1
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Shimizu T, Suzuki K, Inui M. A mycofactocin-associated dehydrogenase is essential for ethylene glycol metabolism by Rhodococcus jostii RHA1. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:58. [PMID: 38175243 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12966-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Ethylene glycol is an industrially important diol in many manufacturing processes and a building block of polymers, such as poly(ethylene terephthalate). In this study, we found that a mycolic acid-containing bacterium Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 can grow with ethylene glycol as a sole source of carbon and energy. Deletion of a putative glycolate dehydrogenase gene (RHA1_ro03227) abolished growth with ethylene glycol, indicating that ethylene glycol is assimilated via glycolate in R. jostii RHA1. Transcriptome sequencing and gene deletion analyses revealed that a gene homologous to mycofactocin (MFT)-associated dehydrogenase (RHA1_ro06057), hereafter referred to as EgaA, is essential for ethylene glycol assimilation. Furthermore, egaA deletion also negatively affected the utilization of ethanol, 1-propanol, propylene glycol, and 1-butanol, suggesting that EgaA is involved in the utilization of various alcohols in R. jostii RHA1. Deletion of MFT biosynthetic genes abolished growth with ethylene glycol, indicating that MFT is the physiological electron acceptor of EgaA. Further genetic studies revealed that a putative aldehyde dehydrogenase (RHA1_ro06081) is a major aldehyde dehydrogenase in ethylene glycol metabolism by R. jostii RHA1. KEY POINTS: • Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 can assimilate ethylene glycol via glycolate • A mycofactocin-associated dehydrogenase is involved in the oxidation of ethylene glycol • An aldehyde dehydrogenase gene is important for the ethylene glycol assimilation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsu Shimizu
- Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, 9-2, Kizugawadai, Kizugawa-Shi, Kyoto, 619-0292, Japan
| | - Kai Suzuki
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Masayuki Inui
- Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, 9-2, Kizugawadai, Kizugawa-Shi, Kyoto, 619-0292, Japan.
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, 630-0192, Japan.
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2
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Yan W, Qi X, Cao Z, Yao M, Ding M, Yuan Y. Biotransformation of ethylene glycol by engineered Escherichia coli. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2024; 9:531-539. [PMID: 38645974 PMCID: PMC11031724 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2024.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
There has been extensive research on the biological recycling of PET waste to address the issue of plastic waste pollution, with ethylene glycol (EG) being one of the main components recovered from this process. Therefore, finding ways to convert PET monomer EG into high-value products is crucial for effective PET waste recycling. In this study, we successfully engineered Escherichia coli to utilize EG and produce glycolic acid (GA), expecting to facilitate the biological recycling of PET waste. The engineered E. coli, able to utilize 10 g/L EG to produce 1.38 g/L GA within 96 h, was initially constructed. Subsequently, strategies based on overexpression of key enzymes and knock-out of the competing pathways are employed to enhance EG utilization along with GA biosynthesis. An engineered E. coli, characterized by the highest GA production titer and substrate conversion rate, was obtained. The GA titer increased to 5.1 g/L with a yield of 0.75 g/g EG, which is the highest level in the shake flake experiments. Transcriptional level analysis and metabolomic analysis were then conducted, revealing that overexpression of key enzymes and knock-out of the competing pathways improved the metabolic flow in the EG utilization. The improved metabolic flow also leads to accelerated synthesis and metabolism of amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlong Yan
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xinhua Qi
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Zhibei Cao
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Mingdong Yao
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Mingzhu Ding
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Yingjin Yuan
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
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3
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Peoples LM, Isanta-Navarro J, Bras B, Hand BK, Rosenzweig F, Elser JJ, Church MJ. Physiology, fast and slow: bacterial response to variable resource stoichiometry and dilution rate. mSystems 2024:e0077024. [PMID: 38980051 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00770-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms grow despite imbalances in the availability of nutrients and energy. The biochemical and elemental adjustments that bacteria employ to sustain growth when these resources are suboptimal are not well understood. We assessed how Pseudomonas putida KT2440 adjusts its physiology at differing dilution rates (to approximate growth rates) in response to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stress using chemostats. Cellular elemental and biomolecular pools were variable in response to different limiting resources at a slow dilution rate of 0.12 h-1, but these pools were more similar across treatments at a faster rate of 0.48 h-1. At slow dilution rates, limitation by P and C appeared to alter cell growth efficiencies as reflected by changes in cellular C quotas and rates of oxygen consumption, both of which were highest under P- and lowest under C- stress. Underlying these phenotypic changes was differential gene expression of terminal oxidases used for ATP generation that allows for increased energy generation efficiency. In all treatments under fast dilution rates, KT2440 formed aggregates and biofilms, a physiological response that hindered an accurate assessment of growth rate, but which could serve as a mechanism that allows cells to remain in conditions where growth is favorable. Our findings highlight the ways that microorganisms dynamically adjust their physiology under different resource supply conditions, with distinct mechanisms depending on the limiting resource at slow growth and convergence toward an aggregative phenotype with similar compositions under conditions that attempt to force fast growth. IMPORTANCE All organisms experience suboptimal growth conditions due to low nutrient and energy availability. Their ability to survive and reproduce under such conditions determines their evolutionary fitness. By imposing suboptimal resource ratios under different dilution rates on the model organism Pseudomonas putida KT2440, we show that this bacterium dynamically adjusts its elemental composition, morphology, pools of biomolecules, and levels of gene expression. By examining the ability of bacteria to respond to C:N:P imbalance, we can begin to understand how stoichiometric flexibility manifests at the cellular level and impacts the flow of energy and elements through ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan M Peoples
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Jana Isanta-Navarro
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Benedicta Bras
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Brian K Hand
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Frank Rosenzweig
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - James J Elser
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Matthew J Church
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
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4
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Shimizu T, Inui M. Novel aspects of ethylene glycol catabolism. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:369. [PMID: 38861200 PMCID: PMC11166783 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13179-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Ethylene glycol (EG) is an industrially important two-carbon diol used as a solvent, antifreeze agent, and building block of polymers such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). Recently, the use of EG as a starting material for the production of bio-fuels or bio-chemicals is gaining attention as a sustainable process since EG can be derived from materials not competing with human food stocks including CO2, syngas, lignocellulolytic biomass, and PET waste. In order to design and construct microbial process for the conversion of EG to value-added chemicals, microbes capable of catabolizing EG such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida, Rhodococcus jostii, Ideonella sakaiensis, Paracoccus denitrificans, and Acetobacterium woodii are candidates of chassis for the construction of synthetic pathways. In this mini-review, we describe EG catabolic pathways and catabolic enzymes in these microbes, and further review recent advances in microbial conversion of EG to value-added chemicals by means of metabolic engineering. KEY POINTS: • Ethylene glycol is a potential next-generation feedstock for sustainable industry. • Microbial conversion of ethylene glycol to value-added chemicals is gaining attention. • Ethylene glycol-utilizing microbes are useful as chassis for synthetic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsu Shimizu
- Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, 9-2, Kizugawadai, Kizugawa-shi, Kyoto, 619-0292, Japan
| | - Masayuki Inui
- Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, 9-2, Kizugawadai, Kizugawa-shi, Kyoto, 619-0292, Japan.
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, 630-0192, Japan.
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5
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Roccor R, Wolf ME, Liu J, Eltis LD. The catabolism of ethylene glycol by Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 and its dependence on mycofactocin. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024:e0041624. [PMID: 38837369 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00416-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Ethylene glycol (EG) is a widely used industrial chemical with manifold applications and also generated in the degradation of plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate. Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 (RHA1), a potential biocatalytic chassis, grows on EG. Transcriptomic analyses revealed four clusters of genes potentially involved in EG catabolism: the mad locus, predicted to encode mycofactocin-dependent alcohol degradation, including the catabolism of EG to glycolate; two GCL clusters, predicted to encode glycolate and glyoxylate catabolism; and the mft genes, predicted to specify mycofactocin biosynthesis. Bioinformatic analyses further revealed that the mad and mft genes are widely distributed in mycolic acid-producing bacteria such as RHA1. Neither ΔmadA nor ΔmftC RHA1 mutant strains grew on EG but grew on acetate. In resting cell assays, the ΔmadA mutant depleted glycolaldehyde but not EG from culture media. These results indicate that madA encodes a mycofactocin-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase that initiates EG catabolism. In contrast to some mycobacterial strains, the mad genes did not appear to enable RHA1 to grow on methanol as sole substrate. Finally, a strain of RHA1 adapted to grow ~3× faster on EG contained an overexpressed gene, aldA2, predicted to encode an aldehyde dehydrogenase. When incubated with EG, this strain accumulated lower concentrations of glycolaldehyde than RHA1. Moreover, ecotopically expressed aldA2 increased RHA1's tolerance for EG further suggesting that glycolaldehyde accumulation limits growth of RHA1 on EG. Overall, this study provides insights into the bacterial catabolism of small alcohols and aldehydes and facilitates the engineering of Rhodococcus for the upgrading of plastic waste streams.IMPORTANCEEthylene glycol (EG), a two-carbon (C2) alcohol, is produced in high volumes for use in a wide variety of applications. There is burgeoning interest in understanding and engineering the bacterial catabolism of EG, in part to establish circular economic routes for its use. This study identifies an EG catabolic pathway in Rhodococcus, a genus of bacteria well suited for biocatalysis. This pathway is responsible for the catabolism of methanol, a C1 feedstock, in related bacteria. Finally, we describe strategies to increase the rate of degradation of EG by increasing the transformation of glycolaldehyde, a toxic metabolic intermediate. This work advances the development of biocatalytic strategies to transform C2 feedstocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Roccor
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Megan E Wolf
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lindsay D Eltis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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6
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Yang J, Li Z, Xu Q, Liu W, Gao S, Qin P, Chen Z, Wang A. Towards carbon neutrality: Sustainable recycling and upcycling strategies and mechanisms for polyethylene terephthalate via biotic/abiotic pathways. ECO-ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH 2024; 3:117-130. [PMID: 38638172 PMCID: PMC11021832 DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most ubiquitous engineering plastics, presents both environmental challenges and opportunities for carbon neutrality and a circular economy. This review comprehensively addressed the latest developments in biotic and abiotic approaches for PET recycling/upcycling. Biotically, microbial depolymerization of PET, along with the biosynthesis of reclaimed monomers [terephthalic acid (TPA), ethylene glycol (EG)] to value-added products, presents an alternative for managing PET waste and enables CO2 reduction. Abiotically, thermal treatments (i.e., hydrolysis, glycolysis, methanolysis, etc.) and photo/electrocatalysis, enabled by catalysis advances, can depolymerize or convert PET/PET monomers in a more flexible, simple, fast, and controllable manner. Tandem abiotic/biotic catalysis offers great potential for PET upcycling to generate commodity chemicals and alternative materials, ideally at lower energy inputs, greenhouse gas emissions, and costs, compared to virgin polymer fabrication. Remarkably, over 25 types of upgraded PET products (e.g., adipic acid, muconic acid, catechol, vanillin, and glycolic acid, etc.) have been identified, underscoring the potential of PET upcycling in diverse applications. Efforts can be made to develop chemo-catalytic depolymerization of PET, improve microbial depolymerization of PET (e.g., hydrolysis efficiency, enzymatic activity, thermal and pH level stability, etc.), as well as identify new microorganisms or hydrolases capable of degrading PET through computational and machine learning algorithms. Consequently, this review provides a roadmap for advancing PET recycling and upcycling technologies, which hold the potential to shape the future of PET waste management and contribute to the preservation of our ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Yang
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhiling Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Qiongying Xu
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wenzong Liu
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shuhong Gao
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Peiwu Qin
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhenglin Chen
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Aijie Wang
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
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7
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Wan C, Huang S, Li M, Zhang L, Yuan Y, Zhao X, Wu C. Towards zero excess sludge discharge with built-in ozonation for wastewater biological treatment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171798. [PMID: 38521252 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
In this study, a biological treatment process, which used a built-in ozonation bypass to achieve sludge reduction, was built to treat the industrial antifreeze production wastewater (mainly composed of ethylene glycol). The results indicated there is a positive correlation between ozone dosage and sludge reduction. At the laboratory level, the MLSS in the system can be stably controlled at around 3400 mg MLSS L-1 under the dosage of 0.18 g O3 g-1 MLSS. Ozonation can increase the compactness of sludge flocs (fractal dimension increased from 1.89 to 1.92). Ozone destroys microbial cell membranes and alters the structure of sludge flocs through direct oxidation through electrophilic reactions. It leads to the release of intracellular polysaccharides, proteins, and other biological macromolecules in microorganisms, thereby promoting the implicit growth of microbial populations. Some bacteria such as g_Pseudomonas, g_Gemmobacter, etc. have strong ethylene glycol degradation ability and tolerance to ozonation. The removal of ethylene glycol includes the glyoxylate cycle, glycine serine carbon cycle, and the glutamate-cysteine ligase pathway of assimilation. Gene KatG and gpx may be key factors in improving microbial tolerance to ozonation. The comprehensive evaluation from the perspectives of cost and carbon emission shows that choosing ozone cracking-implicit growth in wastewater treatment systems has significant cost advantages and application value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Wan
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
| | - Shiyun Huang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Min Li
- Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Engineering Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Yue Yuan
- Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Engineering Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhao
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Changyong Wu
- Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Engineering Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
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8
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Manoli MT, Gargantilla-Becerra Á, Del Cerro Sánchez C, Rivero-Buceta V, Prieto MA, Nogales J. A model-driven approach to upcycling recalcitrant feedstocks in Pseudomonas putida by decoupling PHA production from nutrient limitation. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113979. [PMID: 38517887 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have emerged as promising eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based plastics since they are synthesized from renewable resources and offer exceptional properties. However, their production is limited to the stationary growth phase under nutrient-limited conditions, requiring customized strategies and costly two-phase bioprocesses. In this study, we tackle these challenges by employing a model-driven approach to reroute carbon flux and remove regulatory constraints using synthetic biology. We construct a collection of Pseudomonas putida-overproducing strains at the expense of plastics and lignin-related compounds using growth-coupling approaches. PHA production was successfully achieved during growth phase, resulting in the production of up to 46% PHA/cell dry weight while maintaining a balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Our strains are additionally validated under an upcycling scenario using enzymatically hydrolyzed polyethylene terephthalate as a feedstock. These findings have the potential to revolutionize PHA production and address the global plastic crisis by overcoming the complexities of traditional PHA production bioprocesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Tsampika Manoli
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Gargantilla-Becerra
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain; 3Systems Biotechnology Group, Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Carlos Del Cerro Sánchez
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Virginia Rivero-Buceta
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - M Auxiliadora Prieto
- Polymer Biotechnology Group, Department of Microbial and Plant Biotechnology, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Juan Nogales
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain; 3Systems Biotechnology Group, Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid 28049, Spain; CNB DNA Biofoundry (CNBio), CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
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9
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Weiland F, Kohlstedt M, Wittmann C. Biobased de novo synthesis, upcycling, and recycling - the heartbeat toward a green and sustainable polyethylene terephthalate industry. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 86:103079. [PMID: 38422776 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has revolutionized the industrial sector because of its versatility, with its predominant uses in the textiles and packaging materials industries. Despite the various advantages of this polymer, its synthesis is, unfavorably, tightly intertwined with nonrenewable fossil resources. Additionally, given its widespread use, accumulating PET waste poses a significant environmental challenge. As a result, current research in the areas of biological recycling, upcycling, and de novo synthesis is intensifying. Biological recycling involves the use of micro-organisms or enzymes to breakdown PET into monomers, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional recycling. Upcycling transforms PET waste into value-added products, expanding its potential application range and promoting a circular economy. Moreover, studies of cascading biological and chemical processes driven by microbial cell factories have explored generating PET using renewable, biobased feedstocks such as lignin. These avenues of research promise to mitigate the environmental footprint of PET, underlining the importance of sustainable innovations in the industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabia Weiland
- Institute of Systems Biotechnology, Saarland University, Germany
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10
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Ackermann YS, de Witt J, Mezzina MP, Schroth C, Polen T, Nikel PI, Wynands B, Wierckx N. Bio-upcycling of even and uneven medium-chain-length diols and dicarboxylates to polyhydroxyalkanoates using engineered Pseudomonas putida. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:54. [PMID: 38365718 PMCID: PMC10870600 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02310-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Bio-upcycling of plastics is an emerging alternative process that focuses on extracting value from a wide range of plastic waste streams. Such streams are typically too contaminated to be effectively processed using traditional recycling technologies. Medium-chain-length (mcl) diols and dicarboxylates (DCA) are major products of chemically or enzymatically depolymerized plastics, such as polyesters or polyethers. In this study, we enabled the efficient metabolism of mcl-diols and -DCA in engineered Pseudomonas putida as a prerequisite for subsequent bio-upcycling. We identified the transcriptional regulator GcdR as target for enabling metabolism of uneven mcl-DCA such as pimelate, and uncovered amino acid substitutions that lead to an increased coupling between the heterologous β-oxidation of mcl-DCA and the native degradation of short-chain-length DCA. Adaptive laboratory evolution and subsequent reverse engineering unravelled two distinct pathways for mcl-diol metabolism in P. putida, namely via the hydroxy acid and subsequent native β-oxidation or via full oxidation to the dicarboxylic acid that is further metabolized by heterologous β-oxidation. Furthermore, we demonstrated the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from mcl-diols and -DCA by a single strain combining all required metabolic features. Overall, this study provides a powerful platform strain for the bio-upcycling of complex plastic hydrolysates to polyhydroxyalkanoates and leads the path for future yield optimizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannic S Ackermann
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jan de Witt
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Mariela P Mezzina
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Christoph Schroth
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Tino Polen
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Pablo I Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Benedikt Wynands
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nick Wierckx
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
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11
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Amalia L, Chang CY, Wang SSS, Yeh YC, Tsai SL. Recent advances in the biological depolymerization and upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 85:103053. [PMID: 38128200 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is favored for its exceptional properties and widespread daily use. This review highlights recent advancements that enable the development of biological tools for PET decomposition, transforming PET into valuable platform chemicals and materials in upcycling processes. Enhancing PET hydrolases' catalytic activity and efficiency through protein engineering strategies is a priority, facilitating more effective PET waste management. Efforts to create novel PET hydrolases for large-scale PET depolymerization continue, but cost-effectiveness remains challenging. Hydrolyzed monomers must add additional value to make PET recycling economically attractive. Valorization of hydrolysis products through the upcycling process is expected to produce new compounds with different values and qualities from the initial polymer, making the decomposed monomers more appealing. Advances in synthetic biology and enzyme engineering hold promise for PET upcycling. While biological depolymerization offers environmental benefits, further research is needed to make PET upcycling sustainable and economically feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lita Amalia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yu Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Steven S-S Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Yeh
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Shen-Long Tsai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan.
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12
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Liu P, Zheng Y, Yuan Y, Han Y, Su T, Qi Q. Upcycling of PET oligomers from chemical recycling processes to PHA by microbial co-cultivation. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 172:51-59. [PMID: 37714010 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2023.08.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most widely consumed polyester plastic and can be recycled by many chemical processes, of which glycolysis is most cost-effective and commercially viable. However, PET glycolysis produces oligomers due to incomplete depolymerization, which are undesirable by-products and require proper disposal. In this study, the PET oligomers from chemical recycling processes were completely bio-depolymerized into monomers and then used for the biosynthesis of biodegradable plastics polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) by co-cultivation of two engineered microorganisms Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3)-LCCICCG and Pseudomonas putida KT2440-ΔRDt-ΔZP46C-M. E. coli BL21 (DE3)-LCCICCG was used to secrete the PET hydrolase LCCICCG into the medium to directly depolymerize PET oligomers. P. putida KT2440-ΔRDt-ΔZP46C-M that mastered the metabolism of aromatic compounds was engineered to accelerate the hydrolysis of intermediate products mono-2-(hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (MHET) by expressing IsMHETase, and biosynthesize PHA using ultimate products terephthalate and ethylene glycol depolymerized from the PET oligomers. The population ratios of the two microorganisms during the co-cultivation were characterized by fluorescent reporter system, and revealed the collaboration of the two microorganisms to bio-depolymerize and bioconversion of PET oligomers in a single process. This study provides a biological strategy for the upcycling of PET oligomers and promotes the plastic circular economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Yingbo Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Yuanfei Han
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Tianyuan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
| | - Qingsheng Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China.
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13
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Wagner N, Wen L, Frazão CJR, Walther T. Next-generation feedstocks methanol and ethylene glycol and their potential in industrial biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 69:108276. [PMID: 37918546 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fermentation processes are expected to play an important role in reducing dependence on fossil-based raw materials for the production of everyday chemicals. In order to meet the growing demand for biotechnological products in the future, alternative carbon sources that do not compete with human nutrition must be exploited. The chemical conversion of the industrially emitted greenhouse gas CO2 into microbially utilizable platform chemicals such as methanol represents a sustainable strategy for the utilization of an abundant carbon source and has attracted enormous scientific interest in recent years. A relatively new approach is the microbial synthesis of products from the C2-compound ethylene glycol, which can also be synthesized from CO2 and non-edible biomass and, in addition, can be recovered from plastic waste. Here we summarize the main chemical routes for the synthesis of methanol and ethylene glycol from sustainable resources and give an overview of recent metabolic engineering work for establishing natural and synthetic microbial assimilation pathways. The different metabolic routes for C1 and C2 alcohol-dependent bioconversions were compared in terms of their theoretical maximum yields and their oxygen requirements for a wide range of value-added products. Assessment of the process engineering challenges for methanol and ethylene glycol-based fermentations underscores the theoretical advantages of new synthetic metabolic routes and advocates greater consideration of ethylene glycol, a C2 substrate that has received comparatively little attention to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Wagner
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Linxuan Wen
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Cláudio J R Frazão
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Walther
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden, Germany.
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14
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Cywar RM, Ling C, Clarke RW, Kim DH, Kneucker CM, Salvachúa D, Addison B, Hesse SA, Takacs CJ, Xu S, Demirtas MU, Woodworth SP, Rorrer NA, Johnson CW, Tassone CJ, Allen RD, Chen EYX, Beckham GT. Elastomeric vitrimers from designer polyhydroxyalkanoates with recyclability and biodegradability. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi1735. [PMID: 37992173 PMCID: PMC10664982 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi1735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Cross-linked elastomers are stretchable materials that typically are not recyclable or biodegradable. Medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs) are soft and ductile, making these bio-based polymers good candidates for biodegradable elastomers. Elasticity is commonly imparted by a cross-linked network structure, and covalent adaptable networks have emerged as a solution to prepare recyclable thermosets via triggered rearrangement of dynamic covalent bonds. Here, we develop biodegradable and recyclable elastomers by chemically installing the covalent adaptable network within biologically produced mcl-PHAs. Specifically, an engineered strain of Pseudomonas putida was used to produce mcl-PHAs containing pendent terminal alkenes as chemical handles for postfunctionalization. Thiol-ene chemistry was used to incorporate boronic ester (BE) cross-links, resulting in PHA-based vitrimers. mcl-PHAs cross-linked with BE at low density (<6 mole %) affords a soft, elastomeric material that demonstrates thermal reprocessability, biodegradability, and denetworking at end of life. The mechanical properties show potential for applications including adhesives and soft, biodegradable robotics and electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin M. Cywar
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Chen Ling
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Agile BioFoundry, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Ryan W. Clarke
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1872, USA
| | - Dong Hyun Kim
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Agile BioFoundry, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Colin M. Kneucker
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Agile BioFoundry, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Davinia Salvachúa
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Agile BioFoundry, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Bennett Addison
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Sarah A. Hesse
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Christopher J. Takacs
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Shu Xu
- Applied Materials Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
- Northwestern Argonne Institute of Science and Engineering, 2205 Tech Drive, Suite 1160, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | | | - Sean P. Woodworth
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Rorrer
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Christopher W. Johnson
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Agile BioFoundry, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Christopher J. Tassone
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Robert D. Allen
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Eugene Y.-X. Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1872, USA
| | - Gregg T. Beckham
- Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- BOTTLE Consortium, Golden, CO 80401, USA
- Agile BioFoundry, Golden, CO 80401, USA
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15
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Aminian-Dehkordi J, Rahimi S, Golzar-Ahmadi M, Singh A, Lopez J, Ledesma-Amaro R, Mijakovic I. Synthetic biology tools for environmental protection. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108239. [PMID: 37619824 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology transforms the way we perceive biological systems. Emerging technologies in this field affect many disciplines of science and engineering. Traditionally, synthetic biology approaches were commonly aimed at developing cost-effective microbial cell factories to produce chemicals from renewable sources. Based on this, the immediate beneficial impact of synthetic biology on the environment came from reducing our oil dependency. However, synthetic biology is starting to play a more direct role in environmental protection. Toxic chemicals released by industries and agriculture endanger the environment, disrupting ecosystem balance and biodiversity loss. This review highlights synthetic biology approaches that can help environmental protection by providing remediation systems capable of sensing and responding to specific pollutants. Remediation strategies based on genetically engineered microbes and plants are discussed. Further, an overview of computational approaches that facilitate the design and application of synthetic biology tools in environmental protection is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shadi Rahimi
- Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Mehdi Golzar-Ahmadi
- Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Amritpal Singh
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - Javiera Lopez
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | | | - Ivan Mijakovic
- Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
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16
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Lee GH, Kim DW, Jin YH, Kim SM, Lim ES, Cha MJ, Ko JK, Gong G, Lee SM, Um Y, Han SO, Ahn JH. Biotechnological Plastic Degradation and Valorization Using Systems Metabolic Engineering. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15181. [PMID: 37894861 PMCID: PMC10607142 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Various kinds of plastics have been developed over the past century, vastly improving the quality of life. However, the indiscriminate production and irresponsible management of plastics have led to the accumulation of plastic waste, emerging as a pressing environmental concern. To establish a clean and sustainable plastic economy, plastic recycling becomes imperative to mitigate resource depletion and replace non-eco-friendly processes, such as incineration. Although chemical and mechanical recycling technologies exist, the prevalence of composite plastics in product manufacturing complicates recycling efforts. In recent years, the biodegradation of plastics using enzymes and microorganisms has been reported, opening a new possibility for biotechnological plastic degradation and bio-upcycling. This review provides an overview of microbial strains capable of degrading various plastics, highlighting key enzymes and their role. In addition, recent advances in plastic waste valorization technology based on systems metabolic engineering are explored in detail. Finally, future perspectives on systems metabolic engineering strategies to develop a circular plastic bioeconomy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ga Hyun Lee
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Wook Kim
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Hui Jin
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Min Kim
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Eui Seok Lim
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Ji Cha
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja Kyong Ko
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyeongtaek Gong
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Mi Lee
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngsoon Um
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Ok Han
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Ho Ahn
- Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
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17
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Bao T, Qian Y, Xin Y, Collins JJ, Lu T. Engineering microbial division of labor for plastic upcycling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5712. [PMID: 37752119 PMCID: PMC10522701 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40777-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Plastic pollution is rapidly increasing worldwide, causing adverse impacts on the environment, wildlife and human health. One tempting solution to this crisis is upcycling plastics into products with engineered microorganisms; however, this remains challenging due to complexity in conversion. Here we present a synthetic microbial consortium that efficiently degrades polyethylene terephthalate hydrolysate and subsequently produces desired chemicals through division of labor. The consortium involves two Pseudomonas putida strains, specializing in terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol utilization respectively, to achieve complete substrate assimilation. Compared with its monoculture counterpart, the consortium exhibits reduced catabolic crosstalk and faster deconstruction, particularly when substrate concentrations are high or crude hydrolysate is used. It also outperforms monoculture when polyhydroxyalkanoates serves as a target product and confers flexible tuning through population modulation for cis-cis muconate synthesis. This work demonstrates engineered consortia as a promising, effective platform that may facilitate polymer upcycling and environmental sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Bao
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Yuanchao Qian
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Yongping Xin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Department of Biological Engineering and Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Longwood, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Ting Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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18
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Trivedi VD, Sullivan SF, Choudhury D, Endalur Gopinarayanan V, Hart T, Nair NU. Integration of metabolism and regulation reveals rapid adaptability to growth on non-native substrates. Cell Chem Biol 2023; 30:1135-1143.e5. [PMID: 37421944 PMCID: PMC10529486 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Engineering synthetic heterotrophy is a key to the efficient bio-based valorization of renewable and waste substrates. Among these, engineering hemicellulosic pentose utilization has been well-explored in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) over several decades-yet the answer to what makes their utilization inherently recalcitrant remains elusive. Through implementation of a semi-synthetic regulon, we find that harmonizing cellular and engineering objectives are a key to obtaining highest growth rates and yields with minimal metabolic engineering effort. Concurrently, results indicate that "extrinsic" factors-specifically, upstream genes that direct flux of pentoses into central carbon metabolism-are rate-limiting. We also reveal that yeast metabolism is innately highly adaptable to rapid growth on non-native substrates and that systems metabolic engineering (i.e., functional genomics, network modeling, etc.) is largely unnecessary. Overall, this work provides an alternate, novel, holistic (and yet minimalistic) approach based on integrating non-native metabolic genes with a native regulon system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas D Trivedi
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Sean F Sullivan
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Debika Choudhury
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | | | - Taylor Hart
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Nikhil U Nair
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
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19
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Panda S, Zhou JFJ, Feigis M, Harrison E, Ma X, Fung Kin Yuen V, Mahadevan R, Zhou K. Engineering Escherichia coli to produce aromatic chemicals from ethylene glycol. Metab Eng 2023; 79:38-48. [PMID: 37392985 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Microbial overproduction of aromatic chemicals has gained considerable industrial interest and various metabolic engineering approaches have been employed in recent years to address the associated challenges. So far, most studies have used sugars (mostly glucose) or glycerol as the primary carbon source. In this study, we used ethylene glycol (EG) as the main carbon substrate. EG could be obtained from the degradation of plastic and cellulosic wastes. As a proof of concept, Escherichia coli was engineered to transform EG into L-tyrosine, a valuable aromatic amino acid. Under the best fermentation condition, the strain produced 2 g/L L-tyrosine from 10 g/L EG, outperforming glucose (the most common sugar feedstock) in the same experimental conditions. To prove the concept that EG can be converted into different aromatic chemicals, E. coli was further engineered with a similar approach to synthesize other valuable aromatic chemicals, L-phenylalanine and p-coumaric acid. Finally, waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were degraded using acid hydrolysis and the resulting monomer EG was transformed into L-tyrosine using the engineered E. coli, yielding a comparable titer to that obtained using commercial EG. The strains developed in this study should be valuable to the community for producing valuable aromatics from EG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smaranika Panda
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jie Fu J Zhou
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michelle Feigis
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Emma Harrison
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Xiaoqiang Ma
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vincent Fung Kin Yuen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Kang Zhou
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Cluster of Food, Chemical and Biotechnology, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore.
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20
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Qian X, Xin K, Zhang L, Zhou J, Xu A, Dong W, Jiang M. Integration of ARTP Mutation and Adaptive Laboratory Evolution to Reveal 1,4-Butanediol Degradation in Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0498822. [PMID: 37067433 PMCID: PMC10269461 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04988-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Biotransformation of plastics or their depolymerization monomers as raw materials would offer a better end-of-life solutions to the plastic waste dilemma. 1,4-butanediol (BDO) is one of the major depolymerization monomers of many plastics polymers. BDO valorization presents great significance for waste plastic up-recycling and fermenting feedstock exploitation. In the present study, atmospheric pressure room temperature plasma (ARTP)-induced mutation combined with adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) was used to improve the BDO utilization capability of Pseudomonas putida KT2440. The excellent mutant P. putida NB10 was isolated and stored in the China Typical Culture Preservation Center (CCTCC) with the deposit number M 2021482. Whole-genome resequencing and transcriptome analysis revealed that the BDO degradation process consists of β-oxidation, glyoxylate carboligase (GCL) pathway, glyoxylate cycle and gluconeogenesis pathway. The imbalance between the two key intermediates (acetyl-CoA and glycolyl-CoA) and the accumulation of cytotoxic aldehydes resulted in the weak metabolism performance of KT2440 in the utilization of BDO. The balance of the carbon flux and enhanced tolerance to cytotoxic intermediates endow NB10 with great BDO degradation capability. This study deeply revealed the metabolic mechanism behind BDO degradation and provided an excellent chassis cell for BDO further up-cycling to high-value chemicals. IMPORTANCE Plastic waste represents not only a global pollution problem but also a carbon-rich, low-cost, globally renewable feedstock for industrial biotechnology. BDO is the basic material for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), poly butylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT), poly (butylene succinate) (PBS), etc. Herein, the construction of BDO valorization cell factory presents great significance for waste plastic up-recycling and novel fermentation feedstock exploitation. However, BDO is hard to be metabolized and its metabolic pathway is unclear. This study presents a P. putida mutant NB10, obtained through the integration of ARTP and ALE, displaying significant growth improvement with BDO as the sole carbon source. Further genome resequencing, transcriptome analysis and genetic engineering deeply revealed the metabolic mechanism behind BDO degradation in P. putida, this study offers an excellent microbial chassis and modification strategy for plastic waste up-cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiujuan Qian
- Key Laboratory for Waste Plastics Biocatalytic Degradation and Recycling, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kaiyuan Xin
- Key Laboratory for Waste Plastics Biocatalytic Degradation and Recycling, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lili Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Waste Plastics Biocatalytic Degradation and Recycling, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Waste Plastics Biocatalytic Degradation and Recycling, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Anming Xu
- Key Laboratory for Waste Plastics Biocatalytic Degradation and Recycling, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weiliang Dong
- Key Laboratory for Waste Plastics Biocatalytic Degradation and Recycling, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Min Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Waste Plastics Biocatalytic Degradation and Recycling, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
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21
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Alruwaili A, Rashid GMM, Bugg TDH. Application of Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 glycolate oxidase as an efficient accessory enzyme for lignin conversion by bacterial Dyp peroxidase enzymes. GREEN CHEMISTRY : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL AND GREEN CHEMISTRY RESOURCE : GC 2023; 25:3549-3560. [PMID: 37179958 PMCID: PMC10167727 DOI: 10.1039/d3gc00475a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Lignin oxidation by bacterial dye-decolorizing peroxidase enzymes requires hydrogen peroxide as a co-substrate, an unstable and corrosive oxidant. We have identified a glycolate oxidase enzyme from Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 that can couple effectively at pH 6.5 with DyP peroxidase enzymes from Agrobacterium sp. or Comamonas testosteroni to oxidise lignin substrates without addition of hydrogen peroxide. Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 glycolate oxidase (RjGlOx) has activity for oxidation of a range of α-ketoaldehyde and α-hydroxyacid substrates, and is also active for oxidation of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to furandicarboxylic acid. The combination of RjGlOx with Agrobacterium sp. DyP or C. testosteroni DyP generated new and enhanced amounts of low molecular weight aromatic products from organosolv lignin substrates, and was able to generate high-value products from treatment of lignin residue from cellulosic biofuel production, and from a polymeric humin substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Awatif Alruwaili
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Goran M M Rashid
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Timothy D H Bugg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
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22
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Lammens EM, Feyaerts N, Kerremans A, Boon M, Lavigne R. Assessing the Orthogonality of Phage-Encoded RNA Polymerases for Tailored Synthetic Biology Applications in Pseudomonas Species. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087175. [PMID: 37108338 PMCID: PMC10138996 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The phage T7 RNA polymerase (RNAP) and lysozyme form the basis of the widely used pET expression system for recombinant expression in the biotechnology field and as a tool in microbial synthetic biology. Attempts to transfer this genetic circuitry from Escherichia coli to non-model bacterial organisms with high potential have been restricted by the cytotoxicity of the T7 RNAP in the receiving hosts. We here explore the diversity of T7-like RNAPs mined directly from Pseudomonas phages for implementation in Pseudomonas species, thus relying on the co-evolution and natural adaptation of the system towards its host. By screening and characterizing different viral transcription machinery using a vector-based system in P. putida., we identified a set of four non-toxic phage RNAPs from phages phi15, PPPL-1, Pf-10, and 67PfluR64PP, showing a broad activity range and orthogonality to each other and the T7 RNAP. In addition, we confirmed the transcription start sites of their predicted promoters and improved the stringency of the phage RNAP expression systems by introducing and optimizing phage lysozymes for RNAP inhibition. This set of viral RNAPs expands the adaption of T7-inspired circuitry towards Pseudomonas species and highlights the potential of mining tailored genetic parts and tools from phages for their non-model host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eveline-Marie Lammens
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21 Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Feyaerts
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21 Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alison Kerremans
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21 Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maarten Boon
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21 Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rob Lavigne
- Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21 Box 2462, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
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23
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Pellis A, Guebitz GM, Ribitsch D. Bio-upcycling of multilayer materials and blends: closing the plastics loop. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 81:102938. [PMID: 37058877 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
The urge to discover and develop new technologies for closing the plastic carbon cycle is motivating industries, governments, and academia to work closely together to find suitable solutions in a timely manner. In this review article, a combination of uprising breakthrough technologies is presented highlighting their potential and complementarity to be integrated one with the other, therefore providing a potential solution to efficiently solve the plastics problem. First, modern approaches for bio-exploration and engineering of polymer-active enzymes are presented to degrade polymers into valuable building blocks. Special focus is placed on the recovery of components from multilayered materials since these complex materials can only be recycled insufficiently or not at all by existing technologies. Then, the potential of microbes and enzymes for resynthesis of polymers and reuse of building blocks is summarized and discussed. Finally, examples for improvement of the bio-based content and enzymatic degradability and future perspectives are given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Pellis
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genova, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
| | - Georg M Guebitz
- ACIB - Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria; Department of Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln, Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - Doris Ribitsch
- ACIB - Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria; Department of Agrobiotechnology, IFA-Tulln, Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
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24
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Frazão CJR, Wagner N, Rabe K, Walther T. Construction of a synthetic metabolic pathway for biosynthesis of 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid from ethylene glycol. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1931. [PMID: 37024485 PMCID: PMC10079672 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37558-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ethylene glycol is an attractive two-carbon alcohol substrate for biochemical product synthesis as it can be derived from CO2 or syngas at no sacrifice to human food stocks. Here, we disclose a five-step synthetic metabolic pathway enabling the carbon-conserving biosynthesis of the versatile platform molecule 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid (DHB) from this compound. The linear pathway chains ethylene glycol dehydrogenase, D-threose aldolase, D-threose dehydrogenase, D-threono-1,4-lactonase, D-threonate dehydratase and 2-oxo-4-hydroxybutyrate reductase enzyme activities in succession. We screen candidate enzymes with D-threose dehydrogenase and D-threonate dehydratase activities on cognate substrates with conserved carbon-centre stereochemistry. Lastly, we show the functionality of the pathway by its expression in an Escherichia coli strain and production of 1 g L-1 and 0.8 g L-1 DHB from, respectively, glycolaldehyde or ethylene glycol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudio J R Frazão
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nils Wagner
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kenny Rabe
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Walther
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany.
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25
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Jung H, Shin G, Kwak H, Hao LT, Jegal J, Kim HJ, Jeon H, Park J, Oh DX. Review of polymer technologies for improving the recycling and upcycling efficiency of plastic waste. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 320:138089. [PMID: 36754297 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Human society has become increasingly reliant on plastic because it allows for convenient and sanitary living. However, recycling rates are currently low, which means that the majority of plastic waste ends up in landfills or the ocean. Increasing recycling and upcycling rates is a critical strategy for addressing the issues caused by plastic pollution, but there are several technical limitations to overcome. This article reviews advancements in polymer technology that aim to improve the efficiency of recycling and upcycling plastic waste. In food packaging, natural polymers with excellent gas barrier properties and self-cleaning abilities have been introduced as environmentally friendly alternatives to existing materials and to reduce food-derived contamination. Upcycling and valorization approaches have emerged to transform plastic waste into high-value-added products. Recent advancements in the development of recyclable high-performance plastics include the design of super engineering thermoplastics and engineering chemical bonds of thermosets to make them recyclable and biodegradable. Further research is needed to develop more cost-effective and scalable technologies to address the plastic pollution problem through sustainable recycling and upcycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuni Jung
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea
| | - Giyoung Shin
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea
| | - Hojung Kwak
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea
| | - Lam Tan Hao
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea; Advanced Materials and Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonggeon Jegal
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Jeong Kim
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeonyeol Jeon
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea; Advanced Materials and Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jeyoung Park
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dongyeop X Oh
- Research Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan, 44429, Republic of Korea; Advanced Materials and Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
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26
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Schada von Borzyskowski L, Schulz-Mirbach H, Troncoso Castellanos M, Severi F, Gómez-Coronado PA, Paczia N, Glatter T, Bar-Even A, Lindner SN, Erb TJ. Implementation of the β-hydroxyaspartate cycle increases growth performance of Pseudomonas putida on the PET monomer ethylene glycol. Metab Eng 2023; 76:97-109. [PMID: 36731627 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Ethylene glycol (EG) is a promising next generation feedstock for bioprocesses. It is a key component of the ubiquitous plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and other polyester fibers and plastics, used in antifreeze formulations, and can also be generated by electrochemical conversion of syngas, which makes EG a key compound in a circular bioeconomy. The majority of biotechnologically relevant bacteria assimilate EG via the glycerate pathway, a wasteful metabolic route that releases CO2 and requires reducing equivalents as well as ATP. In contrast, the recently characterized β-hydroxyaspartate cycle (BHAC) provides a more efficient, carbon-conserving route for C2 assimilation. Here we aimed at overcoming the natural limitations of EG metabolism in the industrially relevant strain Pseudomonas putida KT2440 by replacing the native glycerate pathway with the BHAC. We first prototyped the core reaction sequence of the BHAC in Escherichia coli before establishing the complete four-enzyme BHAC in Pseudomonas putida. Directed evolution on EG resulted in an improved strain that exhibits 35% faster growth and 20% increased biomass yield compared to a recently reported P. putida strain that was evolved to grow on EG via the glycerate pathway. Genome sequencing and proteomics highlight plastic adaptations of the genetic and metabolic networks in response to the introduction of the BHAC into P. putida and identify key mutations for its further integration during evolution. Taken together, our study shows that the BHAC can be utilized as 'plug-and-play' module for the metabolic engineering of two important microbial platform organisms, paving the way for multiple applications for a more efficient and carbon-conserving upcycling of EG in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Schada von Borzyskowski
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Helena Schulz-Mirbach
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Mauricio Troncoso Castellanos
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Francesca Severi
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Paul A Gómez-Coronado
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Nicole Paczia
- Facility for Metabolomics and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Timo Glatter
- Facility for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Arren Bar-Even
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Steffen N Lindner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Department of Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany; LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
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27
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Son J, Lim SH, Kim YJ, Lim HJ, Lee JY, Jeong S, Park C, Park SJ. Customized valorization of waste streams by Pseudomonas putida: State-of-the-art, challenges, and future trends. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 371:128607. [PMID: 36638894 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Preventing catastrophic climate events warrants prompt action to delay global warming, which threatens health and food security. In this context, waste management using engineered microbes has emerged as a long-term eco-friendly solution for addressing the global climate crisis and transitioning to clean energy. Notably, Pseudomonas putida can valorize industry-derived synthetic wastes including plastics, oils, food, and agricultural waste into products of interest, and it has been extensively explored for establishing a fully circular bioeconomy through the conversion of waste into bio-based products, including platform chemicals (e.g., cis,cis-muconic and adipic acid) and biopolymers (e.g., medium-chain length polyhydroxyalkanoate). However, the efficiency of waste pretreatment technologies, capability of microbial cell factories, and practicability of synthetic biology tools remain low, posing a challenge to the industrial application of P. putida. The present review discusses the state-of-the-art, challenges, and future prospects for divergent biosynthesis of versatile products from waste-derived feedstocks using P. putida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jina Son
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo Hyun Lim
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Jin Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Jin Lim
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Yeon Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Seona Jeong
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Chulhwan Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Si Jae Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea.
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28
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Kolitha BS, Jayasekara SK, Tannenbaum R, Jasiuk IM, Jayakody LN. Repurposing of waste PET by microbial biotransformation to functionalized materials for additive manufacturing. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 50:kuad010. [PMID: 37248049 PMCID: PMC10549213 DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Plastic waste is an outstanding environmental thread. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most abundantly produced single-use plastics worldwide, but its recycling rates are low. In parallel, additive manufacturing is a rapidly evolving technology with wide-ranging applications. Thus, there is a need for a broad spectrum of polymers to meet the demands of this growing industry and address post-use waste materials. This perspective article highlights the potential of designing microbial cell factories to upcycle PET into functionalized chemical building blocks for additive manufacturing. We present the leveraging of PET hydrolyzing enzymes and rewiring the bacterial C2 and aromatic catabolic pathways to obtain high-value chemicals and polymers. Since PET mechanical recycling back to original materials is cost-prohibitive, the biochemical technology is a viable alternative to upcycle PET into novel 3D printing materials, such as replacements for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. The presented hybrid chemo-bio approaches potentially enable the manufacturing of environmentally friendly degradable or higher-value high-performance polymers and composites and their reuse for a circular economy. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY Biotransformation of waste PET to high-value platform chemicals for additive manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhagya S Kolitha
- School of Biological Science, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Sandhya K Jayasekara
- School of Biological Science, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Rina Tannenbaum
- Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, the Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Iwona M Jasiuk
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Lahiru N Jayakody
- School of Biological Science, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
- Fermentation Science Institute, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
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29
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Wagner N, Bade F, Straube E, Rabe K, Frazão CJR, Walther T. In vivo implementation of a synthetic metabolic pathway for the carbon-conserving conversion of glycolaldehyde to acetyl-CoA. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1125544. [PMID: 36845174 PMCID: PMC9947464 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1125544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ethylene glycol (EG) derived from plastic waste or CO2 can serve as a substrate for microbial production of value-added chemicals. Assimilation of EG proceeds though the characteristic intermediate glycolaldehyde (GA). However, natural metabolic pathways for GA assimilation have low carbon efficiency when producing the metabolic precursor acetyl-CoA. In alternative, the reaction sequence catalyzed by EG dehydrogenase, d-arabinose 5-phosphate aldolase, d-arabinose 5-phosphate isomerase, d-ribulose 5-phosphate 3-epimerase (Rpe), d-xylulose 5-phosphate phosphoketolase, and phosphate acetyltransferase may enable the conversion of EG into acetyl-CoA without carbon loss. We investigated the metabolic requirements for in vivo function of this pathway in Escherichia coli by (over)expressing constituting enzymes in different combinations. Using 13C-tracer experiments, we first examined the conversion of EG to acetate via the synthetic reaction sequence and showed that, in addition to heterologous phosphoketolase, overexpression of all native enzymes except Rpe was required for the pathway to function. Since acetyl-CoA could not be reliably quantified by our LC/MS-method, the distribution of isotopologues in mevalonate, a stable metabolite that is exclusively derived from this intermediate, was used to probe the contribution of the synthetic pathway to biosynthesis of acetyl-CoA. We detected strong incorporation of 13C carbon derived from labeled GA in all intermediates of the synthetic pathway. In presence of unlabeled co-substrate glycerol, 12.4% of the mevalonate (and therefore acetyl-CoA) was derived from GA. The contribution of the synthetic pathway to acetyl-CoA production was further increased to 16.1% by the additional expression of the native phosphate acyltransferase enzyme. Finally, we demonstrated that conversion of EG to mevalonate was feasible albeit at currently extremely small yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Wagner
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Frederik Bade
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elly Straube
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kenny Rabe
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
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30
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Mudondo J, Lee HS, Jeong Y, Kim TH, Kim S, Sung BH, Park SH, Park K, Cha HG, Yeon YJ, Kim HT. Recent Advances in the Chemobiological Upcycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) into Value-Added Chemicals. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 33:1-14. [PMID: 36451300 PMCID: PMC9895998 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2208.08048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a plastic material commonly applied to beverage packaging used in everyday life. Owing to PET's versatility and ease of use, its consumption has continuously increased, resulting in considerable waste generation. Several physical and chemical recycling processes have been developed to address this problem. Recently, biological upcycling is being actively studied and has come to be regarded as a powerful technology for overcoming the economic issues associated with conventional recycling methods. For upcycling, PET should be degraded into small molecules, such as terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, which are utilized as substrates for bioconversion, through various degradation processes, including gasification, pyrolysis, and chemical/biological depolymerization. Furthermore, biological upcycling methods have been applied to biosynthesize value-added chemicals, such as adipic acid, muconic acid, catechol, vanillin, and glycolic acid. In this review, we introduce and discuss various degradation methods that yield substrates for bioconversion and biological upcycling processes to produce value-added biochemicals. These technologies encourage a circular economy, which reduces the amount of waste released into the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Mudondo
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoe-Suk Lee
- Department of Biochemical Engineering Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunhee Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hee Kim
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungmi Kim
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong Hyun Sung
- Synthetic Biology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - See-Hyoung Park
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong 30016, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungmoon Park
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong 30016, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Gil Cha
- Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan 44429, Republic of Korea,Corresponding authors H.G. Cha Phone: +82-52-241-6317 Fax: +82-52-241-6349 E-mail:
| | - Young Joo Yeon
- Department of Biochemical Engineering Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung 25457, Republic of Korea,Y.J. Yeon Phone: +82-33-640-2401 Fax: +82-33-640-2410 E-mail:
| | - Hee Taek Kim
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea,H.T. Kim Phone: +82-42-821-6722 Fax:+82-42-821-8785 E-mail:
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31
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de Witt J, Ernst P, Gätgens J, Noack S, Hiller D, Wynands B, Wierckx N. Characterization and engineering of branched short-chain dicarboxylate metabolism in Pseudomonas reveals resistance to fungal 2-hydroxyparaconate. Metab Eng 2023; 75:205-216. [PMID: 36581064 PMCID: PMC9875883 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In recent years branched short-chain dicarboxylates (BSCD) such as itaconic acid gained increasing interest in both medicine and biotechnology. Their use as building blocks for plastics urges for developing microbial upcycling strategies to provide sustainable end-of-life solutions. Furthermore, many BSCD exhibit anti-bacterial properties or exert immunomodulatory effects in macrophages, indicating a medical relevance for this group of molecules. For both of these applications, a detailed understanding of the microbial metabolism of these compounds is essential. In this study, the metabolic pathway of BSCD degradation from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was studied in detail by heterologously transferring it to Pseudomonas putida. Heterologous expression of the PA0878-0886 itaconate metabolism gene cluster enabled P. putida KT2440 to metabolize itaconate, (S)- and (R)-methylsuccinate, (S)-citramalate, and mesaconate. The functions of the so far uncharacterized genes PA0879 and PA0881 were revealed and proven to extend the substrate range of the core degradation pathway. Furthermore, the uncharacterized gene PA0880 was discovered to encode a 2-hydroxyparaconate (2-HP) lactonase that catalyzes the cleavage of the itaconate derivative 2-HP to itatartarate. Interestingly, 2-HP was found to inhibit growth of the engineered P. putida on itaconate. All in all, this study extends the substrate range of P. putida to include BSCD for bio-upcycling of high-performance polymers, and also identifies 2-HP as promising candidate for anti-microbial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan de Witt
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Philipp Ernst
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jochem Gätgens
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Stephan Noack
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Davina Hiller
- Institut für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Benedikt Wynands
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nick Wierckx
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany,Corresponding author.
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32
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Khare R, Khare S. Polymer and its effect on environment. J INDIAN CHEM SOC 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jics.2022.100821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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33
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Panda S, Zhou K. Engineering microbes to overproduce natural products as agrochemicals. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2022; 8:79-85. [PMID: 36514486 PMCID: PMC9731846 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Current agricultural practices heavily rely on the excessive application of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers to meet the food demands of the increasing global population. This practice has several drawbacks including its negative impact on the environment and human health. Recently, the use of natural products has gained interest as alternatives to these synthetic agrochemicals due to their selective working mechanisms and biodegradability. In order to efficiently produce these natural agrochemicals, engineering microorganisms is emerging as an increasingly viable approach, and it is anticipated that it will have a significant market share in the near future. This approach manipulates the metabolism of microbes to manufacture the desired natural compounds from low-cost starting materials. This review discusses recent examples of this approach. The produced natural products can serve as biopesticides or plant growth regulators for the sustainable improvement of plant growth and disease control. The challenges in further developing these strategies are also discussed.
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Lomwongsopon P, Varrone C. Critical Review on the Progress of Plastic Bioupcycling Technology as a Potential Solution for Sustainable Plastic Waste Management. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14224996. [PMID: 36433123 PMCID: PMC9692586 DOI: 10.3390/polym14224996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastic production worldwide has doubled in the last two decades and is expected to reach a four-fold increase by 2050. The durability of plastic makes them a perfect material for many applications, but it is also a key limitation to their end-of-life management. The current plastic lifecycle is far from circular, with only 13% being collected for recycling and 9% being successfully recycled, indicating the failure of current recycling technology. The remaining plastic waste streams are thus incinerated, landfilled, or worse, mismanaged, leading to them leaking into the environment. To promote plastic circularity, keeping material in the loop is a priority and represents a more sustainable solution. This can be achieved through the reuse of plastic items, or by using plastic waste as a resource for new materials, instead of discarding them as waste. As the discovery of plastic-degrading/utilizing microorganisms and enzymes has been extensively reported recently, the possibility of developing biological plastic upcycling processes is opening up. An increasing amount of studies have investigated the use of plastic as a carbon source for biotechnological processes to produce high-value compounds such as bioplastics, biochemicals, and biosurfactants. In the current review, the advancements in fossil-based plastic bio- and thermochemical upcycling technologies are presented and critically discussed. In particular, we highlight the developed (bio)depolymerization coupled with bioconversion/fermentation processes to obtain industrially valuable products. This review is expected to contribute to the future development and scale-up of effective plastic bioupcycling processes that can act as a drive to increase waste removal from the environment and valorize post-consumer plastic streams, thus accelerating the implementation of a circular (plastic) economy.
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Plastic Waste Upcycling: A Sustainable Solution for Waste Management, Product Development, and Circular Economy. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14224788. [PMID: 36432915 PMCID: PMC9694193 DOI: 10.3390/polym14224788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastic waste pollution, including non-biodegradable landfills, leaching of toxic chemicals into soil and waterways, and emission of toxic gases into the atmosphere, is significantly affecting our environment. Conventional plastic waste recycling approaches generally produce lower value materials compared to the original plastic or recover inefficient heat energy. Lately, upcycling or the valorization approach has emerged as a sustainable solution to transform plastic waste into value-added products. In this review, we present an overview of recent advancements in plastic waste upcycling, such as vitrimerization, nanocomposite fabrication, additive manufacturing, catalytic transformation, and industrial biotechnology, envisaged with technical challenges, future developments, and new circular economy opportunities.
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36
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Kim NK, Lee SH, Park HD. Current biotechnologies on depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and repolymerization of reclaimed monomers from PET for bio-upcycling: A critical review. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 363:127931. [PMID: 36100185 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has drastically increased in the past half-century, reaching 30 million tons every year. The accumulation of this recalcitrant waste now threatens diverse ecosystems. Despite efforts to recycle PET wastes, its rate of recycling remains limited, as the current PET downcycling is mostly unremunerative. To address this problem, PET bio-upcycling, which integrates microbial depolymerization of PET followed by repolymerization of PET-derived monomers into value-added products, has been suggested. This article critically reviews current understanding of microbial PET hydrolysis, the metabolic mechanisms involved in PET degradation, PET hydrolases, and their genetic improvement. Furthermore, this review includes the use of meta-omics approaches to search PET-degrading microbiomes, microbes, and putative hydrolases. The current development of biosynthetic technologies to convert PET-derived materials into value-added products is also comprehensively discussed. The integration of various depolymerization and repolymerization biotechnologies enhances the prospects of a circular economy using waste PET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Kyung Kim
- School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang-Hoon Lee
- School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hee-Deung Park
- School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
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37
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Orsi E, Claassens NJ, Nikel PI, Lindner SN. Optimizing microbial networks through metabolic bypasses. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 60:108035. [PMID: 36096403 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Metabolism has long been considered as a relatively stiff set of biochemical reactions. This somewhat outdated and dogmatic view has been challenged over the last years, as multiple studies exposed unprecedented plasticity of metabolism by exploring rational and evolutionary modifications within the metabolic network of cell factories. Of particular importance is the emergence of metabolic bypasses, which consist of enzymatic reaction(s) that support unnatural connections between metabolic nodes. Such novel topologies can be generated through the introduction of heterologous enzymes or by upregulating native enzymes (sometimes relying on promiscuous activities thereof). Altogether, the adoption of bypasses resulted in an expansion in the capacity of the host's metabolic network, which can be harnessed for bioproduction. In this review, we discuss modifications to the canonical architecture of central carbon metabolism derived from such bypasses towards six optimization purposes: stoichiometric gain, overcoming kinetic limitations, solving thermodynamic barriers, circumventing toxic intermediates, uncoupling product synthesis from biomass formation, and altering redox cofactor specificity. The metabolic costs associated with bypass-implementation are likewise discussed, including tailoring their design towards improving bioproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Orsi
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Nico J Claassens
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Pablo I Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Steffen N Lindner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; Department of Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Virchowweg 6, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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38
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Hachisuka SI, Chong JF, Fujiwara T, Takayama A, Kawakami Y, Yoshida S. Ethylene glycol metabolism in the poly(ethylene terephthalate)-degrading bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:7867-7878. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12244-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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39
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Liu P, Zheng Y, Yuan Y, Zhang T, Li Q, Liang Q, Su T, Qi Q. Valorization of Polyethylene Terephthalate to Muconic Acid by Engineering Pseudomonas Putida. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231910997. [PMID: 36232310 PMCID: PMC9569715 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231910997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastic waste is rapidly accumulating in the environment and becoming a huge global challenge. Many studies have highlighted the role of microbial metabolic engineering for the valorization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste. In this study, we proposed a new conceptual scheme for upcycling of PET. We constructed a multifunctional Pseudomonas putida KT2440 to simultaneously secrete PET hydrolase LCC, a leaf-branch compost cutinase, and synthesize muconic acid (MA) using the PET hydrolysate. The final product MA and extracellular LCC can be separated from the supernatant of the culture by ultrafiltration, and the latter was used for the next round of PET hydrolysis. A total of 0.50 g MA was produced from 1 g PET in each cycle of the whole biological processes, reaching 68% of the theoretical conversion. This new conceptual scheme for the valorization of PET waste should have advantages over existing PET upcycling schemes and provides new ideas for the utilization of other macromolecular resources that are difficult to decompose, such as lignin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Tianyuan Su
- Correspondence: (T.S.); (Q.Q.); Tel./Fax: +86-532-58632580 (Q.Q.)
| | - Qingsheng Qi
- Correspondence: (T.S.); (Q.Q.); Tel./Fax: +86-532-58632580 (Q.Q.)
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40
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Escudeiro P, Henry CS, Dias RP. Functional characterization of prokaryotic dark matter: the road so far and what lies ahead. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2022; 3:100159. [PMID: 36561390 PMCID: PMC9764257 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2022.100159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Eight-hundred thousand to one trillion prokaryotic species may inhabit our planet. Yet, fewer than two-hundred thousand prokaryotic species have been described. This uncharted fraction of microbial diversity, and its undisclosed coding potential, is known as the "microbial dark matter" (MDM). Next-generation sequencing has allowed to collect a massive amount of genome sequence data, leading to unprecedented advances in the field of genomics. Still, harnessing new functional information from the genomes of uncultured prokaryotes is often limited by standard classification methods. These methods often rely on sequence similarity searches against reference genomes from cultured species. This hinders the discovery of unique genetic elements that are missing from the cultivated realm. It also contributes to the accumulation of prokaryotic gene products of unknown function among public sequence data repositories, highlighting the need for new approaches for sequencing data analysis and classification. Increasing evidence indicates that these proteins of unknown function might be a treasure trove of biotechnological potential. Here, we outline the challenges, opportunities, and the potential hidden within the functional dark matter (FDM) of prokaryotes. We also discuss the pitfalls surrounding molecular and computational approaches currently used to probe these uncharted waters, and discuss future opportunities for research and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Escudeiro
- BioISI - Instituto de Biosistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa 1749-016, Portugal
| | - Christopher S. Henry
- Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois, USA,University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ricardo P.M. Dias
- BioISI - Instituto de Biosistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa 1749-016, Portugal,iXLab - Innovation for National Biological Resilience, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa 1749-016, Portugal,Corresponding author.
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41
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Zhou H, Wang Y, Ren Y, Li Z, Kong X, Shao M, Duan H. Plastic Waste Valorization by Leveraging Multidisciplinary Catalytic Technologies. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c02775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hua Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Ye Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yue Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Zhenhua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xianggui Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mingfei Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Haohong Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
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42
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Borrero‐de Acuña JM, Poblete‐Castro I. Rational engineering of natural polyhydroxyalkanoates producing microorganisms for improved synthesis and recovery. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 16:262-285. [PMID: 35792877 PMCID: PMC9871526 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial production of biopolymers derived from renewable substrates and waste streams reduces our heavy reliance on petrochemical plastics. One of the most important biodegradable polymers is the family of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), naturally occurring intracellular polyoxoesters produced for decades by bacterial fermentation of sugars and fatty acids at the industrial scale. Despite the advances, PHA production still suffers from heavy costs associated with carbon substrates and downstream processing to recover the intracellular product, thus restricting market positioning. In recent years, model-aided metabolic engineering and novel synthetic biology approaches have spurred our understanding of carbon flux partitioning through competing pathways and cellular resource allocation during PHA synthesis, enabling the rational design of superior biopolymer producers and programmable cellular lytic systems. This review describes these attempts to rationally engineering the cellular operation of several microbes to elevate PHA production on specific substrates and waste products. We also delve into genome reduction, morphology, and redox cofactor engineering to boost PHA biosynthesis. Besides, we critically evaluate engineered bacterial strains in various fermentation modes in terms of PHA productivity and the period required for product recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ignacio Poblete‐Castro
- Biosystems Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of Chemical and Bioprocess EngineeringUniversidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH)SantiagoChile
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43
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Brandenberg OF, Schubert OT, Kruglyak L. Towards synthetic PETtrophy: Engineering Pseudomonas putida for concurrent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) monomer metabolism and PET hydrolase expression. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:119. [PMID: 35717313 PMCID: PMC9206389 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01849-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biocatalysis offers a promising path for plastic waste management and valorization, especially for hydrolysable plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Microbial whole-cell biocatalysts for simultaneous PET degradation and growth on PET monomers would offer a one-step solution toward PET recycling or upcycling. We set out to engineer the industry-proven bacterium Pseudomonas putida for (i) metabolism of PET monomers as sole carbon sources, and (ii) efficient extracellular expression of PET hydrolases. We pursued this approach for both PET and the related polyester polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate (PBAT), aiming to learn about the determinants and potential applications of bacterial polyester-degrading biocatalysts. RESULTS P. putida was engineered to metabolize the PET and PBAT monomer terephthalic acid (TA) through genomic integration of four tphII operon genes from Comamonas sp. E6. Efficient cellular TA uptake was enabled by a point mutation in the native P. putida membrane transporter MhpT. Metabolism of the PET and PBAT monomers ethylene glycol and 1,4-butanediol was achieved through adaptive laboratory evolution. We then used fast design-build-test-learn cycles to engineer extracellular PET hydrolase expression, including tests of (i) the three PET hydrolases LCC, HiC, and IsPETase; (ii) genomic versus plasmid-based expression, using expression plasmids with high, medium, and low cellular copy number; (iii) three different promoter systems; (iv) three membrane anchor proteins for PET hydrolase cell surface display; and (v) a 30-mer signal peptide library for PET hydrolase secretion. PET hydrolase surface display and secretion was successfully engineered but often resulted in host cell fitness costs, which could be mitigated by promoter choice and altering construct copy number. Plastic biodegradation assays with the best PET hydrolase expression constructs genomically integrated into our monomer-metabolizing P. putida strains resulted in various degrees of plastic depolymerization, although self-sustaining bacterial growth remained elusive. CONCLUSION Our results show that balancing extracellular PET hydrolase expression with cellular fitness under nutrient-limiting conditions is a challenge. The precise knowledge of such bottlenecks, together with the vast array of PET hydrolase expression tools generated and tested here, may serve as a baseline for future efforts to engineer P. putida or other bacterial hosts towards becoming efficient whole-cell polyester-degrading biocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver F Brandenberg
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Chemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA.
| | - Olga T Schubert
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Chemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA.,Department of Environmental Microbiology, EAWAG, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Leonid Kruglyak
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Biological Chemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA.
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44
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Xu X, Yan Y, Huang J, Zhang Z, Wang Z, Wu M, Liang H. Regulation of uric acid and glyoxylate metabolism by UgmR protein in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:3242-3255. [PMID: 35702827 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa has evolved several systems to adapt to complex environments. The GntR family proteins play important roles in the regulation of metabolic processes and bacterial pathogenesis. In this study, we uncovered that the gene clusters of PA1513-PA1518 and PA1498-PA1502 in P. aeruginosa are required for uric acid and glyoxylate metabolism, respectively. We also identified a GntR family regulator UgmR that is involved in regulation of uric acid and glyoxylate metabolism. Promoter activity measurement and biochemical assays revealed that the UgmR directly represses the transcriptional activity of PA1513-PA1518 and PA1498-PA1502, and this inhibition was relieved by the addition of uric acid. Importantly, further experiments showed that UgmR also participates in the glyoxylate shunt. Collectively, these findings contribute to a better understanding of the UgmR factor involved in uric acid and glyoxylate metabolism, which provide insights into the complex metabolic pathways in P. aeruginosa. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Yunfang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Jiadai Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Zihao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Zhihan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
| | - Haihua Liang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, ShaanXi, China.,College of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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45
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Gao R, Pan H, Kai L, Han K, Lian J. Microbial degradation and valorization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) monomers. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 38:89. [PMID: 35426614 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03270-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the major plastics with a huge annual production. Alongside with its mass production and wide applications, PET pollution is threatening and damaging the environment and human health. Although mechanical or chemical methods can deal with PET, the process suffers from high cost and the hydrolyzed monomers will cause secondary pollution. Discovery of plastic-degrading microbes and the corresponding enzymes emerges new hope to cope with this issue. Combined with synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, microbial cell factories not only provide a promising approach to degrade PET, but also enable the conversion of its monomers, ethylene glycol (EG) and terephthalic acid (TPA), into value-added compounds. In this way, PET wastes can be handled in environment-friendly and more potentially cost-effective processes. While PET hydrolases have been extensively reviewed, this review focuses on the microbes and metabolic pathways for the degradation of PET monomers. In addition, recent advances in the biotransformation of TPA and EG into value-added compounds are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China.,Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haojie Pan
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Kai
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, 22116, Xuzhou, China.,Jiangsu Keybio Co. LTD, 22116, Xuzhou, China
| | - Kun Han
- Jiangsu Keybio Co. LTD, 22116, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jiazhang Lian
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China. .,Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China.
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Gao W, Yin Y, Wang P, Tan W, He M, Wen J. Production of fengycin from D-xylose through the expression and metabolic regulation of the Dahms pathway. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:2557-2567. [PMID: 35362719 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11871-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
D-Xylose is a key component of lignocellulosic biomass and the second-most abundant carbohydrate on the planet. As one of the most powerful cyclo-lipopeptide antibiotics, fengycin displays strong wide-spectrum antifungal and antiviral, as well as potential anti-cancer activity. Pyruvate is a key metabolite linking the biosynthesis of fatty acids and amino acids, the precursors for fengycin. In this study, the genes encoding the Dahms xylose-utilization pathway were integrated into the amyE site of Bacillus subtilis 168, and based on the metabolic characteristics of the Dahms pathway, the acetate kinase (ackA) and lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) genes were knocked out. Then, the metabolic control module II was designed to convert glycolaldehyde, another intermediate of the Dahms pathway, in addition to pathways for the conversion of acetaldehyde into malic acid and oxaloacetic acid, resulting in strain BSU03. In the presence of module II, the content of acetic and lactic acid decreased significantly, and the xylose uptake efficiency increased. At the same time, the yield of fengycin increased by 87% compared to the original strain. Additionally, the underlying factors for the increase of fengycin titer were revealed through metabonomic analysis. This study therefore demonstrates that this regulation approach can not only optimize the intracellular fluxes for the Dahms pathway, but is also conducive to the synthesis of secondary metabolites similar to fengycin. KEY POINTS: • The expression and effect of the Dahms pathway on the synthesis of fengycin in Bacillus subtilis 168. • The expression of regulatory module II can promote the metabolic rate of the Dahms pathway and increase the synthesis of the fengycin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Gao
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Yin
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Pan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wei Tan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingliang He
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianping Wen
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. .,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. .,Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
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Biochemical and structural characterization of an aromatic ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase for terephthalic acid catabolism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2121426119. [PMID: 35312352 PMCID: PMC9060491 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121426119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
SignificanceMore than 400 million tons of plastic waste is produced each year, the overwhelming majority of which ends up in landfills. Bioconversion strategies aimed at plastics have emerged as important components of enabling a circular economy for synthetic plastics, especially those that exhibit chemically similar linkages to those found in nature, such as polyesters. The enzyme system described in this work is essential for mineralization of the xenobiotic components of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) in the biosphere. Our description of its structure and substrate preferences lays the groundwork for in vivo or ex vivo engineering of this system for PET upcycling.
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Recent Advances in Biological Recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Plastic Wastes. Bioengineering (Basel) 2022; 9:bioengineering9030098. [PMID: 35324787 PMCID: PMC8945055 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering9030098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most commonly used polyester plastics worldwide but is extremely difficult to be hydrolyzed in a natural environment. PET plastic is an inexpensive, lightweight, and durable material, which can readily be molded into an assortment of products that are used in a broad range of applications. Most PET is used for single-use packaging materials, such as disposable consumer items and packaging. Although PET plastics are a valuable resource in many aspects, the proliferation of plastic products in the last several decades have resulted in a negative environmental footprint. The long-term risk of released PET waste in the environment poses a serious threat to ecosystems, food safety, and even human health in modern society. Recycling is one of the most important actions currently available to reduce these impacts. Current clean-up strategies have attempted to alleviate the adverse impacts of PET pollution but are unable to compete with the increasing quantities of PET waste exposed to the environment. In this review paper, current PET recycling methods to improve life cycle and waste management are discussed, which can be further implemented to reduce plastics pollution and its impacts on health and environment. Compared with conventional mechanical and chemical recycling processes, the biotechnological recycling of PET involves enzymatic degradation of the waste PET and the followed bioconversion of degraded PET monomers into value-added chemicals. This approach creates a circular PET economy by recycling waste PET or upcycling it into more valuable products with minimal environmental footprint.
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Jayakody LN, Chinmoy B, Turner TL. Trends in valorization of highly-toxic lignocellulosic biomass derived-compounds via engineered microbes. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 346:126614. [PMID: 34954359 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass-derived fuels, chemicals, and materials are promising sustainable solutions to replace the current petroleum-based production. The direct microbial conversion of thermos-chemically pretreated lignocellulosic biomass is hampered by the presence of highly toxic chemical compounds. Also, thermo-catalytic upgrading of lignocellulosic biomass generates wastewater that contains heterogeneous toxic chemicals, a mixture of unutilized carbon. Metabolic engineering efforts have primarily focused on the conversion of carbohydrates in lignocellulose biomass; substantial opportunities exist to harness value from toxic lignocellulose-derived toxic compounds. This article presents the comprehensive metabolic routes and tolerance mechanisms to develop robust synthetic microbial cell factories to valorize the highly toxic compounds to advanced-platform chemicals. The obtained platform chemicals can be used to manufacture high-value biopolymers and biomaterials via a hybrid biochemical approach for replacing petroleum-based incumbents. The proposed strategy enables a sustainable bio-based materials economy by microbial biofunneling of lignocellulosic biomass-derived toxic molecules, an untapped biogenic carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lahiru N Jayakody
- School of Biological Science, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA; Fermentation Science Institute, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA.
| | - Baroi Chinmoy
- Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Timothy L Turner
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhananjay Dileep
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, Sweeney Hall, Iowa State University 618 Bissell Road Ames 50011 Iowa USA
| | - Michael Forrester
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, Sweeney Hall, Iowa State University 618 Bissell Road Ames 50011 Iowa USA
| | - Eric Cochran
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, Sweeney Hall, Iowa State University 618 Bissell Road Ames 50011 Iowa USA
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