Efficient production of 1,3-propanediol from glycerol by a newly isolated soil bacterium using fed-batch fermentation

A total of 817 Lactobacillus-like isolates were obtained from different sources, including soil, ruminant gastric juice, and fermented foods. They were screened to select the best isolate for the production of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO). The isolate SY235 was selected and designated as Lactobacillus reuteri based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence. It was then employed in fed-batch fermentation for producing 1,3-PDO. The highest titer of 1,3-PDO (52.6 ± 2.4 g/L) was attained at 60 h, corresponding to a yield of 0.55 ± 0.01 g/g glycerol and a productivity of 0.88 ± 0.04 g/L/h. No further production was observed after 60 h of incubation. These results demonstrate that the newly isolated strain L. reuteri SY235 can efficiently transform glycerol into 1,3-PDO.