Bioconversion of glycerol to 1;3-propanediol

Researchers at Isabel Vasconcelos of the Catholic University of Portugal used genes from a natural microbial producer of 1,3-propane diol that could not grow using glycerol as a sole carbon source to genetically engineer another organism so that it can produce the compound from glycerol. By introducing the NADH-consuming 1,3-propanediol pathway from the strain into another organism, C. acetobutylicum DG1, the group achieved production of 1,3-propane diol from glycerol. In examining the reasons for this result, the group found that the pathways for glycerol oxidation in the two organisms was quite different. Among other things, the C. butyricum uses a glycerol dehydrogenase and a dihydroxyacetone kinase, while C. acetobutylicum uses a glycerol kinase and a glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.