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Background: 2-Keto-l-gulonic acid (2-KGA), the precursor of vitamin C, is currently produced by two-step fermentation. In the second step, l-sorbose is transformed into 2-KGA by the symbiosis system composed of Ketogulonicigenium vulgare and Bacillus megaterium. Due to the different nutrient requirements and the uncertain ratio of the two strains, the symbiosis system significantly limits strain improvement and fermentation optimization. Results: In this study, Ketogulonicigenium robustum SPU_B003 was reported for its capability to grow well independently and to produce more 2-KGA than that of K. vulgare in a mono-culture system. The complete genome of K. robustum SPU_B003 was sequenced, and the metabolic characteristics were analyzed. Compared to the four reported K. vulgare genomes, K. robustum SPU_B003 contained more tRNAs, rRNAs, NAD and NADP biosynthetic genes, as well as regulation- and cell signaling-related genes. Moreover, the amino acid biosynthesis pathways were more complete. Two species-specific internal promoters, P1 (orf_01408 promoter) and P2 (orf_02221 promoter), were predicted and validated by detecting their initiation activity. To efficiently produce 2-KGA with decreased CO2 release, an innovative acetyl-CoA biosynthetic pathway (XFP-PTA pathway) was introduced into K. robustum SPU_B003 by expressing heterologous phosphoketolase (xfp) and phosphotransacetylase (pta) initiated by internal promoters. After gene optimization, the recombinant strain K. robustum/pBBR-P1_xfp2502-P2_pta2145 enhanced acetyl-CoA approximately 2.4-fold and increased 2-KGA production by 22.27% compared to the control strain K. robustum/pBBR1MCS-2. Accordingly, the transcriptional level of the 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (pgd) and pyruvate dehydrogenase genes (pdh) decreased by 24.33 ± 6.67 and 8.67 ± 5.51%, respectively. The key genes responsible for 2-KGA biosynthesis, sorbose dehydrogenase gene (sdh) and sorbosone dehydrogenase gene (sndh), were up-regulated to different degrees in the recombinant strain. Conclusions: The genome-based functional analysis of K. robustum SPU_B003 provided a new understanding of the specific metabolic characteristics. The new XFP-PTA pathway was an efficient route to enhance acetyl-CoA levels and to therefore promote 2-KGA production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SDH_1927 has the highest specific activity (56.72 ± 1.2 U/mg) among the eight L-sorbose dehydrogenases. • The 2-KGA production can be significantly increase by PMS under the condition of avoiding light. • The product 2-KGA could inhibit SDH activity by competing for the same hydrogen bonding sites with the substrate of L-sorbose. • The cell-recycling catalysis system is proposed to convert L-sorbose to 2-KGA, with the yield of 80.12 g/L and the productivity of 6.68 g/L/h. There are five L-sorbose dehydrogenases (SDH_2764, SDH_2744, SDH_0718, SDH_1927, SDH_0337) in Ketogulonicigenium vulgare SPU B805 and three L-sorbose dehydrogenases (SDH_02251, SDH_02271, SDH_P100164) in K. robustum SPU_B003, which play essential roles in the classical two-step fermentation for 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (2-KGA, the precursor of vitamin C) synthesis. In this work, the above eight SDH enzymes were cloned and purified, and their optimal pH values and reaction temperatures, kinetic properties (K m and K cat), thermal stabilities, substrate spectra, and effects of metal ions were determined. Eight SDH-harboring recombinant E.coli strains were verified to be capable to catalyze L-sorbose to 2-KGA. Additionally, the molecular docking results showed that the product 2-KGA could inhibit SDH activity by competing for the same hydrogen bonding sites with substrate L-sorbose. Finally, a novel and efficient whole-cell recycling catalysis system to overcome the product inhibition was proposed, the yield of 2-KGA reached up to 80.12 g/L with the productivity of 6.68 g/L/h. The results provide a promising prospect for selection and modification sorbose dehydrogenase for construction a one-step biotransformation system of 2-KGA. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A one-step fermentation system was established in P. putida KT2440. • Enhanced electron transport efficiency increased the 2-KGA production. • The provision of a stable catalytic environment can enhance 2-KGA production. • Multi-strategy leads to a 15.48-fold enhancement in one-step fermentation. 2-KGA, a precursor for the synthesis of Vitamin C, is currently produced in China utilizing the "two-step fermentation" technique. Nevertheless, this method exhibits many inherent constraints. This study presents a comprehensive metabolic engineering strategy to establish and optimize a one-step 2-KGA fermentation process from D-sorbitol in Pseudomonas putida KT2440. In general, the endogenous promoters were screened to identify promoter P1 for subsequent heterologous gene expression in KT2440. Following the screening and confirmation of suitable heterologous gene elements such as sldh , sdh , cytc 551, pqq AB, and irr E, genetic recombination was performed in KT2440. In comparison to the initial achievement of expressing only sldh and sdh in KT2440, a yield of merely 0.42 g/L was obtained. However, by implementing four metabolic engineering strategies, the recombinant strain KT20 exhibited a significant enhancement in its ability to produce 2-KGA with a remarkable yield of up to 6.5 g/L – representing an impressive 15.48-fold improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]