基于微生物集群效应的EPS催化体系构建的原理与应用

Poor tolerance, low productivity, and short life cycle of cells are the major problems encountered during current fermentation processes. Here, for the first time, we present the microbial aggression-based EPS-Catalytic systems to address these problems. This project conducts research on the molecular basis and regulation of EPS biosynthesis, the functional mechanisms underlying the EPS systems, and the methods for construction of the microbial aggregation-based EPS-catalytic systems. Phenomena and laws of self-proliferation, self-repair, and anti-aging behavior of EPS cells will be uncovered, and the causes and control strategies for these behavior will be presented at molecular and metabolic levels. Also, the basis and the effects of the microbial aggregation on the catalytic systems will be investigated. This study can provide novel methods as well as valuable scientific basis for the construction and application of the microbial aggregation-based EPS-Catalytic systems, and will considerably improve the productivity and yield of fermentation processes, which is of great significance to make the manufacturing processes of a variety of industrial products more efficient and cleaner, and thus more economically favorable and environmentally sustainable.

针对目前发酵过程中细胞耐受性差、生物催化剂使用寿命短、时空效率低等问题，首次提出了基于微生物集群效应的EPS催化体系。开展微生物细胞EPS合成的分子基础与功能机制的研究以及EPS形成的调控策略与基于微生物集群效应的EPS高效催化体系构建的研究。揭示EPS体系中自增殖、自修复、抗衰老的现象与规律，并在分子和代谢层面描述其成因机制和调控方法，探索EPS体系中细胞的集群效应及其对生物催化体系的影响，为基于微生物集群效应的EPS生物催化体系的构建提供全新的理论依据和实现方法，大幅度提高生物制造过程的时空效率与转化率。对推动大量工业产品的高效、清洁生物制造走向经济和环境可持续发展的道路具有十分重要的意义。

针对目前发酵过程中因细胞耐受性差、生命周期短、难以连续化进行而导致的生产效率低和原子经济性差的问题，开展工业环境下微生物细胞EPS合成过程的机制解析与EPS催化体系构建的研究。阐明了酵母、丁醇梭菌等微生物EPS形成机制以及EPS合成过程的分子基础，建立了介质设计优化以及工业环境下EPS合成过程的调控方法，为基于微生物集群效应的EPS生物催化体系的构建与应用提供理论依据和实现方法。在燃料乙醇、柠檬酸、核酸酶等生物燃料、生物基化学品、酶制剂等多个领域，实现了产品的示范生产或产业化，显著提高了生产效率和经济性，对推动大量产品的生物制造从间歇式走向连续化、高效化和绿色化具有重要意义。发表SCI论文63篇，获授权发明专利32项，其中授权国际发明专利7项。项目负责人应汉杰获得2019年赵永镐科技创新奖1项。课题骨干陈勇教授获2020年安徽省科学技术二等奖1项（排名第三）。