree of homology with the regions encoding alcohol dehydrogenases. For example, deduced amino acid comparisons showed that this open reading frame had 43% homology with E. coli alcohol dehydrogenase and a 54% homology with the oxidoreductase of C. freundii. This open reading frame had been sequenced and is identified as SEQ ID NO.: 2.

Screening E. coli strains, transformed with a cosmid library DNA from K. aerogenes and containing the glycerol dehydratase enzyme that produce 1,3-propanediol

Example 3 demonstrated the screening of transformed E. coli cells with cosmid library DNA from K. aerogenes for the presence of an active enzyme that converted glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. Sequencing of the positive clones revealed that each contained a gene with a high degree of homology to the gene encoding 1,2-propanediol dehydratase, endcoded by the pdu operon.

Single colonies of E. coli XL1-Blue MR transfected with DNA from K. aerogenes were inoculated into microtiter wells containing 200 ul of S15 medium+0.2% glycerol+400 ng per ml of vitamin B.sub.12 +0.001% yeast extract+50 ug/ml ampicillin (50 amp).

Culture supernatant was analyzed for the presence of 1,3-propanediol after 96 h. Two colonies were positive from 2 microtiter plates but after 1 week at room temperature the bacteria were not viable. A third mirotiter plate was inoculated and a master plate containing LB+50 amp was also inoculated. One positive clone labelled KAE3E10 was identified. The masterplate containing KAE3E10 used to replate the positive clone and cosmid DNA was isolated. DH5.alpha. cells were transformed with KAE3E10 DNA and transformants were screened for the conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. KAE3E10 was renamed pKA3 and contained an insert of approximately 40 kb. The DNA sequence of pKA3 showed a region that was homologous to cob and pocR and pdu operon of S. typhimurium.

Thus, it appeared that pKA3 also coded for a 1,2-propanediol utilizing operon. Diol dehydratase was presumably responsible for the conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol.