Dehydrogenation Mechanism of Three Stereoisomers of Butane-2,3-Diol in Pseudomonas putida KT2440

Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is a promising chassis of industrial biotechnology due to its metabolic versatility. Butane-2,3-diol (2,3-BDO) is a precursor of numerous value-added chemicals. It is also a microbial metabolite which widely exists in various habiting environments of P. putida KT2440. It was reported that P. putida KT2440 is able to use 2,3-BDO as a sole carbon source for growth. There are three stereoisomeric forms of 2,3-BDO: (2R,3R)-2,3-BDO, meso-2,3-BDO and (2S,3S)-2,3-BDO. However, whether P. putida KT2440 can utilize three stereoisomeric forms of 2,3-BDO has not been elucidated. Here, we revealed the genomic and enzymic basis of P. putida KT2440 for dehydrogenation of different stereoisomers of 2,3-BDO into acetoin, which will be channeled to central mechanism via acetoin dehydrogenase enzyme system. (2R,3R)-2,3-BDO dehydrogenase (PP0552) was detailedly characterized and identified to participate in (2R,3R)-2,3-BDO and meso-2,3-BDO dehydrogenation. Two quinoprotein alcohol dehydrogenases, PedE (PP2674) and PedH (PP2679), were confirmed to be responsible for (2S,3S)-2,3-BDO dehydrogenation. The function redundancy and inverse regulation of PedH and PedE by lanthanide availability provides a mechanism for the adaption of P. putida KT2440 to variable environmental conditions. Elucidation of the mechanism of 2,3-BDO catabolism in P. putida KT2440 would provide new insights for bioproduction of 2,3-BDO-derived chemicals based on this robust chassis.

Decomposition of Formic Acid over Orthorhombic Molybdenum Carbide

The decomposition of formic acid is investigated on the β-Mo₂C (100) catalyst surface using density functional theory. The dehydration and dehydrogenation mechanism for the decomposition is simulated, and the thermochemistry and kinetics are discussed. The potential energy landscape of the reaction shows a thermodynamically favourable cleavage of H-COOH to form CO; however, the kinetics show that the dehydrogenation mechanism is faster and CO₂ is continuously formed. The effect of HCOOH adsorption on the surface is also analysed, in a temperature-programmed reaction, with the decomposition proceeding at under 350 K and desorption of CO₂ observed.

Decomposition of Formic Acid over Orthorhombic Molybdenum Carbide

The decomposition of formic acid is investigated on the β-Mo₂C (100) catalyst surface using density functional theory. The dehydration and dehydrogenation mechanism for the decomposition is simulated, and the thermochemistry and kinetics are discussed. The potential energy landscape of the reaction shows a thermodynamically favourable cleavage of H-COOH to form CO; however, the kinetics show that the dehydrogenation mechanism is faster and CO₂ is continuously formed. The effect of HCOOH adsorption on the surface is also analysed, in a temperature-programmed reaction, with the decomposition proceeding at under 350 K and desorption of CO₂ observed.

First-principles insights into ammonia decomposition on MoN (0001) surface

Density functional theory (DFT) and periodic slab model were used to study the geometric structure, electronic structure and dehydrogenation mechanism of ammonia adsorption on MoN (0001) surface. The surface energy...