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Dynamic investigation and modeling of the nitrogen cometabolism in Methylococcus capsulatus ( Bath )
Author(s) -
Petersen Leander A. H.,
Lieven Christian,
Nandy Subir K.,
Villadsen John,
Jørgensen Sten B.,
Christensen Ib,
Gernaey Krist V.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.27113
Subject(s) - cometabolism , chemistry , ammonia , oxygen tension , oxygen , rhodobacter , bacteria , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry , genetics , mutant , gene , bioremediation
Abstract The methanotrophic bacterium Methylococcus capsulatus is capable of assimilating methane and oxygen into protein‐rich biomass, however, the diverse metabolism of the microorganism also allows for several undesired cometabolic side‐reactions to occur. In this study, the ammonia cometabolism in Methylococcus capsulatus is investigated using pulse experiments. Surprisingly Methylococcus capsulatus oxidizes ammonia to nitrate through a yet unknown mechanism and fixes molecular nitrogen even at a high dissolved oxygen tension. The observed phenomena can be modeled using 14 ordinary differential equations and 18 kinetic parameters, of which 6 were revealed by Morris screening to be identifiable from the experimental data. Monte Carlo simulations showed that the model was robust and accurate even with uncertainty in the parameter values as confirmed by statistical error analysis.