Comparative Metabolomics of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC824 and its Engineered Strain, C. acetobutylicum DG1

Clostridium acetobutylicum, a strict gram-positive anaerobe, plays a pivotal role in biotechnological applications, particularly in the biosynthesis of 1,3-propanediol, a critical biofuel component and monomer for bioplastic production. This study introduces C. acetobutylicum DG1, a metabolically engineered strain designed to enhance the 1,3-propanediol pathway. Despite its development, comprehensive metabolic comparisons between the parent and modified strains remain unexplored. Our research addresses this gap by employing gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry to delineate the global metabolite landscapes of both strains. Through multivariate statistical analysis such as principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis, we discovered pronounced disparities in their metabolite profiles across the acidogenic and solventogenic phases. Detailed metabolomics investigations underscored significant divergences in amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. These findings shed light on the metabolic alterations induced by genetic engineering in C. acetobutylicum, offering novel insights into microbial metabolism that could guide future biotechnological innovations.