The invention provides a non-naturally occurring set of microbial organisms. The set of organisms includes: at least a first constituent complementary metabolizing
organism (CMO) exhibiting the ability to metabolize a first
carbon substrate and having substantially impaired metabolic capacity for a second
carbon substrate, and at least a second constituent complementary metabolizing
organism (CMO) exhibiting the ability to metabolize the second
carbon substrate and having substantially impaired metabolic capacity for the first carbon substrate, wherein a co-culture of the at least first and second
CMOs exhibit simultaneous
metabolism of a mixture having the first and second carbon substrates compared to either CMO alone. Simultaneous
metabolism of a mixture having first and second carbon substrates can include an enhanced rate of
metabolism of the first and second substrates compared to either CMO alone. Also provided is a
bioprocess for producing a
chemical compound. The
bioprocess includes co-culturing a non-naturally occurring set of microbial organisms in a mixture having at least a first and a second carbon substrate under conditions sufficient for
biosynthesis of a target
chemical compound, the set of non-naturally occurring microbial organisms including: at least a first constituent complementary metabolizing
organism (CMO) exhibiting the ability to metabolize the first carbon substrate and having substantially impaired metabolic capacity for the second carbon substrate, and at least a second constituent complementary metabolizing organism (CMO) exhibiting the ability to metabolize the second carbon substrate and having substantially impaired metabolic capacity for the first carbon substrate, wherein a co-culture of the at least first and second
CMOs exhibit simultaneous metabolism of a mixture having the first and second carbon substrates compared to either CMO alone. Simultaneous metabolism of a mixture having first and second carbon substrates can include an enhanced rate of metabolism of the first and second substrates compared to either CMO alone.