# Isolation of bacteria that catabolize abiotically synthesized tetroses via the formose reaction

## TL;DR

This study identifies bacteria that can break down unusual sugars made through the formose reaction, which could help in biomanufacturing.

## Contribution

The paper isolates and characterizes bacteria capable of catabolizing and tolerating abiotically synthesized tetroses.

## Key findings

- Eight phylogenetically diverse bacterial strains were isolated that can catabolize tetroses.
- The isolates can grow in high concentrations of abiotically synthesized sugars that inhibit typical microorganisms.
- These bacteria can consume tetroses present in the abiotically synthesized sugar mixtures.

## Abstract

Sugars synthesized through abiotic processes, specifically the formose reaction, are promising candidates for next-generation feedstocks for biomanufacturing. One of the significant challenges associated with the utilization of abiotically synthesized sugars via the formose reaction is the presence of unusual sugars, which are not metabolized by typical microorganisms. This study aimed to identify microorganisms capable of catabolizing tetroses, which are among the unusual sugars present in the abiotically synthesized sugars. Tetroses were not catabolized by and exhibited inhibitory effects on model bacteria commonly used in biomanufacturing. We isolated eight phylogenetically diverse bacterial strains capable of catabolizing and tolerating tetroses. The isolates exhibited the ability to grow in high concentrations of the abiotically synthesized sugars, which inhibit the growth of typical microorganisms, and to consume tetroses contained therein. Further investigation into the molecular mechanisms of tetrose metabolisms in the isolates will facilitate the development of biomanufacturing processes utilizing the abiotically synthesized sugars.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-30247-3.