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Jung YJ, Park KH, Jang TY, Yoo SM. Gene expression regulation by modulating Hfq expression in coordination with tailor-made sRNA-based knockdown in Escherichia coli. J Biotechnol 2024; 388:1-10. [PMID: 38616040 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2024.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The tailor-made synthetic sRNA-based gene expression knockdown system has demonstrated its efficacy in achieving pathway balancing in microbes, facilitating precise target gene repression and fine-tuned control of gene expression. This system operates under a competitive mode of gene regulation, wherein the tailor-made synthetic sRNA shares the intrinsic intracellular Hfq protein with other RNAs. The limited intracellular Hfq amount has the potential to become a constraining factor in the post-transcription regulation of sRNAs. To enhance the efficiency of the tailor-made sRNA gene expression regulation platform, we introduced an Hfq expression level modulation-coordinated sRNA-based gene knockdown system. This system comprises tailor-made sRNA expression cassettes that produce varying Hfq expression levels using different strength promoters. Modulating the expression levels of Hfq significantly improved the repressing capacity of sRNA, as evidenced by evaluations with four fluorescence proteins. In order to validate the practical application of this system, we applied the Hfq-modulated sRNA-based gene knockdown cassette to Escherichia coli strains producing 5-aminolevulinic acid and L-tyrosine. Diversifying the expression levels of metabolic enzymes through this cassette resulted in substantial increases of 74.6% in 5-aminolevulinic acid and 144% in L-tyrosine production. Tailor-made synthetic sRNA-based gene expression knockdown system, coupled with Hfq copy modulation, exhibits potential for optimizing metabolic fluxes through biosynthetic pathways, thereby enhancing the production yields of bioproducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jung Jung
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun Ha Park
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Yeong Jang
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Min Yoo
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Stibelman AY, Sariles AY, Takahashi MK. Beyond membrane permeability: A role for the small RNA MicF in regulation of chromosome replication and partitioning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.22.590647. [PMID: 38712278 PMCID: PMC11071386 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.22.590647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs (sRNA) have been shown to play a large role in the management of stress responses in Escherichia coli and other bacteria. sRNAs act post-transcriptionally on target mRNA through an imperfect base pairing mechanism to regulate downstream protein expression. The imperfect base pairing allows a single sRNA to bind and regulate a variety mRNA targets which can form intricate regulatory networks that connect different physiological processes for the cell's response. Upon exposure to antimicrobials and superoxide generating agents, the MicF sRNA in E. coli has been shown to regulate a small set of genes involved in the management of membrane permeability. Currently, it is unknown whether MicF acts on other processes to mediate the response to these agents. Using an sRNA interaction prediction tool, we identified genes in E. coli that are potentially regulated by MicF. Through subsequent analysis using a sfGFP-based reporter-gene fusion, we have validated two novel targets of MicF regulation: SeqA, a negative modulator of DNA replication, and ObgE, a GTPase crucial for chromosome partitioning. Importantly, the interaction between MicF and these target mRNAs is contingent upon the presence of the RNA chaperone protein, Hfq. Furthermore, our findings affirm the role of MicF's conserved 5' seed pairing region in initiating these regulatory interactions. Our study suggests that, beyond its established role in membrane permeability management, MicF exerts control over chromosome dynamics in response to distinct environmental cues, implicating a more multifaceted regulatory function in bacterial stress adaptation.
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Zhang Y, Wang X, Odesanmi C, Hu Q, Li D, Tang Y, Liu Z, Mi J, Liu S, Wen T. Model-guided metabolic rewiring to bypass pyruvate oxidation for pyruvate derivative synthesis by minimizing carbon loss. mSystems 2024; 9:e0083923. [PMID: 38315666 PMCID: PMC10949502 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00839-23] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Engineering microbial hosts to synthesize pyruvate derivatives depends on blocking pyruvate oxidation, thereby causing severe growth defects in aerobic glucose-based bioprocesses. To decouple pyruvate metabolism from cell growth to improve pyruvate availability, a genome-scale metabolic model combined with constraint-based flux balance analysis, geometric flux balance analysis, and flux variable analysis was used to identify genetic targets for strain design. Using translation elements from a ~3,000 cistronic library to modulate fxpK expression in a bicistronic cassette, a bifido shunt pathway was introduced to generate three molecules of non-pyruvate-derived acetyl-CoA from one molecule of glucose, bypassing pyruvate oxidation and carbon dioxide generation. The dynamic control of flux distribution by T7 RNAP-mediated synthetic small RNA decoupled pyruvate catabolism from cell growth. Adaptive laboratory evolution and multi-omics analysis revealed that a mutated isocitrate dehydrogenase functioned as a metabolic switch to activate the glyoxylate shunt as the only C4 anaplerotic pathway to generate malate from two molecules of acetyl-CoA input and bypass two decarboxylation reactions in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. A chassis strain for pyruvate derivative synthesis was constructed to reduce carbon loss by using the glyoxylate shunt as the only C4 anaplerotic pathway and the bifido shunt as a non-pyruvate-derived acetyl-CoA synthetic pathway and produced 22.46, 27.62, and 6.28 g/L of l-leucine, l-alanine, and l-valine by a controlled small RNA switch, respectively. Our study establishes a novel metabolic pattern of glucose-grown bacteria to minimize carbon loss under aerobic conditions and provides valuable insights into cell design for manufacturing pyruvate-derived products.IMPORTANCEBio-manufacturing from biomass-derived carbon sources using microbes as a cell factory provides an eco-friendly alternative to petrochemical-based processes. Pyruvate serves as a crucial building block for the biosynthesis of industrial chemicals; however, it is different to improve pyruvate availability in vivo due to the coupling of pyruvate-derived acetyl-CoA with microbial growth and energy metabolism via the oxidative tricarboxylic acid cycle. A genome-scale metabolic model combined with three algorithm analyses was used for strain design. Carbon metabolism was reprogrammed using two genetic control tools to fine-tune gene expression. Adaptive laboratory evolution and multi-omics analysis screened the growth-related regulatory targets beyond rational design. A novel metabolic pattern of glucose-grown bacteria is established to maintain growth fitness and minimize carbon loss under aerobic conditions for the synthesis of pyruvate-derived products. This study provides valuable insights into the design of a microbial cell factory for synthetic biology to produce industrial bio-products of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xueliang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Christianah Odesanmi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qitiao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dandan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Mi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tingyi Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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4
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Sechkar K, Steel H, Perrino G, Stan GB. A coarse-grained bacterial cell model for resource-aware analysis and design of synthetic gene circuits. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1981. [PMID: 38438391 PMCID: PMC10912777 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46410-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Within a cell, synthetic and native genes compete for expression machinery, influencing cellular process dynamics through resource couplings. Models that simplify competitive resource binding kinetics can guide the design of strategies for countering these couplings. However, in bacteria resource availability and cell growth rate are interlinked, which complicates resource-aware biocircuit design. Capturing this interdependence requires coarse-grained bacterial cell models that balance accurate representation of metabolic regulation against simplicity and interpretability. We propose a coarse-grained E. coli cell model that combines the ease of simplified resource coupling analysis with appreciation of bacterial growth regulation mechanisms and the processes relevant for biocircuit design. Reliably capturing known growth phenomena, it provides a unifying explanation to disparate empirical relations between growth and synthetic gene expression. Considering a biomolecular controller that makes cell-wide ribosome availability robust to perturbations, we showcase our model's usefulness in numerically prototyping biocircuits and deriving analytical relations for design guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill Sechkar
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
| | - Harrison Steel
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK
| | - Giansimone Perrino
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
- Imperial College Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Guy-Bart Stan
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
- Imperial College Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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5
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Wang L, Hou J, Yang K, Yu H, Zhang B, Liu Z, Zheng Y. Development of synthetic small regulatory RNA for Rhodococcus erythropolis. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2400022. [PMID: 38528342 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202400022] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Rhodococci have been regarded as ideal chassis for biotransformation, biodegradation, and biosynthesis for their unique environmental persistence and robustness. However, most species of Rhodococcus are still difficult to metabolically engineer due to the lack of genetic tools and techniques. In this study, synthetic sRNA strategy was exploited for gene repression in R. erythropolis XP. The synthetic sRNA based on the RhlS scaffold from Pseudomonas aeruginosa functions better in repressing sfgfp expression than those based on E. coli MicC, SgrS, and P. aeruginosa PrrF1-2 scaffold. The RhlS-based sRNAs were applied to study the influence of sulfur metabolism on biodesulfurization (BDS) efficiency in R. erythropolis XP and successfully identified two genes involved in sulfur metabolism that affect the BDS efficiency significantly. The RhlS-based synthetic sRNAs show promise in the metabolic engineering of Rhodococcus and promote the industrial applications of Rhodococcus in environmental remediation and biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Wang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Jie Hou
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, P.R. China
| | - Kun Yang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Haonan Yu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Bo Zhang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Yuguo Zheng
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
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6
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Ko SC, Woo HM. CRISPR-dCas13a system for programmable small RNAs and polycistronic mRNA repression in bacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:492-506. [PMID: 38015471 PMCID: PMC10783499 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) function in post-transcriptional regulatory responses to environmental changes. However, the lack of eukaryotic RNA interference-like machinery in bacteria has limited the systematic engineering of RNA repression. Here, we report the development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-guided dead CRIPSR-associated protein 13a (dCas13a) ribonucleoprotein that utilizes programmable CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) to repress trans-acting and cis-acting sRNA as the target, altering regulatory mechanisms and stress-related phenotypes. In addition, we implemented a modular loop engineering of the crRNA to promote modular repression of the target gene with 92% knockdown efficiency and a single base-pair mismatch specificity. With the engineered crRNAs, we achieved targetable single-gene repression in the polycistronic operon. For metabolic application, 102 crRNAs were constructed in the biofoundry and used for screening novel knockdown sRNA targets to improve lycopene (colored antioxidant) production in Escherichia coli. The CRISPR-dCas13a system will assist as a valuable systematic tool for the discovery of novel sRNAs and the fine-tuning of bacterial RNA repression in both scientific and industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Cheon Ko
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- BioFoundry Research Center, Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Han Min Woo
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- BioFoundry Research Center, Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of MetaBioHealth, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
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7
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Wang L, Wang P, Liu Y, Qi Z, Wang P, Xu S. The HpSGNi system: A compact approach for genetic suppression without sequence limitation in Escherichia coli. J Biotechnol 2024; 379:18-24. [PMID: 38000712 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Targeted gene regulation is indispensable for exploring gene functions in microbes and the development of microbial cell factories. While most loci can be regulated by CRISPRi, it cannot be used for targets lacking protospacer adjacent motifs (PAM) or protospacer flanking sequences (PFS). Here, we characterized a genetic suppression approach named the hpDNA-assisted structure-guided nuclease mediating interference system (HpSGNi). It was composed of a flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) and mis-hairpin DNA probes (mis-hpDNA) to suppress the expression of target genes simply and efficiently in microbe without sequence restrictions. By inhibiting the initiation and elongation of the transcription, HpSGNi successfully silenced the transcription of exogenous fluorescent protein genes, ampicillin resistance gene and endogenous folP/sulA genes in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and K-12 MG1655. Meanwhile, aiming at optimizing the mis-hpDNA, we displayed the characteristics by detecting the tolerance to the single base mismatch and length of the guide sequence. This DNA-guided recognition platform provides a simple approach for selectively inhibiting gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wang
- School of Basic Medical Science and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Peiliang Wang
- School of Basic Medical Science and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yu Liu
- School of Basic Medical Science and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Zhen Qi
- School of Basic Medical Science and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Pei Wang
- School of Basic Medical Science and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Pharmaceutical Animal Experimental Center, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
| | - Shu Xu
- School of Basic Medical Science and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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8
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Kim WJ, Lee Y, Kim HU, Ryu JY, Yang JE, Lee SY. Genome-wide identification of overexpression and downregulation gene targets based on the sum of covariances of the outgoing reaction fluxes. Cell Syst 2023; 14:990-1001.e5. [PMID: 37935194 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
In metabolic engineering, predicting gene overexpression targets remains challenging because both endogenous and heterologous genes in a large metabolic space can be candidates, in contrast to gene knockout targets that are confined to endogenous genes. We report the development of iBridge that identifies positive and negative metabolites exerting positive and negative impacts on product formation, respectively, based on the sum of covariances of their outgoing (consuming) reaction fluxes for a target chemical. Then, "bridge" reactions converting negative metabolites to positive metabolites are identified as overexpression targets, while the opposites as downregulation targets. Using iBridge, overexpression and downregulation targets are suggested for the production of 298 chemicals and validated for 36 chemicals experimentally demonstrated in previous studies. Finally, iBridge is employed to engineer Escherichia coli strains capable of producing 10.3 g/L of D-panthenol, a compound not previously produced, as well as putrescine and 4-hydroxyphenyllactate at enhanced titers, 63.7 and 8.3 g/L, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won Jun Kim
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), KAIST Institute for BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Systems Metabolic Engineering and Systems Healthcare Cross-Generation Collaborative Laboratory, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngjoon Lee
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), KAIST Institute for BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Systems Metabolic Engineering and Systems Healthcare Cross-Generation Collaborative Laboratory, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Uk Kim
- Systems Metabolic Engineering and Systems Healthcare Cross-Generation Collaborative Laboratory, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Systems Biology and Medicine Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; BioProcess Engineering Research Center and BioInformatics Research Center, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yong Ryu
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), KAIST Institute for BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Eun Yang
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), KAIST Institute for BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Yup Lee
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), KAIST Institute for BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Systems Metabolic Engineering and Systems Healthcare Cross-Generation Collaborative Laboratory, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; BioProcess Engineering Research Center and BioInformatics Research Center, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Chung H, Kim J, Lee YJ, Choi KR, Jeong KJ, Kim GJ, Lee SY. Enhanced production of difficult-to-express proteins through knocking down rnpA gene expression. Biotechnol J 2023; 18:e2200641. [PMID: 37285237 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202200641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Escherichia coli has been employed as a workhorse for the efficient production of recombinant proteins. However, some proteins were found to be difficult to produce in E. coli. The stability of mRNA has been considered as one of the important factors affecting recombinant protein production. Here we report a generally applicable and simple strategy for enhancing mRNA stability, and consequently improving recombinant protein production in E. coli. RNase P, a ribozyme comprising an RNA subunit (RnpB) and a protein subunit (RnpA), is involved in tRNA maturation. Based on the finding that purified RnpA can digest rRNA and mRNA in vitro, it was reasoned that knocking down the level of RnpA might enhance recombinant protein production. For this, the synthetic small regulatory RNA-based knockdown system was applied to reduce the expression level of RnpA. The developed RnpA knockdown system allowed successful overexpression of 23 different recombinant proteins of various origins and sizes, including Cas9 protein, antibody fragment, and spider silk protein. Notably, a 284.9-kDa ultra-high molecular weight, highly repetitive glycine-rich spider silk protein, which is one of the most difficult proteins to produce, could be produced to 1.38 g L-1 , about two-fold higher than the highest value previously achieved, by a fed-batch culture of recombinant E. coli strain employing the RnpA knockdown system. The RnpA-knockdown strategy reported here will be generally useful for the production of recombinant proteins including those that have been difficult to produce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Chung
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- MedicosBiotech Inc, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyong Kim
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- MedicosBiotech Inc, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Jae Lee
- Protein Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Rok Choi
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Jun Jeong
- Protein Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Geun-Joong Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Yup Lee
- Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four), Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- MedicosBiotech Inc, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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10
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Velazquez Sanchez AK, Klopprogge B, Zimmermann KH, Ignatova Z. Tailored Synthetic sRNAs Dynamically Tune Multilayer Genetic Circuits. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:2524-2535. [PMID: 37595156 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Predictable and controllable tuning of genetic circuits to regulate gene expression, including modulation of existing circuits or constructs without the need for redesign or rebuilding, is a persistent challenge in synthetic biology. Here, we propose rationally designed new small RNAs (sRNAs) that dynamically modulate gene expression of genetic circuits with a broad range (high, medium, and low) of repression. We designed multiple multilayer genetic circuits in which the variable effector element is a transcription factor (TF) controlling downstream the production of a reporter protein. The sRNAs target TFs instead of a reporter gene, and harnessing the intrinsic RNA-interference pathway in E. coli allowed for a wide range of expression modulation of the reporter protein, including the most difficult to achieve dynamic switch to an OFF state. The synthetic sRNAs are expressed independently of the circuit(s), thus allowing for repression without modifying the circuit itself. Our work provides a frame for achieving independent modulation of gene expression and dynamic and modular control of the multilayer genetic circuits by only including an independent control circuit expressing synthetic sRNAs, without altering the structure of existing genetic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana K Velazquez Sanchez
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bjarne Klopprogge
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karl-Heinz Zimmermann
- Algebraic Engineering, Institute of Embedded Systems, Hamburg University of Technology, 21073 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Zoya Ignatova
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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Wang T, Zhang J, Wei L, Zhao D, Bi C, Liu Q, Xu N, Liu J. Developing a PAM-Flexible CRISPR-Mediated Dual-Deaminase Base Editor to Regulate Extracellular Electron Transport in Shewanella oneidensis. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:1727-1738. [PMID: 37212667 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is a promising electroactive microorganism in environmental bioremediation, bioenergy generation, and bioproduct synthesis. Accelerating the extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathway that enables efficient electron exchange between microbes and extracellular substances is critical for improving its electrochemical properties. However, the potential genomic engineering strategies for enhancing EET capabilities are still limited. Here, we developed a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated dual-deaminase base editing system, named in situ protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM)-flexible dual base editing regulatory system (iSpider), for precise and high-throughput genomic manipulation. The iSpider enabled simultaneous C-to-T and A-to-G conversions with high diversity and efficiency in S. oneidensis. By weakening DNA glycosylase-based repair pathway and tethering two copies of adenosine deaminase, the A-to-G editing efficiency was obviously improved. As a proof-of-concept study, the iSpider was adapted to achieve multiplexed base editing for the regulation of the riboflavin biosynthesis pathway, and the optimized strain showed an approximately three-fold increase in riboflavin production. Moreover, the iSpider was also applied to evolve the performance of an inner membrane component CymA implicated in EET, and one beneficial mutant facilitating electron transfer could be rapidly identified. Taken together, our study demonstrates that the iSpider allows efficient base editing in a PAM-flexible manner, providing insights into the design of novel genomic tools for Shewanella engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tailin Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Jiwei Zhang
- School of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, P. R. China
| | - Liang Wei
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, P. R. China
| | - Dongdong Zhao
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, P. R. China
| | - Changhao Bi
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, P. R. China
| | - Qingdai Liu
- School of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, P. R. China
| | - Ning Xu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, P. R. China
| | - Jun Liu
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, P. R. China
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12
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Tanniche I, Nazem-Bokaee H, Scherr DM, Schlemmer S, Senger RS. A novel synthetic sRNA promoting protein overexpression in cell-free systems. Biotechnol Prog 2023; 39:e3324. [PMID: 36651906 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) that regulate gene expression have been engineered for uses in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. Here, we designed a novel non-Hfq-dependent sRNA scaffold that uses a modifiable 20 nucleotide antisense binding region to target mRNAs selectively and influence protein expression. The system was developed for regulation of a fluorescent reporter in vivo using Escherichia coli, but the system was found to be more responsive and produced statistically significant results when applied to protein synthesis using in vitro cell-free systems (CFS). Antisense binding sequences were designed to target not only translation initiation regions but various secondary structures in the reporter mRNA. Targeting a high-energy stem loop structure and the 3' end of mRNA yielded protein expression knock-downs that approached 70%. Notably, targeting a low-energy stem structure near a potential RNase E binding site led to a statistically significant 65% increase in protein expression (p < 0.05). These results were not obtainable in vivo, and the underlying mechanism was translated from the reporter system to achieve better than 75% increase in recombinant diaphorase expression in a CFS. It is possible the designs developed here can be applied to improve/regulate expression of other proteins in a CFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imen Tanniche
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
- School of Plant & Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Hadi Nazem-Bokaee
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
- CSIRO, Black Mountain Science & Innovation Park, Canberra, Australia
| | - David M Scherr
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Sara Schlemmer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Ryan S Senger
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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13
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Pu W, Chen J, Zhou Y, Qiu H, Shi T, Zhou W, Guo X, Cai N, Tan Z, Liu J, Feng J, Wang Y, Zheng P, Sun J. Systems metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for hyper-production of 5‑aminolevulinic acid. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:31. [PMID: 36829220 PMCID: PMC9951541 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02280-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a promising biostimulant, feed nutrient, and photodynamic drug with wide applications in modern agriculture and therapy. Although microbial production of 5-ALA has been improved realized by using metabolic engineering strategies during the past few years, there is still a gap between the present production level and the requirement of industrialization. RESULTS In this study, pathway, protein, and cellular engineering strategies were systematically employed to construct an industrially competitive 5-ALA producing Escherichia coli. Pathways involved in precursor supply and product degradation were regulated by gene overexpression and synthetic sRNA-based repression to channel metabolic flux to 5-ALA biosynthesis. 5-ALA synthase was rationally engineered to release the inhibition of heme and improve the catalytic activity. 5-ALA transport and antioxidant defense systems were targeted to enhance cellular tolerance to intra- and extra-cellular 5-ALA. The final engineered strain produced 30.7 g/L of 5-ALA in bioreactors with a productivity of 1.02 g/L/h and a yield of 0.532 mol/mol glucose, represent a new record of 5-ALA bioproduction. CONCLUSIONS An industrially competitive 5-ALA producing E. coli strain was constructed with the metabolic engineering strategies at multiple layers (protein, pathway, and cellular engineering), and the strategies here can be useful for developing industrial-strength strains for biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Pu
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Jiuzhou Chen
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Yingyu Zhou
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,grid.413109.e0000 0000 9735 6249College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457 China
| | - Huamin Qiu
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Tuo Shi
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Wenjuan Zhou
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Xuan Guo
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Ningyun Cai
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,grid.413109.e0000 0000 9735 6249College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457 China
| | - Zijian Tan
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Jiao Liu
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Jinhui Feng
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308, China. .,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Ping Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308, China. .,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jibin Sun
- grid.458513.e0000 0004 1763 3963Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
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14
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Yeom J, Park JS, Jung SW, Lee S, Kwon H, Yoo SM. High-throughput genetic engineering tools for regulating gene expression in a microbial cell factory. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2023; 43:82-99. [PMID: 34957867 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.2007351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid advances in biotechnological tools and strategies, microbial cell factory-constructing strategies have been established for the production of value-added compounds. However, optimizing the tradeoff between the biomass, yield, and titer remains a challenge in microbial production. Gene regulation is necessary to optimize and control metabolic fluxes in microorganisms for high-production performance. Various high-throughput genetic engineering tools have been developed for achieving rational gene regulation and genetic perturbation, diversifying the cellular phenotype and enhancing bioproduction performance. In this paper, we review the current high-throughput genetic engineering tools for gene regulation. In particular, technological approaches used in a diverse range of genetic tools for constructing microbial cell factories are introduced, and representative applications of these tools are presented. Finally, the prospects for high-throughput genetic engineering tools for gene regulation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinho Yeom
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Seong Park
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Woon Jung
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sumin Lee
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyukjin Kwon
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Min Yoo
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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15
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Wang Y, Yin G, Weng H, Zhang L, Du G, Chen J, Kang Z. Gene knockdown by structure defined single-stem loop small non-coding RNAs with programmable regulatory activities. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2022; 8:86-96. [PMID: 36582457 PMCID: PMC9761848 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2022.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene regulation by trans-acting small RNAs (sRNAs) has considerable advantages over other gene regulation strategies. However, synthetic sRNAs mainly take natural sRNAs (MicC or SgrS) as backbones and comprise three functional elements folding into two or more stem-loop structures: an mRNA base pairing region, an Hfq-binding structure, and a rho-independent terminator. Due to limited numbers of natural sRNAs and complicated backbone structures, synthetic sRNAs suffer from low activity programmability and poor structural modularity. Moreover, natural sRNA backbone sequences may increase the possibility of unwanted recombination. Here, we present a bottom-up approach for creating structure defined single-stem loop small non-coding RNAs (ssl-sRNAs), which contain a standardized scaffold of a 7 bp-stem-4 nt-loop-polyU-tail and a 24 nt basing pairing region covering the first eight codons. Particularly, ssl-sRNA requires no independent Hfq-binding structure, as the polyU tail fulfills the roles of binding Hfq. A thermodynamic-based scoring model and a web server sslRNAD (http://www.kangzlab.cn/) were developed for automated design of ssl-sRNAs with well-defined structures and programmable activities. ssl-sRNAs displayed weak polar effects when regulating polycistronic mRNAs. The ssl-sRNA designed by sslRNAD showed regulatory activities in both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. A streamlined workflow was developed for the construction of customized ssl-sRNA and ssl-sRNA libraries. As examples, the E. coli cell morphology was easily modified and new target genes of ergothioneine biosynthesis were quickly identified with ssl-sRNAs. ssl-sRNA and its designer sslRNAD enable researchers to rapidly design sRNAs for knocking down target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- The Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Guobin Yin
- The Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Huanjiao Weng
- The Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Luyao Zhang
- The Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Guocheng Du
- The Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Jian Chen
- The Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhen Kang
- The Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China,The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China,Corresponding author. The Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
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16
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Yin G, Peng A, Zhang L, Wang Y, Du G, Chen J, Kang Z. Design of artificial small regulatory trans-RNA for gene knockdown in Bacillus subtilis. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2022; 8:61-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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17
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Romero J, Islam MT, Taylor R, Grayson C, Schoenrock A, Wong A. High-throughput design of bacterial anti-sense RNAs using CAREng. BIOINFORMATICS ADVANCES 2022; 2:vbac069. [PMID: 36699397 PMCID: PMC9710602 DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbac069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Summary Short RNA (sRNA) modulation of gene expression is an increasingly popular tool for bacterial functional genomics. Antisense pairing between an sRNA and a target messenger RNA results in post-transcriptional down-regulation of a specific gene and can thus be used both for investigating individual gene function and for large-scale genetic screens. sRNAs have several advantages over knockout libraries in studies of gene function, including inducibility, the capacity to interrogate essential genes and easy portability to multiple genetic backgrounds. High-throughput, systematic design of antisense RNAs will increase the efficiency and repeatability of sRNA screens. To this end, we present CAREng, the Computer-Automated sRNA Engineer. CAREng designs antisense RNAs for all coding sequences in a given genome, while checking for potential off-targets. Availability and implementation CAREng is available as a Python script and through a web portal (https://caren.carleton.ca). Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jazmin Romero
- Research Computing Services, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Md Tanvir Islam
- Research Computing Services, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Ryan Taylor
- Research Computing Services, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Cathryn Grayson
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Andrew Schoenrock
- Research Computing Services, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Alex Wong
- To whom correspondence should be addressed.
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18
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Köbel T, Melo Palhares R, Fromm C, Szymanski W, Angelidou G, Glatter T, Georg J, Berghoff BA, Schindler D. An Easy-to-Use Plasmid Toolset for Efficient Generation and Benchmarking of Synthetic Small RNAs in Bacteria. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:2989-3003. [PMID: 36044590 PMCID: PMC9486967 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology approaches life from the perspective of an engineer. Standardized and de novo design of genetic parts to subsequently build reproducible and controllable modules, for example, for circuit design, is a key element. To achieve this, natural systems and elements often serve as a blueprint for researchers. Regulation of protein abundance is controlled at DNA, mRNA, and protein levels. Many tools for the activation or repression of transcription or the destabilization of proteins are available, but easy-to-handle minimal regulatory elements on the mRNA level are preferable when translation needs to be modulated. Regulatory RNAs contribute considerably to regulatory networks in all domains of life. In particular, bacteria use small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) to regulate mRNA translation. Slowly, sRNAs are attracting the interest of using them for broad applications in synthetic biology. Here, we promote a "plug and play" plasmid toolset to quickly and efficiently create synthetic sRNAs to study sRNA biology or their application in bacteria. We propose a simple benchmarking assay by targeting the acrA gene of Escherichia coli and rendering cells sensitive toward the β-lactam antibiotic oxacillin. We further highlight that it may be necessary to test multiple seed regions and sRNA scaffolds to achieve the desired regulatory effect. The described plasmid toolset allows quick construction and testing of various synthetic sRNAs based on the user's needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania
S. Köbel
- RG
Schindler, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial
Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Street
10, 35043 Marburg, Germany,MaxGENESYS
Biofoundry, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial
Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Street
10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Rafael Melo Palhares
- RG
Schindler, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial
Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Street
10, 35043 Marburg, Germany,Institute
for Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Christin Fromm
- Institute
for Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Witold Szymanski
- Mass
Spectrometry and Proteomics Core Facility, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Street 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Georgia Angelidou
- Mass
Spectrometry and Proteomics Core Facility, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Street 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Timo Glatter
- Mass
Spectrometry and Proteomics Core Facility, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Street 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Jens Georg
- Institut
für Biologie III, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität
Freiburg, Schänzlestraße
1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bork A. Berghoff
- Institute
for Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany,
| | - Daniel Schindler
- RG
Schindler, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial
Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Street
10, 35043 Marburg, Germany,MaxGENESYS
Biofoundry, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial
Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Street
10, 35043 Marburg, Germany,
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19
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Mitra S, Dhar R, Sen R. Designer bacterial cell factories for improved production of commercially valuable non-ribosomal peptides. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 60:108023. [PMID: 35872292 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Non-ribosomal peptides have gained significant attention as secondary metabolites of high commercial importance. This group houses a diverse range of bioactive compounds, ranging from biosurfactants to antimicrobial and cytotoxic agents. However, low yield of synthesis by bacteria and excessive losses during purification hinders the industrial-scale production of non-ribosomal peptides, and subsequently limits their widespread applicability. While isolation of efficient producer strains and optimization of bioprocesses have been extensively used to enhance yield, further improvement can be made by optimization of the microbial strain using the tools and techniques of metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, systems biology, and adaptive laboratory evolution. These techniques, which directly target the genome of producer strains, aim to redirect carbon and nitrogen fluxes of the metabolic network towards the desired product, bypass the feedback inhibition and repression mechanisms that limit the maximum productivity of the strain, and even extend the substrate range of the cell for synthesis of the target product. The present review takes a comprehensive look into the biosynthesis of bacterial NRPs, how the same is regulated by the cell, and dives deep into the strategies that have been undertaken for enhancing the yield of NRPs, while also providing a perspective on other potential strategies that can allow for further yield improvement. Furthermore, this review provides the reader with a holistic perspective on the design of cellular factories of NRP production, starting from general techniques performed in the laboratory to the computational techniques that help a biochemical engineer model and subsequently strategize the architectural plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayak Mitra
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, West Bengal, India
| | - Riddhiman Dhar
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, West Bengal, India.
| | - Ramkrishna Sen
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, West Bengal, India.
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20
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Wang LJ, Jiang XR, Hou J, Wang CH, Chen GQ. Engineering Halomonas bluephagenesis via small regulatory RNAs. Metab Eng 2022; 73:58-69. [PMID: 35738548 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Halomonas bluephagenesis, a robust and contamination-resistant microorganism has been developed as a chassis for "Next Generation Industrial Biotechnology". The non-model H. bluephagenesis requires efficient tools to fine-tune its metabolic fluxes for enhanced production phenotypes. Here we report a highly efficient gene expression regulation system (PrrF1-2-HfqPa) in H. bluephagenesis, small regulatory RNA (sRNA) PrrF1 scaffold from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a target-binding sequence that downregulate gene expression, and its cognate P. aeruginosa Hfq (HfqPa), recruited by the scaffold to facilitate the hybridization of sRNA and the target mRNA. The PrrF1-2-HfqPa system targeting prpC in H. bluephagenesis helps increase 3-hydroxyvalerate fraction in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) to 21 mol% compared to 3.1 mol% of the control. This sRNA system repressed phaP1 and minD simultaneously, resulting in large polyhydroxybutyrate granules. Further, an sRNA library targeting 30 genes was employed for large-scale target identification to increase mevalonate production. This work expands the study on using an sRNA system not based on Escherichia coli MicC/SgrS-Hfq to repress gene expression, providing a framework to exploit new powerful genome engineering tools based on other sRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Juan Wang
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Shandong Provincial Research Center for Bioinformatic Engineering and Technology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, China
| | - Xiao-Ran Jiang
- MOE Key Lab of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jie Hou
- Shandong Provincial Research Center for Bioinformatic Engineering and Technology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, China
| | - Cong-Han Wang
- Shandong Provincial Research Center for Bioinformatic Engineering and Technology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, China
| | - Guo-Qiang Chen
- MOE Key Lab of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China; MOE Key Laboratory for Industrial Biocatalysis, Dept Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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21
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Han Y, Li C, Yan Y, Lin M, Ke X, Zhang Y, Zhan Y. Post-transcriptional control of bacterial nitrogen metabolism by regulatory noncoding RNAs. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 38:126. [PMID: 35666348 PMCID: PMC9170634 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03287-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Nitrogen metabolism is the most basic process of material and energy metabolism in living organisms, and processes involving the uptake and use of different nitrogen sources are usually tightly regulated at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Bacterial regulatory noncoding RNAs are novel post-transcriptional regulators that repress or activate the expression of target genes through complementarily pairing with target mRNAs; therefore, these noncoding RNAs play an important regulatory role in many physiological processes, such as bacterial substance metabolism and stress response. In recent years, a study found that noncoding RNAs play a vital role in the post-transcriptional regulation of nitrogen metabolism, which is currently a hot topic in the study of bacterial nitrogen metabolism regulation. In this review, we present an overview of recent advances that increase our understanding on the regulatory roles of bacterial noncoding RNAs and describe in detail how noncoding RNAs regulate biological nitrogen fixation and nitrogen metabolic engineering. Furthermore, our goal is to lay a theoretical foundation for better understanding the molecular mechanisms in bacteria that are involved in environmental adaptations and metabolically-engineered genetic modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyue Han
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Li
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongliang Yan
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Lin
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiubin Ke
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunhua Zhang
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China. .,School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China.
| | - Yuhua Zhan
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
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22
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Chen Y, Niu X, Cheng M, Wang L, Sun P, Song H, Cao Y. CRISPR/dCas9-RpoD-Mediated Simultaneous Transcriptional Activation and Repression in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:2184-2192. [PMID: 35608070 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular electron transfer (EET) of electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) is the dominating factor for versatile applications of bio-electrochemical systems. Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is one of the model EAMs for the study of EET, which is associated with a variety of cellular activities. However, due to the lack of a transcriptional activation tool, regulation of multiple genes is labor-intensive and time-consuming, which hampers the advancement of improving the EET efficiency in S. oneidensis. In this study, we developed an easily operated and multifunctional regulatory tool, that is, a simultaneous clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated transcriptional activation (CRISPRa) and interference (CRISPRi) system, for application in S. oneidensis. First, a large number of activators were screened, and RpoD (σ70) was determined as the optimal activator. Second, the effective activation range was identified to be 190-216 base upstream of the transcriptional start site. Third, up- and downregulation was achieved in concert by two orthogonal single guide RNAs targeting different positions. The activation of the cell division gene (minCDE) and repression of the cytotoxic gene (SO_3166) were concurrently implemented, increasing the power density by 2.5-fold and enhancing the degradation rate of azo dyes by 2.9-fold. The simultaneous CRISPRa and CRISPRi system enables simultaneous multiplex genetic regulation, offering the potential to further advance studies of the EET mechanism and application in S. oneidensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaru Chen
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xiaolong Niu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Meijie Cheng
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Luxin Wang
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Panxing Sun
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Hao Song
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yingxiu Cao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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23
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Li Y, Mensah EO, Fordjour E, Bai J, Yang Y, Bai Z. Recent advances in high-throughput metabolic engineering: Generation of oligonucleotide-mediated genetic libraries. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 59:107970. [PMID: 35550915 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The preparation of genetic libraries is an essential step to evolve microorganisms and study genotype-phenotype relationships by high-throughput screening/selection. As the large-scale synthesis of oligonucleotides becomes easy, cheap, and high-throughput, numerous novel strategies have been developed in recent years to construct high-quality oligo-mediated libraries, leveraging state-of-art molecular biology tools for genome editing and gene regulation. This review presents an overview of recent advances in creating and characterizing in vitro and in vivo genetic libraries, based on CRISPR/Cas, regulatory RNAs, and recombineering, primarily for Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These libraries' applications in high-throughput metabolic engineering, strain evolution and protein engineering are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Li
- National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
| | - Emmanuel Osei Mensah
- National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Eric Fordjour
- National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Jing Bai
- School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Yankun Yang
- National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Zhonghu Bai
- National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
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24
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Harimoto T, Hahn J, Chen YY, Im J, Zhang J, Hou N, Li F, Coker C, Gray K, Harr N, Chowdhury S, Pu K, Nimura C, Arpaia N, Leong KW, Danino T. A programmable encapsulation system improves delivery of therapeutic bacteria in mice. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1259-1269. [PMID: 35301496 PMCID: PMC9371971 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01244-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Living bacteria therapies have been proposed as an alternative approach to treating a broad array of cancers. In this study, we developed a genetically encoded microbial encapsulation system with tunable and dynamic expression of surface capsular polysaccharides that enhances systemic delivery. Based on a small RNA screen of capsular biosynthesis pathways, we constructed inducible synthetic gene circuits that regulate bacterial encapsulation in Escherichia coli Nissle 1917. These bacteria are capable of temporarily evading immune attack, whereas subsequent loss of encapsulation results in effective clearance in vivo. This dynamic delivery strategy enabled a ten-fold increase in maximum tolerated dose of bacteria and improved anti-tumor efficacy in murine models of cancer. Furthermore, in situ encapsulation increased the fraction of microbial translocation among mouse tumors, leading to efficacy in distal tumors. The programmable encapsulation system promises to enhance the therapeutic utility of living engineered bacteria for cancer. Transient capsule induction allows engineered bacteria to evade initial immune surveillance in a colorectal cancer model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuhiro Harimoto
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jaeseung Hahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yu-Yu Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jongwon Im
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joanna Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Hou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fangda Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Courtney Coker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kelsey Gray
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicole Harr
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sreyan Chowdhury
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kelly Pu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Clare Nimura
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas Arpaia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kam W Leong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tal Danino
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. .,Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. .,Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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25
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Yeom J, Park JS, Jeon YM, Song BS, Yoo SM. Synthetic fused sRNA for the simultaneous repression of multiple genes. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:2517-2527. [PMID: 35291022 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11867-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Efficient control over multiple gene expression still presents a major challenge. Synthetic sRNA enables targeted gene expression control in trans without directly modifying the chromosome, but its use to simultaneously target multiple genes can often cause cell growth defects because of the need for additional energy for transcription and lowering of their repression efficiency by limiting the amount of Hfq protein. To address these limitations, we present fusion sRNA (fsRNA) that simultaneously regulates the translation of multiple genes efficiently. It is constructed by linking the mRNA-binding modules for multiple targeted genes in one sRNA scaffold via one-pot generation using overlap extension PCR. The repression capacity of fsRNA was demonstrated by the construction of sRNAs to target four endogenous genes: caiF, hybG, ytfR and minD in Escherichia coli. Their cross-reactivity and the effect on cell growth were also investigated. As practical applications, we applied fsRNA to violacein- and protocatechuic acid-producing strains, resulting in increases of 13% violacein and 81% protocatechuic acid, respectively. The developed fsRNA-mediated multiple gene expression regulation system thus enables rapid and efficient development of optimised cell factories for valuable chemicals without cell growth defects and limiting cellular resources.Key points• Synthetic fusion sRNA (fsRNA)-based system was constructed for the repression of multiple target genes.• fsRNA repressed multiple genes by only expressing a single sRNA while minimising the cellular burden.• The application of fsRNA showed the increased production titers of violacein (13%) and protocatechuic acid (81%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinho Yeom
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Seong Park
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Min Jeon
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Beom Seop Song
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Min Yoo
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
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26
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Harnessing plasmid replication mechanism to enable dynamic control of gene copy in bacteria. Metab Eng 2022; 70:67-78. [PMID: 35033655 PMCID: PMC8844098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Dynamic regulation has been proved efficient in controlling gene expression at transcriptional, translational, and post-translational level. However, the dynamic regulation at gene replication level has been rarely explored so far. In this study, we established dynamic regulation at gene copy level through engineering controllable plasmid replication to dynamically control the gene expression. Prototypic genetic circuits with different control logic were applied to enable diversified dynamic behaviors of gene copy. To explore the applicability of this strategy, the dynamic gene copy control was employed in regulating the biosynthesis of p-coumaric acid, which resulted in an up to 78% increase in p-coumaric acid titer to 1.69 g/L in shake flasks. These results indicated the great potential of applying dynamic gene copy control for engineering biosynthesis of valuable compounds in metabolic engineering.
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27
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Dwijayanti A, Storch M, Stan GB, Baldwin GS. A modular RNA interference system for multiplexed gene regulation. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:1783-1793. [PMID: 35061908 PMCID: PMC8860615 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rational design and realisation of simple-to-use genetic control elements that are modular, orthogonal and robust is essential to the construction of predictable and reliable biological systems of increasing complexity. To this effect, we introduce modular Artificial RNA interference (mARi), a rational, modular and extensible design framework that enables robust, portable and multiplexed post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in Escherichia coli. The regulatory function of mARi was characterised in a range of relevant genetic contexts, demonstrating its independence from other genetic control elements and the gene of interest, and providing new insight into the design rules of RNA based regulation in E. coli, while a range of cellular contexts also demonstrated it to be independent of growth-phase and strain type. Importantly, the extensibility and orthogonality of mARi enables the simultaneous post-transcriptional regulation of multi-gene systems as both single-gene cassettes and poly-cistronic operons. To facilitate adoption, mARi was designed to be directly integrated into the modular BASIC DNA assembly framework. We anticipate that mARi-based genetic control within an extensible DNA assembly framework will facilitate metabolic engineering, layered genetic control, and advanced genetic circuit applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marko Storch
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Guy-Bart Stan
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.,Department of Bioengineering, Bessemer Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Geoff S Baldwin
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.,Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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28
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Chee WKD, Yeoh JW, Dao VL, Poh CL. Thermogenetics: Applications come of age. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 55:107907. [PMID: 35041863 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Temperature is a ubiquitous physical cue that is non-invasive, penetrative and easy to apply. In the growing field of thermogenetics, through beneficial repurposing of natural thermosensing mechanisms, synthetic biology is bringing new opportunities to design and build robust temperature-sensitive (TS) sensors which forms a thermogenetic toolbox of well characterised biological parts. Recent advancements in technological platforms available have expedited the discovery of novel or de novo thermosensors which are increasingly deployed in many practical temperature-dependent biomedical, industrial and biosafety applications. In all, the review aims to convey both the exhilarating recent technological developments underlying the advancement of thermosensors and the exciting opportunities the nascent thermogenetic field holds for biomedical and biotechnology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Kit David Chee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117583, Singapore; NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Jing Wui Yeoh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117583, Singapore; NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Viet Linh Dao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117583, Singapore; NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore
| | - Chueh Loo Poh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117583, Singapore; NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456, Singapore.
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29
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Li C, Jiang T, Li M, Zou Y, Yan Y. Fine-tuning gene expression for improved biosynthesis of natural products: From transcriptional to post-translational regulation. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 54:107853. [PMID: 34637919 PMCID: PMC8724446 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Microbial production of natural compounds has attracted extensive attention due to their high value in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Constructing efficient microbial cell factories for biosynthesis of natural products requires the fine-tuning of gene expressions to minimize the accumulation of toxic metabolites, reduce the competition between cell growth and product generation, as well as achieve the balance of redox or co-factors. In this review, we focus on recent advances in fine-tuning gene expression at the DNA, RNA, and protein levels to improve the microbial biosynthesis of natural products. Commonly used regulatory toolsets in each level are discussed, and perspectives for future direction in this area are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyi Li
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Tian Jiang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Michelle Li
- North Oconee High School, Bogart, GA 30622, USA
| | - Yusong Zou
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Yajun Yan
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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30
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Exploiting Aerobic Carboxydotrophic Bacteria for Industrial Biotechnology. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 180:1-32. [PMID: 34894287 DOI: 10.1007/10_2021_178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Aerobic carboxydotrophic bacteria are a group of microorganisms which possess the unique trait to oxidize carbon monoxide (CO) as sole energy source with molecular oxygen (O2) to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) which subsequently is used for biomass formation via the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle. Moreover, most carboxydotrophs are also able to oxidize hydrogen (H2) with hydrogenases to drive the reduction of carbon dioxide in the absence of CO. As several abundant industrial off-gases contain significant amounts of CO, CO2, H2 as well as O2, these bacteria come into focus for industrial application to produce chemicals and fuels from such gases in gas fermentation approaches. Since the group of carboxydotrophic bacteria is rather unknown and not very well investigated, we will provide an overview about their lifestyle and the underlying metabolic characteristics, introduce promising members for industrial application, and give an overview of available genetic engineering tools. We will point to limitations and discuss challenges, which have to be overcome to apply metabolic engineering approaches and to utilize aerobic carboxydotrophs in the industrial environment.
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31
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Post-Transcriptional Control in the Regulation of Polyhydroxyalkanoates Synthesis. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080853. [PMID: 34440597 PMCID: PMC8401924 DOI: 10.3390/life11080853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The large production of non-degradable petrol-based plastics has become a major global issue due to its environmental pollution. Biopolymers produced by microorganisms such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are gaining potential as a sustainable alternative, but the high cost associated with their industrial production has been a limiting factor. Post-transcriptional regulation is a key step to control gene expression in changing environments and has been reported to play a major role in numerous cellular processes. However, limited reports are available concerning the regulation of PHA accumulation in bacteria, and many essential regulatory factors still need to be identified. Here, we review studies where the synthesis of PHA has been reported to be regulated at the post-transcriptional level, and we analyze the RNA-mediated networks involved. Finally, we discuss the forthcoming research on riboregulation, synthetic, and metabolic engineering which could lead to improved strategies for PHAs synthesis in industrial production, thereby reducing the costs currently associated with this procedure.
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32
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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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33
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Hu W, Liu S, Wang Z, Chen T. Improving riboflavin production by knocking down ribF, purA and guaC genes using synthetic regulatory small RNA. J Biotechnol 2021; 336:25-29. [PMID: 34087245 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2021.05.007] [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: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Riboflavin is a commercially important compound in the food, pharmaceutical, chemical, and cosmetic industries. The down-regulation of expression levels of ribF, purA and guaC genes involved in the downstream or branch reactions of riboflavin biosynthesis pathway could direct more carbon flux to riboflavin accumulation. In this study, we made an attempt to fine-tune the expression levels of the 3 genes by using synthetic regulatory small RNA to enhance riboflavin production in Escherichia coli. Firstly, each of the 3 genes was knocking down by using 5 different sRNAs, respectively, and a highest increase of 50.2 % in riboflavin titer was achieved by using anti-ribF5 sRNA. Then this sRNA was further co-expressed with 5 anti-purA and 5 anti-guaC sRNAs to simultaneously knocking down 2 or 3 genes. Co-expression of anti-ribF5 and anti-guaC3 led to the highest riboflavin production of 1091.3 mg/L, which was further increased by 97.6 % compared to the base strain. Finally, the expression levels of anti-ribF5 and anti-guaC3 were further fine-tuned by using 4 different promoters. The best strain WY40, in which the two sRNAs were respectively expressed by PJ23100 and PJ23107 promoter, produced 1454.5 mg/L riboflavin with an increase of 163.4 % compared to the base strain. To our knowledge, it's the first study to enhance riboflavin synthesis by simultaneously regulating the expression levels of ribF, purA and guaC genes, which led to a highest yield of 0.147 g/g glucose among all reported riboflavin-producing strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenya Hu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, 300072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Shuang Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, 300072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Zhiwen Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, 300072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Tao Chen
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, 300072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China.
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Zhu LP, Song SZ, Yang S. Gene repression using synthetic small regulatory RNA in Methylorubrum extorquens. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 131:2861-2875. [PMID: 34021964 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15159] [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: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
AIM Genetic tools are a prerequisite for engineering cell factories for synthetic biology and biotechnology. Methylorubrum extorquens is an important platform for a future one-carbon (C1) bioeconomy, but its application is currently limited by the availability of genetic tools. Small regulatory RNA (sRNA) is an important regulatory factor in bacteria and has been applied for gene repression in several strains. This study aimed to construct a synthetic sRNA system based on the MicC scaffold and the chaperone Hfq to control gene expression in M. extorquens. METHODS AND RESULTS Initially, the exogenous lacZ gene was transposed into the M. extorquens chromosome as a reporter, and corresponding β-galactosidase was measured to assess the knockdown efficiency of lacZ. A synthetic sRNA containing a 24-nt antisense RNA targeting lacZ and an Escherichia coli MicC scaffold were constructed, and different Hfqs from E. coli, M. extorquens AM1 and PA1 were further identified. The results showed that the expression of endogenous hfqs from the chromosome in M. extorquens strains was inadequate, and only when it was overexpressed via the plasmid did the colonies show a colour change and a corresponding decrease in β-galactosidase expression. More specifically, M. extorquens strains with overexpressing their own Hfq showed the best gene repression efficiency. Furthermore, this E. coli MicC scaffold and AM1 Hfq system were combined to knock down crtI gene expression in AM1, leading to an 86% decrease in carotenoid production (0·09 mg g-1 ) compared to that (0·65 mg g-1 ) in the wild-type strain. CONCLUSION A functional synthetic sRNA system combined with E. coli MicC and endogenous Hfq was constructed in M. extorquens strains, which was able to interfere with the target crtI gene and reduce carotenoid production. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The synthetic sRNA system reported in this study provides a genetic tool for the manipulation of M. extorquens. The present findings might be helpful for achieving high-throughput gene knockdown expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- L-P Zhu
- Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao International Center on Microbes Utilizing Biogas, and School of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - S-Z Song
- Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao International Center on Microbes Utilizing Biogas, and School of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - S Yang
- Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Applied Mycology, Qingdao International Center on Microbes Utilizing Biogas, and School of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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Recent advances in tuning the expression and regulation of genes for constructing microbial cell factories. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 50:107767. [PMID: 33974979 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
To overcome environmental problems caused by the use of fossil resources, microbial cell factories have become a promising technique for the sustainable and eco-friendly development of valuable products from renewable resources. Constructing microbial cell factories with high titers, yields, and productivity requires a balance between growth and production; to this end, tuning gene expression and regulation is necessary to optimise and precisely control complicated metabolic fluxes. In this article, we review the current trends and advances in tuning gene expression and regulation and consider their engineering at each of the three stages of gene regulation: genomic, mRNA, and protein. In particular, the technological approaches utilised in a diverse range of genetic-engineering-based tools for the construction of microbial cell factories are reviewed and representative applications of these strategies are presented. Finally, the prospects for strategies and systems for tuning gene expression and regulation are discussed.
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Recent Research Advances in Small Regulatory RNAs in Streptococcus. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:2231-2241. [PMID: 33963446 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02484-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are a class of regulatory RNAs 20-500 nucleotides in length, which have recently been discovered in prokaryotic organisms. sRNAs are key regulators in many biological processes, such as sensing various environmental changes and regulating intracellular gene expression through binding target mRNAs or proteins. Bacterial sRNAs have recently been rapidly mined, thus providing new insights into the regulatory network of biological functions in prokaryotes. Although most bacterial sRNAs have been discovered and studied in Escherichia coli and other Gram-negative bacteria, sRNAs have increasingly been predicted and verified in Gram-positive bacteria in the past decade. The genus Streptococcus includes many commensal and pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria. However, current understanding of sRNA-mediated regulation in Streptococcus is limited. Most known sRNAs in Streptococcus are associated with the regulation of virulence. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding of the functions and mechanisms of sRNAs in Streptococcus, and we discuss the RNA chaperone protein and synthetic sRNA-mediated gene regulation, with the aim of providing a reference for the study of microbial sRNAs.
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Zhang R, Zhang Y, Wang J, Yang Y, Yan Y. Development of antisense RNA-mediated quantifiable inhibition for metabolic regulation. Metab Eng Commun 2021; 12:e00168. [PMID: 33717978 PMCID: PMC7921874 DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2021.e00168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Trans-regulating elements such as noncoding RNAs are crucial in modifying cells, and has shown broad application in synthetic biology, metabolic engineering and RNA therapies. Although effective, titration of the regulatory levels of such elements is less explored. Encouraged by the need of fine-tuning cellular functions, we studied key parameters of the antisense RNA design including oligonucleotide length, targeting region and relative dosage to achieve differentiated inhibition. We determined a 30-nucleotide configuration that renders efficient and robust inhibition. We found that by targeting the core RBS region proportionally, quantifiable inhibition levels can be rationally obtained. A mathematic model was established accordingly with refined energy terms and successfully validated by depicting the inhibition levels for genomic targets. Additionally, we applied this fine-tuning approach for 4-hydroxycoumarin biosynthesis by simultaneous and quantifiable knockdown of multiple targets, resulting in a 3.58-fold increase in titer of the engineered strain comparing to that of the non-regulated. We believe the developed tool is broadly compatible and provides an extra layer of control in modifying living systems. Achieved quantifiable asRNA inhibition by varying core RBS coverage. Developed and validated a mathematical model for quantifiable inhibition. Improved 4-hydroxycoumarin biosynthesis by 3.58 folds with multiplexed inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihua Zhang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Yaping Yang
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Yajun Yan
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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38
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Bak G, Choi JS, Kim W, Suk S, Lee Y. An Effective Method for Specific Gene Silencing in Escherichia coli Using Artificial Small RNA. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2323:233-247. [PMID: 34086285 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1499-0_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Knockdown or silencing of a specific gene presents a powerful strategy for elucidating gene function in a variety of organisms. To date, efficient silencing methods have been established in eukaryotes, but not bacteria. In this chapter, an efficient and versatile gene silencing method using artificial small RNA (afsRNA) is described. For this purpose, target-recognizing sequences were introduced in specially designed RNA scaffolds to exist as single-stranded stretches in afsRNA. The translation initiation region of target genes was used as the sequence for afsRNA recognition, based on the theory that this site is usually highly accessible to ribosomes, and therefore, possibly, afsRNA. Two genes transcribed as monocistrons were tested with our protocol. Both genes were effectively silenced by their cognate afsRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geunu Bak
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST , Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Jee Soo Choi
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST , Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Wonkyeong Kim
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST , Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Shinae Suk
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST , Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Younghoon Lee
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST , Daejeon, South Korea.
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Genome-Scale Metabolic Modeling of Escherichia coli and Its Chassis Design for Synthetic Biology Applications. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2189:217-229. [PMID: 33180304 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0822-7_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Genome-scale metabolic modeling is and will continue to play a central role in computational systems metabolic engineering and synthetic biology applications for the productions of chemicals and antibiotics. To that end, a survey and workflows of methods used for the development of high-quality genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) and chassis design for synthetic biology are described here. The chapter consists of two parts (a) the methods of development of GEMs (Escherichia coli as a case study) and (b) E. coli chassis design for synthetic production of 1,4-butanediol (BDO). The methods described here can guide existing and future development of GEMs coupled with host chassis design for synthetic productions of novel antibiotics.
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40
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Yoo SM, Jung SW, Yeom J, Lee SY, Na D. Tunable Gene Expression System Independent of Downstream Coding Sequence. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:2998-3007. [PMID: 33124809 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Fine control of the expression levels of proteins constitutes a major challenge in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. However, the dependence of translation initiation on the downstream coding sequence (CDS) obscures accurate prediction of the protein expression levels from mRNA sequences. Here, we present a tunable gene-expression system comprising 24 expression cassettes that produce predefined relative expression levels of proteins ranging from 0.001 to 1 without being influenced by the downstream CDS. To validate the practical utility of the tunable expression system, it was applied to a synthetic circuit displaying three states of fluorescence depending on the difference in protein expression levels. To demonstrate the suitability of application to metabolic engineering, this system was used to diversify the levels of key metabolic enzymes. As a result, expression-optimized strains were capable of producing 2.25 g/L of cadaverine, 2.59 g/L of L-proline, and 95.7 mg/L of 1-propanol. Collectively, the tunable expression system could be utilized to optimize genetic circuits for desired operation and to optimize metabolic fluxes through biosynthetic pathways for enhancing production yields of bioproducts. This tunable system will be useful for studying basic and applied biological sciences in addition to applications in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Min Yoo
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro,
Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Woon Jung
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro,
Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Yeom
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro,
Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Yup Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 Plus program), KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Dokyun Na
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro,
Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
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41
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Synthetic small regulatory RNAs in microbial metabolic engineering. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 105:1-12. [PMID: 33201273 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10971-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) finely control gene expression in prokaryotes and synthetic sRNA has become a useful high-throughput approach to tackle current challenges in metabolic engineering because of its many advantages compared to conventional gene knockouts. In this review, we first focus on the modular structures of sRNAs and rational design strategies of synthetic sRNAs on the basis of their modular structures. The wide applications of synthetic sRNAs in bacterial metabolic engineering, with or without the aid of heterogeneously expressed Hfq protein, were also covered. In addition, we give attention to the improvements in implementing synthetic sRNAs, which make the synthetic sRNA strategy universally applicable in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. KEY POINTS: • Synthetic sRNAs can be rationally designed based on modular structures of natural sRNAs. • Synthetic sRNAs were widely used for metabolic engineering in various microorganisms. • Several technological improvements made the synthetic sRNA strategy more applicable.
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42
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Paul A, Warszawik EM, Loznik M, Boersma AJ, Herrmann A. Modular and Versatile Trans‐Encoded Genetic Switches. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202001372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Avishek Paul
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany
| | - Eliza M. Warszawik
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Mark Loznik
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany
| | - Arnold J. Boersma
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany
| | - Andreas Herrmann
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Forckenbeckstr. 50 52056 Aachen Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry RWTH Aachen University Worringerweg 2 52074 Aachen Germany
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43
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Paul A, Warszawik EM, Loznik M, Boersma AJ, Herrmann A. Modular and Versatile Trans-Encoded Genetic Switches. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:20328-20332. [PMID: 32352201 PMCID: PMC7689881 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202001372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Current bacterial RNA switches suffer from lack of versatile inputs and are difficult to engineer. We present versatile and modular RNA switches that are trans-encoded and based on tRNA-mimicking structures (TMSs). These switches provide a high degree of freedom for reengineering and can thus be designed to accept a wide range of inputs, including RNA, small molecules, and proteins. This powerful approach enables control of the translation of protein expression from plasmid and genome DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avishek Paul
- Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstr. 5052056AachenGermany
| | - Eliza M. Warszawik
- Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Mark Loznik
- Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstr. 5052056AachenGermany
| | - Arnold J. Boersma
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstr. 5052056AachenGermany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 252074AachenGermany
| | - Andreas Herrmann
- Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstr. 5052056AachenGermany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular ChemistryRWTH Aachen UniversityWorringerweg 252074AachenGermany
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44
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Mukhopadhyay S, Bagh S. A microgravity responsive synthetic genetic device in Escherichia coli. Biosens Bioelectron 2020; 167:112462. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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45
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Li J, Rong L, Zhao Y, Li S, Zhang C, Xiao D, Foo JL, Yu A. Next-generation metabolic engineering of non-conventional microbial cell factories for carboxylic acid platform chemicals. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 43:107605. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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46
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Zhang M, Qiao C, Luan G, Luo Q, Lu X. Systematic Identification of Target Genes for Cellular Morphology Engineering in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1608. [PMID: 32754143 PMCID: PMC7381316 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are serving as promising microbial platforms for development of photosynthetic cell factories. For enhancing the economic competitiveness of the photosynthetic biomanufacturing technology, comprehensive improvements on industrial properties of the cyanobacteria chassis cells and engineered strains are required. Cellular morphology engineering is an up-and-coming strategy for development of microbial cell factories fitting the requirements of industrial application. In this work, we performed systematic evaluation of potential genes for cyanobacterial cellular morphology engineering. Twelve candidate genes participating in cell morphogenesis of an important model cyanobacteria strain, Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942, were knocked out/down and overexpressed, respectively, and the influences on cell sizes and cell shapes were imaged and calculated. Targeting the selected genes with potentials for cellular morphology engineering, the controllable cell lengthening machinery was also explored based on the application of sRNA approaches. The findings in this work not only provided many new targets for cellular morphology engineering in cyanobacteria, but also helped to further understand the cell division process and cell elongation process of Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cuncun Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guodong Luan
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Quan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Xuefeng Lu
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian, China.,Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
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47
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Zhang J, Zhao Y, Cao Y, Yu Z, Wang G, Li Y, Ye X, Li C, Lin X, Song H. sRNA-Based Screening Chromosomal Gene Targets and Modular Designing Escherichia coli for High-Titer Production of Aglycosylated Immunoglobulin G. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:1385-1394. [PMID: 32396719 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The production of the aglycosylated immunoglobulin G (IgG) in Escherichia coli has received wide interest for its analytical and therapeutic applications. To enhance the production titer of IgG, we first used synthetic sRNAs to perform a systematical analysis of the gene expression in the translational level in the glycolytic pathway (module 1) and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (module 2) to reveal the critical genes for the efficient IgG production. Second, to provide sufficient amino acid precursors for the protein biosynthesis, amino acid biosynthesis pathways (module 3) were enhanced to facilitate the IgG production. Upon integrated engineering of these genes in the three modules (module 1, aceF; module 2, gltA and acnA; module 3, serB) and optimization of fermentation conditions, the recombinant E. coli enabled a titer of the full-assembled IgG of 4.5 ± 0.6 mg/L in flask cultures and 184 ± 9.2 mg/L in the 5 L high cell density fed-batch fermenter, which is, as far as we know, the highest reported titer of IgG production in recombinant E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhua Zhang
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Yanshu Zhao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Yingxiu Cao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
| | - Zhenpeng Yu
- Yangzhou Lianao Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Yangzhou Aurisco Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wanmei Road No. 5, Hanjiang Economic Development Zone, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province 225100, P. R. China
| | - Guoping Wang
- Yangzhou Lianao Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Yangzhou Aurisco Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wanmei Road No. 5, Hanjiang Economic Development Zone, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province 225100, P. R. China
| | - Yiqun Li
- Yangzhou Lianao Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Yangzhou Aurisco Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wanmei Road No. 5, Hanjiang Economic Development Zone, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province 225100, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoqiong Ye
- Yangzhou Lianao Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Yangzhou Aurisco Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wanmei Road No. 5, Hanjiang Economic Development Zone, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province 225100, P. R. China
| | - Congfa Li
- College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Xue Lin
- College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Hao Song
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, P. R. China
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48
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The Small RNA sr8384 Is a Crucial Regulator of Cell Growth in Solventogenic Clostridia. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.00665-20. [PMID: 32358006 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00665-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Small RNAs (sRNAs) are crucial regulatory molecules in organisms and are well-known not only for their roles in the control of diverse crucial biological processes but also for their value in regulation rewiring. However, to date, in Gram-positive anaerobic solventogenic clostridia (a group of important industrial bacteria with exceptional substrate and product diversity), sRNAs remain minimally explored, and thus there is a lack of detailed understanding regarding these important molecules and their use as targets for genetic improvement. Here, we performed large-scale phenotypic screens of a transposon-mediated mutant library of Clostridium acetobutylicum, a typical solventogenic clostridial species, and discovered a novel sRNA (sr8384) that functions as a crucial regulator of cell growth. Comparative transcriptomic data combined with genetic and biochemical analyses revealed that sr8384 acts as a pleiotropic regulator and controls multiple targets that are associated with crucial biological processes through direct or indirect interactions. Notably, the in vivo expression level of sr8384 determined the cell growth rate, thereby affecting the solvent titer and productivity. These findings indicate the importance of the sr8384-mediated regulatory network in C. acetobutylicum Furthermore, a homolog of sr8384 was discovered and proven to be functional in another important Clostridium species, C. beijerinckii, suggesting the potential broad role of this sRNA in clostridia. Our work showcases a previously unknown potent and complex role of sRNAs in clostridia, providing new opportunities for understanding and engineering these anaerobes.IMPORTANCE The uses of sRNAs as new resources for functional studies and strain modifications are promising strategies in microorganisms. However, these crucial regulatory molecules have hardly been explored in industrially important solventogenic clostridia. Here, we identified sr8384 as a novel determinant sRNA controlling the cell growth of solventogenic Clostridium acetobutylicum Based on a detailed functional analysis, we further reveal the pleiotropic function of sr8384 and its multiple direct and indirect crucial targets, which represents a valuable source for understanding and optimizing this anaerobe. Of note, manipulation of this sRNA achieves improved cell growth and solvent synthesis. Our findings provide a new perspective for future studies on regulatory sRNAs in clostridia.
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49
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Coussement P, Bauwens D, Peters G, Maertens J, De Mey M. Mapping and refactoring pathway control through metabolic and protein engineering: The hexosamine biosynthesis pathway. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 40:107512. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Long M, Xu M, Ma Z, Pan X, You J, Hu M, Shao Y, Yang T, Zhang X, Rao Z. Significantly enhancing production of trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline by integrated system engineering in Escherichia coli. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaba2383. [PMID: 32494747 PMCID: PMC7244267 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba2383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline is produced by trans-proline-4-hydroxylase with l-proline through glucose fermentation. Here, we designed a thorough "from A to Z" strategy to significantly improve trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline production. Through rare codon selected evolution, Escherichia coli M1 produced 18.2 g L-1 l-proline. Metabolically engineered M6 with the deletion of putA, proP, putP, and aceA, and proB mutation focused carbon flux to l-proline and released its feedback inhibition. It produced 15.7 g L-1 trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline with 10 g L-1 l-proline retained. Furthermore, a tunable circuit based on quorum sensing attenuated l-proline hydroxylation flux, resulting in 43.2 g L-1 trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline with 4.3 g L-1 l-proline retained. Finally, rationally designed l-proline hydroxylase gave 54.8 g L-1 trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline in 60 hours almost without l-proline remaining-the highest production to date. The de novo engineering carbon flux through rare codon selected evolution, dynamic precursor modulation, and metabolic engineering provides a good technological platform for efficient hydroxyl amino acid synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zhenfeng Ma
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xuewei Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Jiajia You
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Mengkai Hu
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Yu Shao
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Taowei Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Zhiming Rao
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
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