초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P><P>We aimed to isolate aerobic butanol‐producing microorganisms from environmental samples as potential platform strains for butanol production. Soil samples collected were subjected to a semi‐high‐throughput screening strategy. A microorganism capable of producing butanol in high concentrations under aerobic conditions was isolated and identified as <I>Bacillus</I> species by 16S rDNA analysis. The growth and butanol production under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions of the isolated <I>Bacillus</I> sp. 15, together with a different composition of by‐products, suggest different metabolic networks from the obligate anaerobes Clostridia. At 1 L scale fermentation with 0.2 L/Min of ariflow, butanol titer reached up to 10.38 g/L in a batch culture. The fermentation process of the isolate also occurred in two phases and the acidic condition is critical for butanol production. The butanol concentration was further improved to 12.3 g/L with minimized by‐products using a microaerobic condition. With the above‐mentioned distinct features, the isolated <I>Bacillus</I> sp. 15 is a suitable platform strain for further process development and metabolic engineering for butanol production.</P>