Butanol Production from Crystalline Cellulose by Cocultured Clostridium thermocellum and Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe investigated butanol production from crystalline cellulose by cocultured cellulolyticClostridium thermocellumand the butanol-producing strain,Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum(strain N1-4). Butanol was produced from Avicel cellulose after it was incubated withC. thermocellumfor at least 24 h at 60°C before the addition of strain N1-4. Butanol produced by strain N1-4 on 4% Avicel cellulose peaked (7.9 g/liter) after 9 days of incubation at 30°C, and acetone was undetectable in this coculture system. Less butanol was produced by coculturedClostridium acetobutylicumandClostridium beijerinckiithan by strain N1-4, indicating that strain N1-4 was the optimal strain for producing butanol from crystalline cellulose in this coculture system.