Strengthening the TCA cycle to alleviate metabolic stress due to blocking by-products synthesis pathway in Klebsiella pneumoniae

1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) is an important synthetic monomer for the production of polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). Here, we engineered Klebsiella pneumoniae by a multi-strategy to improve 1,3-PDO production and reduce by-products synthesis. First, the 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) synthesis pathway was blocked by deleting the budB gene, resulting in a 74% decrease of 2,3-BDO titer. The synthesis of lactate was decreased by 79% via deleting the ldhA gene, leading to a 10% increase of 1,3-PDO titer. Further, reducing ethanol synthesis by deleting the aldA gene led to a 64% decrease of ethanol titer, and the 1,3-PDO titer and yield on glycerol increased by 12 and 10%, respectively. Strengthening the TCA cycle by overexpressing the mdh gene improved 1,3-PDO synthesis effectively. Under 5-L fed-batch fermentation conditions, compared to wild type strain, the production of 2,3-BDO, lactate and ethanol in the mutant strain decreased by 73, 65 and 50%, respectively. Finally, the production of 1,3-PDO was 73.5 g/L with a molar yield of 0.67 mol/mol glycerol, improved 16% and 20%, respectively. This work provides a combined strategy for improving 1,3-PDO production by strengthening the TCA cycle to relieve metabolic stress by deleting genes of by-products synthesis, which was also beneficial for the extraction and separation of downstream products.