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Chen H, Jiang S, Xu K, Ding Z, Wang J, Cao M, Yuan J. Design of Thermoresponsive Genetic Controls with Minimal Heat-Shock Response. ACS Synth Biol 2024. [PMID: 39150992 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
As temperature serves as a versatile input signal, thermoresponsive genetic controls have gained significant interest for recombinant protein production and metabolic engineering applications. The conventional thermoresponsive systems normally require the continuous exposure of heat stimuli to trigger the prolonged expression of targeted genes, and the accompanied heat-shock response is detrimental to the bioproduction process. In this study, we present the design of thermoresponsive quorum-sensing (ThermoQS) circuits to make Escherichia coli record transient heat stimuli. By conversion of the heat input into the accumulation of quorum-sensing molecules such as acyl-homoserine lactone derived from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, sustained gene expressions were achieved by a minimal heat stimulus. Moreover, we also demonstrated that we reprogrammed the E. coli Lac operon to make it respond to heat stimuli with an impressive signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 15.3. Taken together, we envision that the ThermoQS systems reported in this study are expected to remarkably diminish both design and experimental expenditures for future metabolic engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haofeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Shan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Kaixuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Ziyu Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Jiangkai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Mingfeng Cao
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Synthetic Biotechnology of Xiamen City, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Jifeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518057, China
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2
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Qiao H, Chen J, Yang S. Enhanced polysaccharide production through quorum sensing system in Cordyceps militaris. J Basic Microbiol 2024; 64:e2400103. [PMID: 38771080 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202400103] [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: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to enhance extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production in Cordyceps militaris by constructing a quorum sensing (QS) system to regulate the expression of biosynthetic enzyme genes, including phosphoglucomutase, hexokinase, phosphomannomutase, polysaccharide synthase, and UDP-glucose 4-epimerase genes. The study found higher EPS concentrations in seven recombinant strains compared to the wild-type C. militaris, indicating that the overexpression of key enzyme genes increased EPS production. Among them, the CM-pgm-2 strain exhibited the highest EPS production, reaching a concentration of 3.82 ± 0.26 g/L, which was 1.52 times higher than the amount produced by the wild C. militaris strain. Additionally, the regulatory effects of aromatic amino acids on the QS system of the CM-pgm-2 strain were investigated. Under the influence of 45 mg/L tryptophan, the EPS production in CM-pgm-2 reached 4.75 ± 0.20 g/L, representing a 1.90-fold increase compared to wild C. militaris strains. This study provided an effective method for the large-scale production of EPSs in C. militaris, and opened up new avenues for research into fungal QS mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huang Qiao
- The College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianshu Chen
- The College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shengli Yang
- The College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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3
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Qian X, Angerbauer S, Egan M, Renzo MD, Haselmayr W. A Molecular Communication Perspective on Synchronization of Coupled Microfluidic-Spectroscopy. IEEE Trans Nanobioscience 2024; 23:458-471. [PMID: 38564355 DOI: 10.1109/tnb.2024.3384082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
A challenge for real-time monitoring of biochemical processes, such as cells, is detection of biologically relevant molecules. This is due to the fact that spectroscopy methods for detection may perturb the cellular environment. One approach to overcome this problem is coupled microfluidic-spectroscopy, where a microfluidic output channel is introduced in order to observe biologically relevant molecules. This approach allows for non-passive spectroscopy methods, such as mass spectrometry, to identify the structure of molecules released by the cell. Due to the non-negligible length of the microfluidic channel, when a sequence of stimuli are applied to a cell it is not straightforward to determine which spectroscopy samples correspond to a given stimulus. In this paper, we propose a solution to this problem by taking a molecular communication (MC) perspective on the coupled microfluidic-spectroscopy system. In particular, assignment of samples to a stimulus is viewed as a synchronization problem. We develop two new algorithms for synchronization in this context and carry out a detailed theoretical and numerical study of their performance. Our results show improvements over maximum-likelihood synchronization algorithms in terms of detection performance when there are uncertainties in the composition of the microfluidic channel.
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4
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Fan C, Yuan J. Reshaping the yeast galactose regulon via GPCR signaling cascade. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100647. [PMID: 37989311 PMCID: PMC10753199 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Dynamically regulated systems are preferable to control metabolic pathways for an improved strain performance with better productivity. Here, we harnessed to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathway to reshape the yeast galactose regulon. The galactose-regulated (GAL) system was coupled with the GPCR signaling pathway for mating pheromone via a synthetic transcription factor. In this study, we refabricated the dynamic range, sensitivity, and response time of the GAL system to α factor by modulating the key components of the GPCR signaling cascade. A series of engineered yeasts with self-secretion of α factor were constructed to achieve quorum-sensing behaviors. In addition, we also repurposed the GAL system to make it responsive to heat shock. Taken together, our work showcases the great potential of synthetic biology in creating user-defined metabolic controls. We envision that the plasticity of our genetic design would be of significant interest for the future fabrication of novel gene expression systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Jifeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian 361102, China.
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5
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Cao Z, Liu Z, Mao X. Application of Quorum Sensing in Metabolic Engineering. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:5062-5074. [PMID: 36967589 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c00176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering is widely utilized in the food and other fields and has the benefits of low-cost substrates, eco-friendly fermentation processes, and efficient substrate synthesis. Microbial synthesis by metabolic engineering requires maintaining the productive capacity of the microorganism. Moreover, economic reasons limit the use of inducers in the exogenous synthesis pathway. Most unicellular microorganisms can interact by emitting signaling molecules; this mechanism, known as quorum sensing (QS), is an autoinduced system of microorganisms. With the deepening research on QS systems of different microorganisms, its components are widely used to regulate the metabolic synthesis of microorganisms as a dynamic regulatory system. In this Review, we described the typical bacterial QS mechanisms. Then, we summarized various regulatory strategies for QS and their applications to metabolic engineering. Finally, we underlined the potential for QS modularity in future metabolic engineering and suggested stimulating research on fungal QS systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoning Cao
- Qingdao Key Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Processing of Aquatic Products, China National Light Industry, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Qingdao Key Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Processing of Aquatic Products, China National Light Industry, Qingdao 266404, China
| | - Xiangzhao Mao
- Qingdao Key Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266404, China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Processing of Aquatic Products, China National Light Industry, Qingdao 266404, China
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6
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Rojas V, Larrondo LF. Coupling Cell Communication and Optogenetics: Implementation of a Light-Inducible Intercellular System in Yeast. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:71-82. [PMID: 36534043 PMCID: PMC9872819 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00338] [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: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cell communication is a widespread mechanism in biology, allowing the transmission of information about environmental conditions. In order to understand how cell communication modulates relevant biological processes such as survival, division, differentiation, and apoptosis, different synthetic systems based on chemical induction have been successfully developed. In this work, we coupled cell communication and optogenetics in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our approach is based on two strains connected by the light-dependent production of α-factor pheromone in one cell type, which induces gene expression in the other type. After the individual characterization of the different variants of both strains, the optogenetic intercellular system was evaluated by combining the cells under contrasting illumination conditions. Using luciferase as a reporter gene, specific co-cultures at a 1:1 ratio displayed activation of the response upon constant blue light, which was not observed for the same cell mixtures grown in darkness. Then, the system was assessed at several dark/blue-light transitions, where the response level varies depending on the moment in which illumination was delivered. Furthermore, we observed that the amplitude of response can be tuned by modifying the initial ratio between both strains. Finally, the two-population system showed higher fold inductions in comparison with autonomous strains. Altogether, these results demonstrated that external light information is propagated through a diffusible signaling molecule to modulate gene expression in a synthetic system involving microbial cells, which will pave the road for studies allowing optogenetic control of population-level dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Rojas
- Departamento
de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias
Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad
Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium
Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - Luis F. Larrondo
- Departamento
de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias
Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad
Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
- Millennium
Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago 8331150, Chile
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7
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Xu M, Sun M, Meng X, Zhang W, Shen Y, Liu W. Engineering Pheromone-Mediated Quorum Sensing with Enhanced Response Output Increases Fucosyllactose Production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:238-248. [PMID: 36520033 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Engineering dynamic control of gene expression is desirable because many engineered functions interfere with endogenous cellular processes that have evolved to facilitate growth and survival. Minimizing conflict between growth and production phases can therefore improve product titers in microbial cell factories. We developed an autoinduced gene expression system by rewiring the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pheromone response pathway. To ameliorate growth reduction due to the early onset response at low population densities, α-pheromone of Kluyveromyces lactis (Kα) instead of S. cerevisiae (Sα) was expressed in mating type "a" yeast. Kα-induced expression of pathway genes was further enhanced by the transcriptional activator Gal4p expressed under the control of the pheromone-responsive FUS1 promoter (Pfus1). As a demonstration, the engineered circuit combined with the deletion of the endogenous galactose metabolic pathway genes was applied to the production of human milk oligosaccharides, 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) and 3-fucosllactose (3-FL). The engineered strains produced 3.37 g/L 2'-FL and 2.36 g/L 3-FL on glucose with a volumetric productivity of 0.14 and 0.03 g/L·h-1 in batch flask cultivation, respectively. These represented 147 and 153% increases over the control strains on galactose wherein the respective pathway genes are expressed under GAL promoters only. Further fed-batch fermentation achieved titers of 32.05 and 20.91 g/L for 2' and 3-FL, respectively. The genetic program developed here thus represents a promising option for implementing dynamic regulation in yeast and could be used for the production of biochemicals that may place a heavy metabolic burden on cell growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, P. R. China
| | - Mengtong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, P. R. China
| | - Xiangfeng Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, P. R. China
| | - Weixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, P. R. China
| | - Yu Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, P. R. China
| | - Weifeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, No. 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, P. R. China
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8
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Deter HS, Lu T. Engineering microbial consortia with rationally designed cellular interactions. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 76:102730. [PMID: 35609504 PMCID: PMC10129393 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic microbial consortia represent a frontier of synthetic biology that promises versatile engineering of cellular functions. They are primarily developed through the design and construction of cellular interactions that coordinate individual dynamics and generate collective behaviors. Here we review recent advances in the engineering of synthetic communities through cellular-interaction programming. We first examine fundamental building blocks for intercellular communication and unidirectional positive and negative interactions. We then recap the assembly of the building blocks for creating bidirectional interactions in two-species ecosystems, which is followed by the discussion of engineering toward complex communities with increasing species numbers, under spatial contexts, and via model-guided design. We conclude by summarizing major challenges and future opportunities of engineered microbial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather S Deter
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 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; Department of Physics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Urbana, IL, USA.
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9
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Rafieenia R, Atkinson E, Ledesma-Amaro R. Division of labor for substrate utilization in natural and synthetic microbial communities. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 75:102706. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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10
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Refactoring transcription factors for metabolic engineering. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 57:107935. [PMID: 35271945 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Due to the ability to regulate target metabolic pathways globally and dynamically, metabolic regulation systems composed of transcription factors have been widely used in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. This review introduced the categories, action principles, prediction strategies, and related databases of transcription factors. Then, the application of global transcription machinery engineering technology and the transcription factor-based biosensors and quorum sensing systems are overviewed. In addition, strategies for optimizing the transcriptional regulatory tools' performance by refactoring transcription factors are summarized. Finally, the current limitations and prospects of constructing various regulatory tools based on transcription factors are discussed. This review will provide theoretical guidance for the rational design and construction of transcription factor-based metabolic regulation systems.
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11
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Liu Y, Huang Y, Lu R, Xin F, Liu G. Synthetic biology applications of the yeast mating signal pathway. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 40:620-631. [PMID: 34666896 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cell fusion is a fundamental biological process that is involved in the development of most eukaryotic organisms. During the fusion process in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cells respond to pheromones to trigger the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascade to initiate mating, followed by polarization, cell-wall remodeling, membrane fusion, and karyogamy. We highlight the applications of the yeast mating signal pathway in promoter engineering for tuning the expression of output genes, as well as in metabolic engineering for decoupling growth and metabolism, biosensors for sensitive detection and signal amplification, genetic circuits for programmable biological functionalities, and artificial consortia for cell-cell communication. Strategies such as exploiting rational engineering of modular circuits and optimizing the reproductive pathway to precisely maneuver physiological events have implications for scientific research and industrial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yuxin Huang
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ran Lu
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Fengxue Xin
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Guannan Liu
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Jiangsu Province, China; Jiangsu Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Bio-Manufacture, Nanjing Tech University, Jiangsu Province, China.
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12
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Roudbary M, Vahedi-Shahandashti R, Santos ALSD, Roudbar Mohammadi S, Aslani P, Lass-Flörl C, Rodrigues CF. Biofilm formation in clinically relevant filamentous fungi: a therapeutic challenge. Crit Rev Microbiol 2021; 48:197-221. [PMID: 34358430 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2021.1950121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Biofilms are highly-organized microbial communities attached to a biotic or an abiotic surface, surrounded by an extracellular matrix secreted by the biofilm-forming cells. The majority of fungal pathogens contribute to biofilm formation within tissues or biomedical devices, leading to serious and persistent infections. The clinical significance of biofilms relies on the increased resistance to conventional antifungal therapies and suppression of the host immune system, which leads to invasive and recurrent fungal infections. While different features of yeast biofilms are well-described in the literature, the structural and molecular basis of biofilm formation of clinically related filamentous fungi has not been fully addressed. This review aimed to address biofilm formation in clinically relevant filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Roudbary
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - André Luis Souza Dos Santos
- Department of General Microbiology, Microbiology Institute Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil
| | | | - Peyman Aslani
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Cornelia Lass-Flörl
- Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Célia F Rodrigues
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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13
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Abstract
Metabolic engineering reprograms cells to synthesize value-added products. In doing so, endogenous genes are altered and heterologous genes can be introduced to achieve the necessary enzymatic reactions. Dynamic regulation of metabolic flux is a powerful control scheme to alleviate and overcome the competing cellular objectives that arise from the introduction of these production pathways. This review explores dynamic regulation strategies that have demonstrated significant production benefits by targeting the metabolic node corresponding to a specific challenge. We summarize the stimulus-responsive control circuits employed in these strategies that determine the criterion for actuating a dynamic response and then examine the points of control that couple the stimulus-responsive circuit to a shift in metabolic flux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Ni
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA;
| | - Christina V Dinh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA;
| | - Kristala L J Prather
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA;
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14
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Mohany NAM, Totti A, Naylor KR, Janovjak H. Microbial methionine transporters and biotechnological applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:3919-3929. [PMID: 33929594 PMCID: PMC8140960 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11307-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Methionine (Met) is an essential amino acid with commercial value in animal feed, human nutrition, and as a chemical precursor. Microbial production of Met has seen intensive investigation towards a more sustainable alternative to the chemical synthesis that currently meets the global Met demand. Indeed, efficient Met biosynthesis has been achieved in genetically modified bacteria that harbor engineered enzymes and streamlined metabolic pathways. Very recently, the export of Met as the final step during its fermentative production has been studied and optimized, primarily through identification and expression of microbial Met efflux transporters. In this mini-review, we summarize the current knowledge on four families of Met export and import transporters that have been harnessed for the production of Met and other valuable biomolecules. These families are discussed with respect to their function, gene regulation, and biotechnological applications. We cover methods for identification and characterization of Met transporters as the basis for the further engineering of these proteins and for exploration of other solute carrier families. The available arsenal of Met transporters from different species and protein families provides blueprints not only for fermentative production but also synthetic biology systems, such as molecular sensors and cell-cell communication systems. KEY POINTS: • Sustainable production of methionine (Met) using microbes is actively explored. • Met transporters of four families increase production yield and specificity. • Further applications include other biosynthetic pathways and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurul Amira Mohammad Mohany
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia
| | - Alessandra Totti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology FaBiT, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Keith R Naylor
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia
| | - Harald Janovjak
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia.
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia.
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15
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Lu Z, Peng B, Ebert BE, Dumsday G, Vickers CE. Auxin-mediated protein depletion for metabolic engineering in terpene-producing yeast. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1051. [PMID: 33594068 PMCID: PMC7886869 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21313-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In metabolic engineering, loss-of-function experiments are used to understand and optimise metabolism. A conditional gene inactivation tool is required when gene deletion is lethal or detrimental to growth. Here, we exploit auxin-inducible protein degradation as a metabolic engineering approach in yeast. We demonstrate its effectiveness using terpenoid production. First, we target an essential prenyl-pyrophosphate metabolism protein, farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (Erg20p). Degradation successfully redirects metabolic flux toward monoterpene (C10) production. Second, depleting hexokinase-2, a key protein in glucose signalling transduction, lifts glucose repression and boosts production of sesquiterpene (C15) nerolidol to 3.5 g L-1 in flask cultivation. Third, depleting acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acc1p), another essential protein, delivers growth arrest without diminishing production capacity in nerolidol-producing yeast, providing a strategy to decouple growth and production. These studies demonstrate auxin-mediated protein degradation as an advanced tool for metabolic engineering. It also has potential for broader metabolic perturbation studies to better understand metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Lu
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences (SCMB), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Bingyin Peng
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
- CSIRO Future Science Platform in Synthetic Biology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Black Mountain, ACT, Australia.
| | - Birgitta E Ebert
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- CSIRO Future Science Platform in Synthetic Biology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Black Mountain, ACT, Australia
| | | | - Claudia E Vickers
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
- CSIRO Future Science Platform in Synthetic Biology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Black Mountain, ACT, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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16
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Yang X, Liu J, Zhang J, Shen Y, Qi Q, Bao X, Hou J. Quorum sensing-mediated protein degradation for dynamic metabolic pathway control in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Metab Eng 2021; 64:85-94. [PMID: 33545357 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Dynamic regulation has been widely applied to optimize metabolic flux distribution. However, compared with prokaryotes, quorum sensing-mediated pathway control is still very limited in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, we designed quorum sensing-regulated protein degradation circuits for dynamic metabolic pathway control in S. cerevisiae. The synthetic quorum sensing circuits were developed by integration of a plant hormone cytokinin system with the endogenous yeast Ypd1-Skn7 signal transduction pathway and the positive feedback circuits were optimized by promoter engineering. We then constructed an auxin-inducible protein degradation system and used quorum sensing circuits to regulate auxin synthesis to achieve dynamic control of protein degradation. As a demonstration, the circuits were applied to control Erg9 degradation to produce α-farnesene and the titer of α-farnesene increased by 80%. The population-regulated protein degradation system developed here extends dynamic regulation to the protein level in S. cerevisiae and is a promising approach for metabolic pathway control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Jianhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Jin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Yu Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Qingsheng Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Xiaoming Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, School of Bioengineering, Qi Lu University of Technology, Jinan, 250353, PR China
| | - Jin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, PR China.
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17
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Tang H, Wu Y, Deng J, Chen N, Zheng Z, Wei Y, Luo X, Keasling JD. Promoter Architecture and Promoter Engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Metabolites 2020; 10:metabo10080320. [PMID: 32781665 PMCID: PMC7466126 DOI: 10.3390/metabo10080320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Promoters play an essential role in the regulation of gene expression for fine-tuning genetic circuits and metabolic pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae). However, native promoters in S. cerevisiae have several limitations which hinder their applications in metabolic engineering. These limitations include an inadequate number of well-characterized promoters, poor dynamic range, and insufficient orthogonality to endogenous regulations. Therefore, it is necessary to perform promoter engineering to create synthetic promoters with better properties. Here, we review recent advances related to promoter architecture, promoter engineering and synthetic promoter applications in S. cerevisiae. We also provide a perspective of future directions in this field with an emphasis on the recent advances of machine learning based promoter designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongting Tang
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (H.T.); (Y.W.); (J.D.); (N.C.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Yanling Wu
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (H.T.); (Y.W.); (J.D.); (N.C.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Jiliang Deng
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (H.T.); (Y.W.); (J.D.); (N.C.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Nanzhu Chen
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (H.T.); (Y.W.); (J.D.); (N.C.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhaohui Zheng
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (H.T.); (Y.W.); (J.D.); (N.C.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Yongjun Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
| | - Xiaozhou Luo
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (H.T.); (Y.W.); (J.D.); (N.C.); (Z.Z.)
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (J.D.K.)
| | - Jay D. Keasling
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Shenzhen Institutes for Advanced Technologies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (H.T.); (Y.W.); (J.D.); (N.C.); (Z.Z.)
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering & Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (J.D.K.)
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18
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Chen Y, Guo E, Zhang J, Si T. Advances in RNAi-Assisted Strain Engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:731. [PMID: 32714914 PMCID: PMC7343710 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a widely used eukaryotic model and microbial cell factory. RNA interference (RNAi) is a conserved regulatory mechanism among eukaryotes but absent from S. cerevisiae. Recent reconstitution of RNAi machinery in S. cerevisiae enables the use of this powerful tool for strain engineering. Here we first discuss the introduction of heterologous RNAi pathways in S. cerevisiae, and the design of various expression cassettes of RNAi precursor reagents for tunable, dynamic, and genome-wide regulation. We then summarize notable examples of RNAi-assisted functional genomics and metabolic engineering studies in S. cerevisiae. We conclude with the future challenges and opportunities of RNAi-based approaches, as well as the potential of other regulatory RNAs in advancing yeast engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongcan Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Erpeng Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianzhi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tong Si
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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19
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Qiu C, Zhai H, Hou J. Biosensors design in yeast and applications in metabolic engineering. FEMS Yeast Res 2020; 19:5645237. [PMID: 31778177 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foz082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineering microbial cell factories is a potential approach of sustainable production of chemicals, fuels and pharmaceuticals. However, testing the production of molecules in high throughput is still a time-consuming and laborious process since product synthesis usually does not confer a clear phenotype. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new techniques for fast high-producer screening. Genetically encoded biosensors are considered to be promising devices for high-throughput analysis owing to their ability to sense metabolites and couple detection to an actuator, thereby facilitating the rapid detection of small molecules at single-cell level. Here, we review recent advances in the design and engineering of biosensors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and their applications in metabolic engineering. Three types of biosensor are introduced in this review: transcription factor based, RNA-based and enzyme-coupled biosensors. The studies to improve the features of biosensors are also described. Moreover, we summarized their metabolic engineering applications in dynamic regulation and high producer selection. Current challenges in biosensor design and future perspectives on sensor applications are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Binhai Road 72, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, P. R. China
| | - Haotian Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Binhai Road 72, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, P. R. China
| | - Jin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Binhai Road 72, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, P. R. China
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20
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Ge C, Sheng H, Chen X, Shen X, Sun X, Yan Y, Wang J, Yuan Q. Quorum Sensing System Used as a Tool in Metabolic Engineering. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e1900360. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chang Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource EngineeringBeijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing Chaoyang 100029 China
| | - Huakang Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource EngineeringBeijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing Chaoyang 100029 China
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource EngineeringBeijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing Chaoyang 100029 China
| | - Xiaolin Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource EngineeringBeijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing Chaoyang 100029 China
| | - Xinxiao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource EngineeringBeijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing Chaoyang 100029 China
| | - Yajun Yan
- College of EngineeringThe University of Georgia Athens GA 30605 USA
| | - Jia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource EngineeringBeijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing Chaoyang 100029 China
| | - Qipeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource EngineeringBeijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing Chaoyang 100029 China
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21
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Johnston EJ, Moses T, Rosser SJ. The wide-ranging phenotypes of ergosterol biosynthesis mutants, and implications for microbial cell factories. Yeast 2020; 37:27-44. [PMID: 31800968 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Yeast strains have been used extensively as robust microbial cell factories for the production of bulk and fine chemicals, including biofuels (bioethanol), complex pharmaceuticals (antimalarial drug artemisinin and opioid pain killers), flavours, and fragrances (vanillin, nootkatone, and resveratrol). In many cases, it is of benefit to suppress or modify ergosterol biosynthesis during strain engineering, for example, to increase thermotolerance or to increase metabolic flux through an alternate pathway. However, the impact of modifying ergosterol biosynthesis on engineered strains is discussed sparsely in literature, and little attention has been paid to the implications of these modifications on the general health and well-being of yeast. Importantly, yeast with modified sterol content exhibit a wide range of phenotypes, including altered organization and dynamics of plasma membrane, altered susceptibility to chemical treatment, increased tolerance to high temperatures, and reduced tolerance to other stresses such as high ethanol, salt, and solute concentrations. Here, we review the wide-ranging phenotypes of viable Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with altered sterol content and discuss the implications of these for yeast as microbial cell factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Johnston
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tessa Moses
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Susan J Rosser
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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22
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Ouyang X, Cha Y, Li W, Zhu C, Zhu M, Li S, Zhuo M, Huang S, Li J. Stepwise engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce (+)-valencene and its related sesquiterpenes. RSC Adv 2019; 9:30171-30181. [PMID: 35530214 PMCID: PMC9072130 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra05558d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
(+)-Valencene and (+)-nootkatone are high value-added sesquiterpenoids found in grapefruit. The synthesis of (+)-nootkatone by chemical oxidation from (+)-valencene cannot meet the increasing demand in natural aromatics markets. Development of a viable bioprocess using microorganisms is attractive. According to the yields of β-nootkatol and (+)-nootkatone by strains harboring different expression cassettes in the resting cell assay, premnaspirodiene oxygenase from Hyoscyamus muticus (HPO), cytochrome P450 reductase from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtCPR) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH1) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae were finally selected and overexpressed in CEN·PK2-1Ca, yielding β-nootkatol and (+)-nootkatone with 170.5 and 45.6 mg L-1 ethyl acetate, respectively. A combinational engineering strategy including promoter change, regulator ROX1 knockout, squalene pathway inhibition, and tHMGR overexpression was performed to achieve de novo (+)-valencene production. Subsequent culture investigations found that galactose as the induced carbon source and a lower temperature (25 °C) were beneficial to target accumulation. Also, replacing the inducible promoters (GAL1) of HPO and AtCPR with constitutive promoters (HXT7 and CYC1) dramatically increased the β-nootkatol accumulation from 108.2 to 327.8 mg L-1 ethyl acetate in resting-cell experiments using (+)-valencene as a substrate. Finally, the total terpenoid titer of the engineered strain of PK2-25 using glucose as a carbon source was improved to 157.8 mg L-1 cell culture, which was 56 times the initial value. We present a new candidate for production of (+)-valencene and its related sesquiterpenoids with attraction for industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Ouyang
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center Guangzhou 510006 China +86 20 3938 0601 +86 20 3938 0601
| | - Yaping Cha
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center Guangzhou 510006 China +86 20 3938 0601 +86 20 3938 0601
| | - Wen Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center Guangzhou 510006 China +86 20 3938 0601 +86 20 3938 0601
| | - Chaoyi Zhu
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center Guangzhou 510006 China +86 20 3938 0601 +86 20 3938 0601
| | - Muzi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology Guangzhou 510070 China
| | - Shuang Li
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center Guangzhou 510006 China +86 20 3938 0601 +86 20 3938 0601
| | - Min Zhuo
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center Guangzhou 510006 China +86 20 3938 0601 +86 20 3938 0601
| | - Shaobin Huang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center Guangzhou 510006 China
| | - Jianjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology Guangzhou 510070 China
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23
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Mehmood A, Liu G, Wang X, Meng G, Wang C, Liu Y. Fungal Quorum-Sensing Molecules and Inhibitors with Potential Antifungal Activity: A Review. Molecules 2019; 24:E1950. [PMID: 31117232 PMCID: PMC6571750 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24101950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The theory of persisting independent and isolated regarding microorganisms is no longer accepted. To survive and reproduce they have developed several communication platforms within the cells which facilitates them to adapt the surrounding environmental changes. This cell-to-cell communication is termed as quorum sensing; it relies upon the cell density and can stimulate several traits of microbes including biofilm formation, competence, and virulence factors secretion. Initially, this sophisticated mode of communication was discovered in bacteria; later, it was also confirmed in eukaryotes (fungi). As a consequence, many quorum-sensing molecules and inhibitors have been identified and characterized in various fungal species. In this review article, we will primarily focus on fungal quorum-sensing molecules and the production of inhibitors from fungal species with potential applications for combating fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad Mehmood
- Beijing Advance Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Guorong Liu
- Beijing Advance Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Xin Wang
- Beijing Advance Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Guannan Meng
- Beijing Advance Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Chengtao Wang
- Beijing Advance Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Ya Liu
- R&D Center of China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co. Ltd., Kunming 650202, China.
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24
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Abstract
Gene expression noise arises from stochastic variation in the synthesis and degradation of mRNA and protein molecules and creates differences in protein numbers across populations of genetically identical cells. Such variability can lead to imprecision and reduced performance of both native and synthetic networks. In principle, gene expression noise can be controlled through the rates of transcription, translation and degradation, such that different combinations of those rates lead to the same protein concentrations but at different noise levels. Here, we present a "noise tuner" which allows orthogonal control over the transcription and the mRNA degradation rates by two different inducer molecules. Combining experiments with theoretical analysis, we show that in this system the noise is largely determined by the transcription rate, whereas the mean expression is determined by both the transcription rate and mRNA stability and can thus be decoupled from the noise. This noise tuner enables 2-fold changes in gene expression noise over a 5-fold range of mean protein levels. We demonstrated the efficacy of the noise tuner in a complex regulatory network by varying gene expression noise in the mating pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which allowed us to control the output noise and the mutual information transduced through the pathway. The noise tuner thus represents an effective tool of gene expression noise control, both to interrogate noise sensitivity of natural networks and enhance performance of synthetic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Mundt
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Anders
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Seán M. Murray
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Victor Sourjik
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany
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25
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Hoffmann A, Haas C, Hennig S, Ostermann K, Bley T, Löser C, Walther T. Modeling population dynamics in a microbial consortium under control of a synthetic pheromone-mediated communication system. Eng Life Sci 2018; 19:400-411. [PMID: 32625018 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.201800107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial consortia can be used to catalyze complex biotransformations. Tools to control the behavior of these consortia in a technical environment are currently lacking. In the present study, a synthetic biology approach was used to build a model consortium of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains where growth and expression of the fluorescent marker protein EGFP by the receiver strain is controlled by the concentration of α-factor pheromone, which is produced by the emitter strain. We have developed a quantitative experimental and theoretical framework to describe population dynamics in the model consortium. We measured biomass growth and metabolite production in controlled bioreactor experiments, and used flow cytometry to monitor changes of the subpopulations and protein expression under different cultivation conditions. This dataset was used to parameterize a segregated mathematical model, which took into account fundamental growth processes, pheromone-induced growth arrest and EGFP production, as well as pheromone desensitization after extended exposure. The model was able to predict the growth dynamics of single-strain cultures and the consortium quantitatively and provides a basis for using this approach in actual biotransformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Hoffmann
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Christiane Haas
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Stefan Hennig
- Institute of Genetics Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Kai Ostermann
- Institute of Genetics Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Thomas Bley
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Christian Löser
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Thomas Walther
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
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26
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Lalwani MA, Zhao EM, Avalos JL. Current and future modalities of dynamic control in metabolic engineering. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2018; 52:56-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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27
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Kassaw TK, Donayre-Torres AJ, Antunes MS, Morey KJ, Medford JI. Engineering synthetic regulatory circuits in plants. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 273:13-22. [PMID: 29907304 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plant synthetic biology is a rapidly emerging field that aims to engineer genetic circuits to function in plants with the same reliability and precision as electronic circuits. These circuits can be used to program predictable plant behavior, producing novel traits to improve crop plant productivity, enable biosensors, and serve as platforms to synthesize chemicals and complex biomolecules. Herein we introduce the importance of developing orthogonal plant parts and the need for quantitative part characterization for mathematical modeling of complex circuits. In particular, transfer functions are important when designing electronic-like genetic controls such as toggle switches, positive/negative feedback loops, and Boolean logic gates. We then discuss potential constraints and challenges in synthetic regulatory circuit design and integration when using plants. Finally, we highlight current and potential plant synthetic regulatory circuit applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessema K Kassaw
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA
| | - Alberto J Donayre-Torres
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA
| | - Mauricio S Antunes
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA
| | - Kevin J Morey
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA
| | - June I Medford
- Department of Biology, 1878 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1878, USA.
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28
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Hennig S, Wenzel M, Haas C, Hoffmann A, Weber J, Rödel G, Ostermann K. New approaches in bioprocess-control: Consortium guidance by synthetic cell-cell communication based on fungal pheromones. Eng Life Sci 2018; 18:387-400. [PMID: 32624919 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.201700181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioconversions in industrial processes are currently dominated by single-strain approaches. With the growing complexity of tasks to be carried out, microbial consortia become increasingly advantageous and eventually may outperform single-strain fermentations. Consortium approaches benefit from the combined metabolic capabilities of highly specialized strains and species, and the inherent division of labor reduces the metabolic burden for each strain while increasing product yields and reaction specificities. However, consortium-based designs still suffer from a lack of available tools to control the behavior and performance of the individual subpopulations and of the entire consortium. Here, we propose to implement novel control elements for microbial consortia based on artificial cell-cell communication via fungal mating pheromones. Coupling to the desired output is mediated by pheromone-responsive gene expression, thereby creating pheromone-dependent communication channels between different subpopulations of the consortia. We highlight the benefits of artificial communication to specifically target individual subpopulations of microbial consortia and to control e.g. their metabolic profile or proliferation rate in a predefined and customized manner. Due to the steadily increasing knowledge of sexual cycles of industrially relevant fungi, a growing number of strains and species can be integrated into pheromone-controlled sensor-actor systems, exploiting their unique metabolic properties for microbial consortia approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Hennig
- Institute of Genetics Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Mandy Wenzel
- Institute of Genetics Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Christiane Haas
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Andreas Hoffmann
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Jost Weber
- Institute of Natural Materials Technology Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany.,Evolva Biotec A/S Lersø Parkallé 42 Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Gerhard Rödel
- Institute of Genetics Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
| | - Kai Ostermann
- Institute of Genetics Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
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29
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Pheromone-inducible expression vectors for fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Plasmid 2017; 95:1-6. [PMID: 29183750 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is an attractive host for heterologous gene expression. However, expression systems for industrially viable large-scale fermentations are scarce. Several inducible expression vectors for S. pombe have been reported, with the strong thiamine-repressible nmt1+ promoter or derivatives thereof most commonly employed. Previously, the promoter regions of the genes sxa2+ and rep1+ were utilized to couple pheromone signaling to the expression of reporter genes for quantitative assessment of the cellular response to mating pheromones. Here, we exploit these promoters to serve as highly effective, plasmid-based inducible expression systems for S. pombe. Simply by adding synthetic P-factor pheromone, both promoters conferred 50-60% higher peak expression levels than the nmt1+ promoter. Full induction was significantly faster than observed for nmt1+-based expression platforms. Furthermore, the sxa2+ promoter showed very low basal activity and an overall 584-fold induction by synthetic P-factor pheromone. The dose-response curves of both promoters were assessed, providing the opportunity for facile tuning of the expression level by modulating P-factor concentration. Since the expression plasmids relying on the sxa2+ and rep1+ promoters require neither medium exchange nor glucose/thiamine starvation, they proved to be very convenient in handling. Hence, these expression vectors will improve the palette of valuable genetic tools for S. pombe, applicable to both basic research and biotechnology.
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Tan SZ, Prather KL. Dynamic pathway regulation: recent advances and methods of construction. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2017; 41:28-35. [PMID: 29059607 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Revised: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Microbial cell factories are a renewable source for the production of biofuels and valuable chemicals. Dynamic pathway regulation has proved successful in improving production of molecules by balancing flux between growth of cells and production of metabolites. Systems for autonomous induction of pathway regulation are increasingly being developed, which include metabolite responsive promoters, biosensors, and quorum sensing systems. Since engineering such systems are dependent on the available methods for controlling protein abundance in the desired host, we review recent tools used for gene repression at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational levels in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These approaches may facilitate pathway engineering for biofuel and biochemical production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue Zanne Tan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kristala Lj Prather
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Vickers CE, Williams TC, Peng B, Cherry J. Recent advances in synthetic biology for engineering isoprenoid production in yeast. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2017.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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McNerney MP, Styczynski MP. Small molecule signaling, regulation, and potential applications in cellular therapeutics. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2017; 10. [PMID: 28960879 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Small molecules have many important roles across the tree of life: they regulate processes from metabolism to transcription, they enable signaling within and between species, and they serve as the biochemical building blocks for cells. They also represent valuable phenotypic endpoints that are promising for use as biomarkers of disease states. In the context of engineering cell-based therapeutics, they hold particularly great promise for enabling finer control over the therapeutic cells and allowing them to be responsive to extracellular cues. The natural signaling and regulatory functions of small molecules can be harnessed and rewired to control cell activity and delivery of therapeutic payloads, potentially increasing efficacy while decreasing toxicity. To that end, this review considers small molecule-mediated regulation and signaling in bacteria. We first discuss some of the most prominent applications and aspirations for responsive cell-based therapeutics. We then describe the transport, signaling, and regulation associated with three classes of molecules that may be exploited in the engineering of therapeutic bacteria: amino acids, fatty acids, and quorum-sensing signaling molecules. We also present examples of existing engineering efforts to generate cells that sense and respond to levels of different small molecules. Finally, we discuss future directions for how small molecule-mediated regulation could be harnessed for therapeutic applications, as well as some critical considerations for the ultimate success of such endeavors. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2018, 10:e1405. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1405 This article is categorized under: Biological Mechanisms > Cell Signaling Biological Mechanisms > Metabolism Translational, Genomic, and Systems Medicine > Therapeutic Methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica P McNerney
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mark P Styczynski
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Leavitt JM, Wagner JM, Tu CC, Tong A, Liu Y, Alper HS. Biosensor-Enabled Directed Evolution to Improve Muconic Acid Production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biotechnol J 2017; 12. [PMID: 28296355 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201600687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Muconic acid is a valuable platform chemical with potential applications in the production of polymers such as nylon and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The conjugate base, muconate, has been previously biosynthesized in the bacterial host Escherichia coli. Likewise, previous significant pathway engineering lead to the first reported instance of rationally engineered production of muconic acid in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To further increase muconic acid production in this host, a combined adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) strategy and rational metabolic engineering is employed. To this end, a biosensor module that responds to the endogenous aromatic amino acid (AAA) as a surrogate for pathway flux is adapted. Following two rounds of ALE coupled with an anti-metabolite feeding strategy, the strains with improved AAA pathway flux is isolated. Next, it is demonstrated that this increased flux can be redirected into the composite muconic acid pathway with a threefold increase in the total titer of the composite pathway compared to our previously engineered strain. Finally, a truncation of the penta-functional ARO1 protein is complemented and overexpress an endogenous aromatic decarboxylase to establish a final strain capable of producing 0.5 g L-1 muconic acid in shake flasks and 2.1 g L-1 in a fed-batch bioreactor with a yield of 12.9 mg muconic acid/g glucose at the rate of 9.0 mg h-1 . This value represents the highest titer of muconic acid reported to date in S. cerevisiae, in addition to the highest reported titer of a shikimate pathway derivative in this host.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Leavitt
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway Avenue, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - James M Wagner
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Cuong C Tu
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Alice Tong
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway Avenue, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Yanyi Liu
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Hal S Alper
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway Avenue, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.,McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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Peng B, Plan MR, Carpenter A, Nielsen LK, Vickers CE. Coupling gene regulatory patterns to bioprocess conditions to optimize synthetic metabolic modules for improved sesquiterpene production in yeast. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2017; 10:43. [PMID: 28239415 PMCID: PMC5320780 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-017-0728-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assembly of heterologous metabolic pathways is commonly required to generate microbial cell factories for industrial production of both commodity chemicals (including biofuels) and high-value chemicals. Promoter-mediated transcriptional regulation coordinates the expression of the individual components of these heterologous pathways. Expression patterns vary during culture as conditions change, and this can influence yeast physiology and productivity in both positive and negative ways. Well-characterized strategies are required for matching transcriptional regulation with desired output across changing culture conditions. RESULTS Here, constitutive and inducible regulatory mechanisms were examined to optimize synthetic isoprenoid metabolic pathway modules for production of trans-nerolidol, an acyclic sesquiterpene alcohol, in yeast. The choice of regulatory system significantly affected physiological features (growth and productivity) over batch cultivation. Use of constitutive promoters resulted in poor growth during the exponential phase. Delaying expression of the assembled metabolic modules using the copper-inducible CUP1 promoter resulted in a 1.6-fold increase in the exponential-phase growth rate and a twofold increase in productivity in the post-exponential phase. However, repeated use of the CUP1 promoter in multiple expression cassettes resulted in genetic instability. A diauxie-inducible expression system, based on an engineered GAL regulatory circuit and a set of four different GAL promoters, was characterized and employed to assemble nerolidol synthetic metabolic modules. Nerolidol production was further improved by 60% to 392 mg L-1 using this approach. Various carbon source systems were investigated in batch/fed-batch cultivation to regulate induction through the GAL system; final nerolidol titres of 4-5.5 g L-1 were achieved, depending on the conditions. CONCLUSION Direct comparison of different transcriptional regulatory mechanisms clearly demonstrated that coupling the output strength to the fermentation stage is important to optimize the growth fitness and overall productivities of engineered cells in industrially relevant processes. Applying different well-characterized promoters with the same induction behaviour mitigates against the risks of homologous sequence-mediated genetic instability. Using these approaches, we significantly improved sesquiterpene production in yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyin Peng
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Manuel R. Plan
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
- Metabolomics Australia (Queensland Node), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Alexander Carpenter
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Lars K. Nielsen
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Claudia E. Vickers
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
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Williams TC, Xu X, Ostrowski M, Pretorius IS, Paulsen IT. Positive-feedback, ratiometric biosensor expression improves high-throughput metabolite-producer screening efficiency in yeast. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2017; 2:ysw002. [PMID: 32995501 PMCID: PMC7513737 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysw002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Biosensors are valuable and versatile tools in synthetic biology that are used to modulate gene expression in response to a wide range of stimuli. Ligand responsive transcription factors are a class of biosensor that can be used to couple intracellular metabolite concentration with gene expression to enable dynamic regulation and high-throughput metabolite producer screening. We have established the Saccharomyces cerevisiae WAR1 transcriptional regulator and PDR12 promoter as an organic acid biosensor that can be used to detect varying levels of para-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) production from the shikimate pathway and output green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in response. The dynamic range of GFP expression in response to PHBA was dramatically increased by engineering positive-feedback expression of the WAR1 transcriptional regulator from its target PDR12 promoter. In addition, the noise in GFP expression at the population-level was controlled by normalising GFP fluorescence to constitutively expressed mCherry fluorescence within each cell. These biosensor modifications increased the high-throughput screening efficiency of yeast cells engineered to produce PHBA by 5,000-fold, enabling accurate fluorescence activated cell sorting isolation of producer cells that were mixed at a ratio of 1 in 10,000 with non-producers. Positive-feedback, ratiometric transcriptional regulator expression is likely applicable to many other transcription-factor/promoter pairs used in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering for both dynamic regulation and high-throughput screening applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Williams
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Xin Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Martin Ostrowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Isak S Pretorius
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian T Paulsen
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Williams TC, Peng B, Vickers CE, Nielsen LK. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae pheromone-response is a metabolically active stationary phase for bio-production. Metab Eng Commun 2016; 3:142-152. [PMID: 29468120 PMCID: PMC5779721 DOI: 10.1016/j.meteno.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Revised: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The growth characteristics and underlying metabolism of microbial production hosts are critical to the productivity of metabolically engineered pathways. Production in parallel with growth often leads to biomass/bio-product competition for carbon. The growth arrest phenotype associated with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pheromone-response is potentially an attractive production phase because it offers the possibility of decoupling production from population growth. However, little is known about the metabolic phenotype associated with the pheromone-response, which has not been tested for suitability as a production phase. Analysis of extracellular metabolite fluxes, available transcriptomic data, and heterologous compound production (para-hydroxybenzoic acid) demonstrate that a highly active and distinct metabolism underlies the pheromone-response. These results indicate that the pheromone-response is a suitable production phase, and that it may be useful for informing synthetic biology design principles for engineering productive stationary phase phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Claudia E. Vickers
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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Large-scale bioprocess competitiveness: the potential of dynamic metabolic control in two-stage fermentations. Curr Opin Chem Eng 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coche.2016.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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38
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Lu Y. Engineering Vibrio fischeri transcriptional activator LuxR for diverse transcriptional activities. Biotechnol Lett 2016; 38:1459-63. [DOI: 10.1007/s10529-016-2134-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Leavitt JM, Tong A, Tong J, Pattie J, Alper HS. Coordinated transcription factor and promoter engineering to establish strong expression elements in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biotechnol J 2016; 11:866-76. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201600029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 03/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John M. Leavitt
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Alice Tong
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Joyce Tong
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Jonathan Pattie
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
| | - Hal S. Alper
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas USA
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Hydrophobin-Based Surface Engineering for Sensitive and Robust Quantification of Yeast Pheromones. SENSORS 2016; 16:s16050602. [PMID: 27128920 PMCID: PMC4883293 DOI: 10.3390/s16050602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Detection and quantification of small peptides, such as yeast pheromones, are often challenging. We developed a highly sensitive and robust affinity-assay for the quantification of the α-factor pheromone of Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on recombinant hydrophobins. These small, amphipathic proteins self-assemble into highly stable monolayers at hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces. Upon functionalization of solid supports with a combination of hydrophobins either lacking or exposing the α-factor, pheromone-specific antibodies were bound to the surface. Increasing concentrations of the pheromone competitively detached the antibodies, thus allowing for quantification of the pheromone. By adjusting the percentage of pheromone-exposing hydrophobins, the sensitivity of the assay could be precisely predefined. The assay proved to be highly robust against changes in sample matrix composition. Due to the high stability of hydrophobin layers, the functionalized surfaces could be repeatedly used without affecting the sensitivity. Furthermore, by using an inverse setup, the sensitivity was increased by three orders of magnitude, yielding a novel kind of biosensor for the yeast pheromone with the lowest limit of detection reported so far. This assay was applied to study the pheromone secretion of diverse yeast strains including a whole-cell biosensor strain of Schizosaccharomyces pombe modulating α-factor secretion in response to an environmental signal.
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Ma T, Deng Z, Liu T. Microbial production strategies and applications of lycopene and other terpenoids. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 32:15. [PMID: 26715120 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-015-1975-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Terpenoids are a large class of compounds that have far-reaching applications and economic value, particularly those most commonly found in plants; however, the extraction and synthesis of these compounds is often expensive and technically challenging. Recent advances in microbial metabolic engineering comprise a breakthrough that may enable the efficient, cost-effective production of these limited natural resources. Via the engineering of safe, industrial microorganisms that encode product-specific enzymes, and even entire metabolic pathways of interest, microbial-derived semisynthetic terpenoids may soon replace plant-derived terpenoids as the primary source of these valuable compounds. Indeed, the recent metabolic engineering of an Escherichia coli strain that produces the precursor to lycopene, a commercially and medically important compound, with higher yields than those in tomato plants serves as a successful example. Here, we review the recent developments in the metabolic engineering of microbes for the production of certain terpenoid compounds, particularly lycopene, which has been increasingly used in pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, and cosmetics. Furthermore, we summarize the metabolic engineering strategies used to achieve successful microbial production of some similar compounds. Based on this overview, there is a reason to believe that metabolic engineering comprises an optimal approach for increasing the production of lycopene and other terpenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Ma
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, People's Republic of China
| | - Zixin Deng
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Engineering Laboratory for Synthetic Microbiology, Wuhan Institute of Biotechnology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiangang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Donghu Road, Wuhan, 430071, People's Republic of China.
- Hubei Engineering Laboratory for Synthetic Microbiology, Wuhan Institute of Biotechnology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
- Hubei Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
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Artificial cell-cell communication as an emerging tool in synthetic biology applications. J Biol Eng 2015; 9:13. [PMID: 26265937 PMCID: PMC4531478 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-015-0011-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell communication is a widespread phenomenon in nature, ranging from bacterial quorum sensing and fungal pheromone communication to cellular crosstalk in multicellular eukaryotes. These communication modes offer the possibility to control the behavior of an entire community by modifying the performance of individual cells in specific ways. Synthetic biology, i.e., the implementation of artificial functions within biological systems, is a promising approach towards the engineering of sophisticated, autonomous devices based on specifically functionalized cells. With the growing complexity of the functions performed by such systems, both the risk of circuit crosstalk and the metabolic burden resulting from the expression of numerous foreign genes are increasing. Therefore, systems based on a single type of cells are no longer feasible. Synthetic biology approaches with multiple subpopulations of specifically functionalized cells, wired by artificial cell-cell communication systems, provide an attractive and powerful alternative. Here we review recent applications of synthetic cell-cell communication systems with a specific focus on recent advances with fungal hosts.
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Peng B, Williams TC, Henry M, Nielsen LK, Vickers CE. Controlling heterologous gene expression in yeast cell factories on different carbon substrates and across the diauxic shift: a comparison of yeast promoter activities. Microb Cell Fact 2015; 14:91. [PMID: 26112740 PMCID: PMC4480987 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-015-0278-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Predictable control of gene expression is necessary for the rational design and optimization of cell factories. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the promoter is one of the most important tools available for controlling gene expression. However, the complex expression patterns of yeast promoters have not been fully characterised and compared on different carbon sources (glucose, sucrose, galactose and ethanol) and across the diauxic shift in glucose batch cultivation. These conditions are of importance to yeast cell factory design because they are commonly used and encountered in industrial processes. Here, the activities of a series of “constitutive” and inducible promoters were characterised in single cells throughout the fermentation using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter. Results The “constitutive” promoters, including glycolytic promoters, transcription elongation factor promoters and ribosomal promoters, differed in their response patterns to different carbon sources; however, in glucose batch cultivation, expression driven by these promoters decreased sharply as glucose was depleted and cells moved towards the diauxic shift. Promoters induced at low-glucose levels (PHXT7, PSSA1 and PADH2) varied in induction strength on non-glucose carbon sources (sucrose, galactose and ethanol); in contrast to the “constitutive” promoters, GFP expression increased as glucose decreased and cells moved towards the diauxic shift. While lower than several “constitutive” promoters during the exponential phase, expression from the SSA1 promoter was higher in the post-diauxic phase than the commonly-used TEF1 promoter. The galactose-inducible GAL1 promoter provided the highest GFP expression on galactose, and the copper-inducible CUP1 promoter provided the highest induced GFP expression following the diauxic shift. Conclusions The data provides a foundation for predictable and optimised control of gene expression levels on different carbon sources and throughout batch fermentation, including during and after the diauxic shift. This information can be applied for designing expression approaches to improve yields, rates and titres in yeast cell factories. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-015-0278-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyin Peng
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Thomas C Williams
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Matthew Henry
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Lars K Nielsen
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Claudia E Vickers
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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44
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Quorum-sensing linked RNA interference for dynamic metabolic pathway control in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Metab Eng 2015; 29:124-134. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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45
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Williams TC, Espinosa MI, Nielsen LK, Vickers CE. Dynamic regulation of gene expression using sucrose responsive promoters and RNA interference in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microb Cell Fact 2015; 14:43. [PMID: 25886317 PMCID: PMC4427958 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-015-0223-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Engineering dynamic, environmentally- and temporally-responsive control of gene expression is one of the principle objectives in the field of synthetic biology. Dynamic regulation is desirable because many engineered functions conflict with endogenous processes which have evolved to facilitate growth and survival, and minimising conflict between growth and production phases can improve product titres in microbial cell factories. There are a limited number of mechanisms that enable dynamic regulation in yeast, and fewer still that are appropriate for application in an industrial setting. Results To address this problem we have identified promoters that are repressed during growth on glucose, and activated during growth on sucrose. Catabolite repression and preferential glucose utilisation allows active growth on glucose before switching to production on sucrose. Using sucrose as an activator of gene expression circumvents the need for expensive inducer compounds and enables gene expression to be triggered during growth on a fermentable, high energy-yield carbon source. The ability to fine-tune the timing and population density at which gene expression is activated from the SUC2 promoter was demonstrated by varying the ratio of glucose to sucrose in the growth medium. Finally, we demonstrated that the system could also be used to repress gene expression (a process also required for many engineering projects). We used the glucose/sucrose system to control a heterologous RNA interference module and dynamically repress the expression of a constitutively regulated GFP gene. Conclusions The low noise levels and high dynamic range of the SUC2 promoter make it a promising option for implementing dynamic regulation in yeast. The capacity to repress gene expression using RNA interference makes the system highly versatile, with great potential for metabolic engineering applications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-015-0223-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Williams
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Monica I Espinosa
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Lars K Nielsen
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Claudia E Vickers
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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Production of Industrially Relevant Isoprenoid Compounds in Engineered Microbes. MICROORGANISMS IN BIOREFINERIES 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-45209-7_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Kong W, Celik V, Liao C, Hua Q, Lu T. Programming the group behaviors of bacterial communities with synthetic cellular communication. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2014. [DOI: 10.1186/s40643-014-0024-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Synthetic biology is a newly emerged research discipline that focuses on the engineering of novel cellular behaviors and functionalities through the creation of artificial gene circuits. One important class of synthetic circuits currently under active development concerns the programming of bacterial cellular communication and collective population-scale behaviors. Because of the ubiquity of cell-cell interactions within bacterial communities, having an ability of engineering these circuits is vital to programming robust cellular behaviors. Here, we highlight recent advances in communication-based synthetic gene circuits by first discussing natural communication systems and then surveying various functional engineered circuits, including those for population density control, temporal synchronization, spatial organization, and ecosystem formation. We conclude by summarizing recent advances, outlining existing challenges, and discussing potential applications and future opportunities.
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A yeast pheromone-based inter-species communication system. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2014; 99:1299-308. [PMID: 25331280 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-014-6133-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We report on a pheromone-based inter-species communication system, allowing for a controlled cell-cell communication between the two species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a proof of principle. It exploits the mating response pathways of the two yeast species employing the pheromones, α- or P-factor, as signaling molecules. The authentic and chimeric pheromone-encoding genes were engineered to code for the P-factor in S. cerevisiae and the α-factor in S. pombe. Upon transformation of the respective constructs, cells were enabled to express the mating pheromone of the opposite species. The supernatant of cultures of S. pombe cells expressing α-factor were able to induce a G1 arrest in the cell cycle, a change in morphology to the typical shmoo effect and expression driven by the pheromone-responsive FIG1 promoter in S. cerevisiae. The supernatant of cultures of S. cerevisiae cells expressing P-factor similarly induced cell cycle arrest in G1, an alteration in morphology typical for mating as well as the activation of the pheromone-responsive promoters of the rep1 and sxa2 genes in a pheromone-hypersensitive reporter strain of S. pombe. Apparently, both heterologous pheromones were correctly processed and secreted in an active form by the cells of the other species. Our data clearly show that the species-specific pheromone systems of yeast species can be exploited for a controlled inter-species communication.
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Vickers CE, Bongers M, Liu Q, Delatte T, Bouwmeester H. Metabolic engineering of volatile isoprenoids in plants and microbes. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2014; 37:1753-75. [PMID: 24588680 DOI: 10.1111/pce.12316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The chemical properties and diversity of volatile isoprenoids lends them to a broad variety of biological roles. It also lends them to a host of biotechnological applications, both by taking advantage of their natural functions and by using them as industrial chemicals/chemical feedstocks. Natural functions include roles as insect attractants and repellents, abiotic stress protectants in pathogen defense, etc. Industrial applications include use as pharmaceuticals, flavours, fragrances, fuels, fuel additives, etc. Here we will examine the ways in which researchers have so far found to exploit volatile isoprenoids using biotechnology. Production and/or modification of volatiles using metabolic engineering in both plants and microorganisms are reviewed, including engineering through both mevalonate and methylerythritol diphosphate pathways. Recent advances are illustrated using several case studies (herbivores and bodyguards, isoprene, and monoterpene production in microbes). Systems and synthetic biology tools with particular utility for metabolic engineering are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the practical realities of various applications in modern biotechnology, explore possible future applications, and examine the challenges of moving these technologies forward so that they can deliver tangible benefits. While this review focuses on volatile isoprenoids, many of the engineering approaches described here are also applicable to non-isoprenoid volatiles and to non-volatile isoprenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia E Vickers
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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Ekmekci Z, Saha K, Moyano DF, Tonga GY, Wang H, Mout R, Rotello VM. Probing the Protein-Nanoparticle Interface: The Role of Aromatic Substitution Pattern on Affinity. Supramol Chem 2014; 27:123-126. [PMID: 27122961 DOI: 10.1080/10610278.2014.914627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A new class of cationic gold nanoparticles has been synthesized bearing benzyl moieties featuring -NO2 and -OMe groups to investigate the regioisomeric control of aromatic nanoparticle-protein recognition. In general, nanoparticles bearing electron withdrawing group demonstrated higher binding affinities towards green fluorescent protein (GFP) compared to electron-donating groups. Significantly, a ~7.5 and ~4.3 fold increase in binding with GFP was observed for -NO2 groups in meta- and para-position respectively, while ortho-substitution showed similar binding compared to the unsubstituted ring. These findings demonstrated that nanoparticle-protein interaction can be controlled by the tuning the spatial orientation and the relative electronic properties of the aromatic substituents. This improved biomolecular recognition provides opportunities for enhanced biosensing and functional protein delivery to the cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Ekmekci
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Suleyman Demirel University, 32260, Cunur, Isparta, Turkey
| | - Krishnendu Saha
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Daniel F Moyano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Gulen Yesilbag Tonga
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Rubul Mout
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Vincent M Rotello
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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