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Cai M, Liu Z, Zhao Z, Wu H, Xu M, Rao Z. Microbial production of L-methionine and its precursors using systems metabolic engineering. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 69:108260. [PMID: 37739275 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
L-methionine is an essential amino acid with versatile applications in food, feed, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. At present, the production of L-methionine mainly relies on chemical synthesis, which conflicts with the concern over serious environmental problems and sustainable development goals. In recent years, microbial production of natural products has been amply rewarded with the emergence and rapid development of system metabolic engineering. However, efficient L-methionine production by microbial fermentation remains a great challenge due to its complicated biosynthetic pathway and strict regulatory mechanism. Additionally, the engineered production of L-methionine precursors, L-homoserine, O-succinyl-L-homoserine (OSH) and O-acetyl-L-homoserine (OAH), has also received widespread attention because they can be catalyzed to L-methionine via a high-efficiently enzymatic reaction in vitro, which is also a promising alternative to chemical route. This review provides a comprehensive overview on the recent advances in the microbial production of L-methionine and its precursors, highlighting the challenges and potential solutions for developing L-methionine microbial cell factories from the perspective of systems metabolic engineering, aiming to offer guidance for future engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Cai
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Yixing Institute of Food and Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Yixing 214200, China
| | - Zhifei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Yixing Institute of Food and Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Yixing 214200, China
| | - Zhenqiang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Yixing Institute of Food and Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Yixing 214200, China
| | - Hongxuan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Yixing Institute of Food and Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Yixing 214200, China
| | - Meijuan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Yixing Institute of Food and Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Yixing 214200, China
| | - Zhiming Rao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Yixing Institute of Food and Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Yixing 214200, China.
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Wang H, Zhou Y, Xu S, Zhang B, Cernava T, Ma Z, Chen Y. Enhancement of herbicolin A production by integrated fermentation optimization and strain engineering in Pantoea agglomerans ZJU23. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:50. [PMID: 36915090 PMCID: PMC10012537 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02051-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The lipopeptide herbicolin A (HA) secreted by the biocontrol agent Pantoea agglomerans ZJU23 is a promising antifungal drug to combat fungal pathogens by targeting lipid rafts, both in agricultural and clinical settings. Improvement of HA production would be of great significance in promoting its commercialization. This study aims to enhance the HA production in ZJU23 by combining fermentation optimization and strain engineering. RESULTS Based on the results in the single-factor experiments, corn steep liquor, temperature and initial pH were identified as the significant affecting factors by the Plackett-Burman design. The fermentation medium and conditions were further optimized using the Box-Behnken response surface method, and the HA production of the wild type strain ZJU23 was improved from ~ 87 mg/mL in King's B medium to ~ 211 mg/mL in HA induction (HAI) medium. A transposon library was constructed in ZJU23 to screen for mutants with higher HA production, and two transcriptional repressors for HA biosynthesis, LrhA and PurR, were identified. Disruption of the LrhA gene led to increased mRNA expression of HA biosynthetic genes, and subsequently improved about twofold HA production. Finally, the HA production reached ~ 471 mg/mL in the ΔLrhA mutant under optimized fermentation conditions, which is about 5.4 times higher than before (~ 87 mg/mL). The bacterial suspension of the ΔLrhA mutant fermented in HAI medium significantly enhanced its biocontrol efficacy against gray mold disease and Fusarium crown rot of wheat, showing equivalent control efficacies as the chemical fungicides used in this study. Furthermore, HA was effective against fungicide resistant Botrytis cinerea. Increased HA production substantially improved the control efficacy against gray mold disease caused by a pyrimethanil resistant strain. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals that the transcriptional repressor LrhA negatively regulates HA biosynthesis and the defined HAI medium is suitable for HA production. These findings provide an extended basis for large-scale production of HA and promote biofungicide development based on ZJU23 and HA in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongkai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Department of Plant Protection, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yaqi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Department of Plant Protection, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sunde Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Department of Plant Protection, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Boyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Department of Plant Protection, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tomislav Cernava
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Zhonghua Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Department of Plant Protection, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Department of Plant Protection, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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Yang Q, Cai D, Chen W, Chen H, Luo W. Combined metabolic analyses for the biosynthesis pathway of l-threonine in Escherichia coli. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1010931. [PMID: 36159692 PMCID: PMC9500239 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1010931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, industrial production of l-threonine (Thr) is based on direct fermentation with microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, which has the characteristics of low cost and high productivity. In order to elucidate the key metabolic features of the synthesis pathway of Thr in E. coli to provide clues for metabolic regulation or engineering of the strain, this study was carried out on an l-threonine over-producing strain, in terms of analyses of metabolic flux, enzyme control and metabonomics. Since environmental disturbance and genetic modification are considered to be two important methods of metabolic analysis, addition of phosphate in the media and comparison of strains with different genotypes were selected as the two candidates due to their significant influence in the biosynthesis of Thr. Some important targets including key nodes, enzymes and biomarkers were identified, which may provide target sites for rational design through engineering the Thrproducing strain. Finally, metabolic regulation aimed at one biomarker identified in this study was set as an example, which confirms that combined metabolic analyses may guide to improve the production of threonine in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Dongbo Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenshou Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Huiying Chen
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
| | - Wei Luo
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Luo,
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Zhu WY, Niu K, Liu P, Cai X, Liu ZQ, Zheng YG. Combining fermentation to produce O-succinyl-l-homoserine and enzyme catalysis for the synthesis of l-methionine in one pot. J Biosci Bioeng 2021; 132:451-459. [PMID: 34420895 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2021.07.002] [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: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The biosynthetic pathway of l-methionine in microorganisms was complex and regulated at multiple levels. In this study, a two-step method for l-methionine production combined fermentation and biocatalysis was realized in one pot. The O-succinyl-l-homoserine (OSH) producing strain Escherichia coli W3110(DE3) ΔIJB∗TrcmetL/pTrc-metAfbr-Trc-thrAfbr-yjeH (ΔIJB) was constructed initially. OSH in the fermentation supernatant was then converted to l-methionine in the presence of O-succinyl-l-homoserine sulfhydrylase (OSHS) and sodium methanethiol. The titer of l-methionine could reach 21.1 g/L after 88 h (84 h fermentation and 4 h catalysis) in a two-step method (process 1). In a one-pot two-strain system (process 2), two strains ΔIJB and E. coli BL21(DE3)/pET28b-OSHS-cutinase were co-cultured, and 8.24 g/L l-methionine was obtained. In another one-pot one-strain system (process 3), strain E. coli ΔIJB/pET28b-OSHS-cutinase could co-express OSHS and cutinase during ΔIJB fermentation at the same time, obtaining 13.6 g/L l-methionine in a 5 L fermentor after 84 h. By comparing the three processes for l-methionine production based on the process 1, the simplified process in process 3 provided in this study showed potent in the large-scale production of l-methionine with convenient handling and production efficiency, but further works still need to be carried out to improve the l-methionine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yuan Zhu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China; Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Kun Niu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China; Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Peng Liu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China; Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Xue Cai
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China; Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Liu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China; Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China.
| | - Yu-Guo Zheng
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China; Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, PR China
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Zhu WY, Niu K, Liu P, Fan YH, Liu ZQ, Zheng YG. Identification and Characterization of an O-Succinyl-L-Homoserine Sulfhydrylase From Thioalkalivibrio sulfidiphilus. Front Chem 2021; 9:672414. [PMID: 33937207 PMCID: PMC8080516 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.672414] [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: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
L-methionine is an important natural amino acid with broad application prospects. A novel gene encoding the enzyme with the ability to catalyze O-succinyl-L-homoserine (OSH) to L-methionine was screened and characterized. The recombinant O-succinyl-L-homoserine sulfhydrylase from Thioalkalivibrio sulfidiphilus (tsOSHS) exhibited maximum activity at 35°C and pH 6.5. OSHS displayed an excellent thermostability with a half-life of 21.72 h at 30°C. Furthermore, the activity of OSHS increased 115% after Fe2+ added. L-methionine was obtained with a total yield reaching 42.63 g/L under the concentration of O-succinyl-L-homoserine 400 mM (87.6 g/L). These results indicated that OSHS is a potential candidate for applying in the large-scale bioproduction of L-methionine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yuan Zhu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kun Niu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peng Liu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Hang Fan
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Liu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Guo Zheng
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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Mohany NAM, Totti A, Naylor KR, Janovjak H. Microbial methionine transporters and biotechnological applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:3919-3929. [PMID: 33929594 PMCID: PMC8140960 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11307-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Methionine (Met) is an essential amino acid with commercial value in animal feed, human nutrition, and as a chemical precursor. Microbial production of Met has seen intensive investigation towards a more sustainable alternative to the chemical synthesis that currently meets the global Met demand. Indeed, efficient Met biosynthesis has been achieved in genetically modified bacteria that harbor engineered enzymes and streamlined metabolic pathways. Very recently, the export of Met as the final step during its fermentative production has been studied and optimized, primarily through identification and expression of microbial Met efflux transporters. In this mini-review, we summarize the current knowledge on four families of Met export and import transporters that have been harnessed for the production of Met and other valuable biomolecules. These families are discussed with respect to their function, gene regulation, and biotechnological applications. We cover methods for identification and characterization of Met transporters as the basis for the further engineering of these proteins and for exploration of other solute carrier families. The available arsenal of Met transporters from different species and protein families provides blueprints not only for fermentative production but also synthetic biology systems, such as molecular sensors and cell-cell communication systems. KEY POINTS: • Sustainable production of methionine (Met) using microbes is actively explored. • Met transporters of four families increase production yield and specificity. • Further applications include other biosynthetic pathways and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurul Amira Mohammad Mohany
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia
| | - Alessandra Totti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology FaBiT, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Keith R Naylor
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia
| | - Harald Janovjak
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia.
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Melbourne, Clayton, Australia.
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