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Guan A, He Z, Wang X, Jia ZJ, Qin J. Engineering the next-generation synthetic cell factory driven by protein engineering. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 73:108366. [PMID: 38663492 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108366] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic cell factory offers substantial advantages in economically efficient production of biofuels, chemicals, and pharmaceutical compounds. However, to create a high-performance synthetic cell factory, precise regulation of cellular material and energy flux is essential. In this context, protein components including enzymes, transcription factor-based biosensors and transporters play pivotal roles. Protein engineering aims to create novel protein variants with desired properties by modifying or designing protein sequences. This review focuses on summarizing the latest advancements of protein engineering in optimizing various aspects of synthetic cell factory, including: enhancing enzyme activity to eliminate production bottlenecks, altering enzyme selectivity to steer metabolic pathways towards desired products, modifying enzyme promiscuity to explore innovative routes, and improving the efficiency of transporters. Furthermore, the utilization of protein engineering to modify protein-based biosensors accelerates evolutionary process and optimizes the regulation of metabolic pathways. The remaining challenges and future opportunities in this field are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailin Guan
- College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Zixi He
- College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Xin Wang
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Jia
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jiufu Qin
- College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
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Reed KB, Brooks SM, Wells J, Blake KJ, Zhao M, Placido K, d'Oelsnitz S, Trivedi A, Gadhiyar S, Alper HS. A modular and synthetic biosynthesis platform for de novo production of diverse halogenated tryptophan-derived molecules. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3188. [PMID: 38609402 PMCID: PMC11015028 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47387-1] [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: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Halogen-containing molecules are ubiquitous in modern society and present unique chemical possibilities. As a whole, de novo fermentation and synthetic pathway construction for these molecules remain relatively underexplored and could unlock molecules with exciting new applications in industries ranging from textiles to agrochemicals to pharmaceuticals. Here, we report a mix-and-match co-culture platform to de novo generate a large array of halogenated tryptophan derivatives in Escherichia coli from glucose. First, we engineer E. coli to produce between 300 and 700 mg/L of six different halogenated tryptophan precursors. Second, we harness the native promiscuity of multiple downstream enzymes to access unexplored regions of metabolism. Finally, through modular co-culture fermentations, we demonstrate a plug-and-play bioproduction platform, culminating in the generation of 26 distinct halogenated molecules produced de novo including precursors to prodrugs 4-chloro- and 4-bromo-kynurenine and new-to-nature halogenated beta carbolines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B Reed
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Sierra M Brooks
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jordan Wells
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kristin J Blake
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, 105 E 24th Street, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Minye Zhao
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kira Placido
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Simon d'Oelsnitz
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway Avenue, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Adit Trivedi
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Shruti Gadhiyar
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hal S Alper
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 200 E Dean Keeton St. Stop C0400, Austin, TX, USA.
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway Avenue, Austin, TX, USA.
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Li Z, Gao C, Ye C, Guo L, Liu J, Chen X, Song W, Wu J, Liu L. Systems engineering of Escherichia coli for high-level shikimate production. Metab Eng 2023; 75:1-11. [PMID: 36328295 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
To further increase the production efficiency of microbial shikimate, a valuable compound widely used in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, ten key target genes contributing to shikimate production were identified by exploiting the enzyme constraint model ec_iML1515, and subsequently used for promoting metabolic flux towards shikimate biosynthesis in the tryptophan-overproducing strain Escherichia coli TRP0. The engineered E. coli SA05 produced 78.4 g/L shikimate via fed-batch fermentation. Deletion of quinate dehydrogenase and introduction of the hydroaromatic equilibration-alleviating shikimate dehydrogenase mutant AroET61W/L241I reduced the contents of byproducts quinate (7.5 g/L) and 3-dehydroshikimic acid (21.4 g/L) by 89.1% and 52.1%, respectively. Furthermore, a high concentration shikimate responsive promoter PrpoS was recruited to dynamically regulate the expression of the tolerance target ProV to enhance shikimate productivity by 23.2% (to 2 g/L/h). Finally, the shikimate titer was increased to 126.4 g/L, with a yield of 0.50 g/g glucose and productivity of 2.63 g/L/h, using a 30-L fermenter and the engineered strain E. coli SA09. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest reported shikimate titer and productivity in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhendong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Cong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Chao Ye
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China
| | - Liang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Jia Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Xiulai Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China
| | - Wei Song
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Jing Wu
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Liming Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China; School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.
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