HETEROLOGOUS EXPRESSION OF EXTREMOPHILE HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS AND CHAPERONES IN MICROORGANISMS TO INCREASE TOLERANCE TO TOXIC COMPOUNDS

摘要

The invention provides methods and compositions for increasing tolerance of microorganisms to toxic agents, such as solvents; and for increasing production of solvents from solvent-generating microorganisms. The methods comprise engineering a microorganism of interest to express a heterologous heat-shock protein/chaperone, e.g., Group II chaperonin or a prefoldin such as γ-prefoldin, where the heterologous protein is from an extremophile, such as an archaean.