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Li S, Zhou Z, Li Y, Hu Y, Huang Z, Hu G, Wang Y, Wang X, Lou Q, Gao L, Shen C, Gao R, Xu Z, Song J, Pu X. Construction of a high-efficiency GjCCD4a mutant and its application for de novo biosynthesis of five crocins in Escherichia coli. Int J Biol Macromol 2024:133985. [PMID: 39033887 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133985] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Crocins are bioactive natural products that rarely exist in plants. High costs and resource shortage severely limit its development and application. Synthetic biology studies on crocins are of considerable global interest. However, the lack of high-efficiency genetic tools and complex cascade biocatalytic systems have substantially hindered progress in crocin biosynthesis-related research. Based on mutagenesis, a high-efficiency GjCCD4a mutant (N212m) was constructed with a catalytic efficiency that was 25.08-fold higher than that of the wild-type. Solubilized GjCCD4a was expressed via fusion with an MBP tag. Moreover, N212m and ten other genes were introduced into Escherichia coli for the de novo biosynthesis of five crocins. The engineered E57 strain produced crocins III and V with a total yield of 11.50 mg/L, and the E579 strain produced crocins I-V with a total output of 8.43 mg/L at shake-flask level. This study identified a marvelous genetic element (N212m) for crocin biosynthesis and achieved its de novo biosynthesis in E. coli using glucose. This study provides a reference for the large-scale production of five crocins using E. coli cell factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Li
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ze Zhou
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yufang Li
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yan Hu
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ziyi Huang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ge Hu
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Qian Lou
- Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Longlong Gao
- Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chuanpu Shen
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ranran Gao
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Zhichao Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Jingyuan Song
- Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Xiangdong Pu
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula Granule, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
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2
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Hua Z, Liu N, Yan X. Research progress on the pharmacological activity, biosynthetic pathways, and biosynthesis of crocins. Beilstein J Org Chem 2024; 20:741-752. [PMID: 38633914 PMCID: PMC11022409 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.20.68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Crocins are water-soluble apocarotenoids isolated from the flowers of crocus and gardenia. They exhibit various pharmacological effects, including neuroprotection, anti-inflammatory properties, hepatorenal protection, and anticancer activity. They are often used as coloring and seasoning agents. Due to the limited content of crocins in plants and the high cost of chemical synthesis, the supply of crocins is insufficient to meet current demand. The biosynthetic pathways for crocins have been elucidated to date, which allows the heterologous production of these valuable compounds in microorganisms by fermentation. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the chemistry, pharmacological activity, biosynthetic pathways, and heterologous production of crocins, aiming to lay the foundation for the large-scale production of these valuable natural products by using engineered microbial cell factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwei Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyang Lake Road, Tuanbo New Town, Jinghai District, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Nan Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyang Lake Road, Tuanbo New Town, Jinghai District, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Xiaohui Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10 Poyang Lake Road, Tuanbo New Town, Jinghai District, Tianjin 301617, China
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Li T, Liu X, Xiang H, Zhu H, Lu X, Feng B. Two-Phase Fermentation Systems for Microbial Production of Plant-Derived Terpenes. Molecules 2024; 29:1127. [PMID: 38474639 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29051127] [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: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial cell factories, renowned for their economic and environmental benefits, have emerged as a key trend in academic and industrial areas, particularly in the fermentation of natural compounds. Among these, plant-derived terpenes stand out as a significant class of bioactive natural products. The large-scale production of such terpenes, exemplified by artemisinic acid-a crucial precursor to artemisinin-is now feasible through microbial cell factories. In the fermentation of terpenes, two-phase fermentation technology has been widely applied due to its unique advantages. It facilitates in situ product extraction or adsorption, effectively mitigating the detrimental impact of product accumulation on microbial cells, thereby significantly bolstering the efficiency of microbial production of plant-derived terpenes. This paper reviews the latest developments in two-phase fermentation system applications, focusing on microbial fermentation of plant-derived terpenes. It also discusses the mechanisms influencing microbial biosynthesis of terpenes. Moreover, we introduce some new two-phase fermentation techniques, currently unexplored in terpene fermentation, with the aim of providing more thoughts and explorations on the future applications of two-phase fermentation technology. Lastly, we discuss several challenges in the industrial application of two-phase fermentation systems, especially in downstream processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuo Li
- College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Ximeng Liu
- College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Haoyu Xiang
- College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Hehua Zhu
- College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Xuan Lu
- College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Baomin Feng
- College of Life and Health, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
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Lee JH, Lee SR, Lee SY, Lee PC. Complete microbial synthesis of crocetin and crocins from glycerol in Escherichia coli. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:10. [PMID: 38178149 PMCID: PMC10765794 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02287-9] [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: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crocin, a glycosylated apocarotenoid pigment predominantly found in saffron, has garnered significant interest in the field of biotechnology for its bioactive properties. Traditional production of crocins and their aglycone, crocetin, typically involves extraction from crocin-producing plants. This study aimed to develop an alternative biosynthetic method for these compounds by engineering the metabolic pathways of zeaxanthin, crocetin, and crocin in Escherichia coli strains. RESULTS Employing a series of genetic modifications and the strategic overexpression of key enzymes, we successfully established a complete microbial pathway for synthesizing crocetin and four glycosylated derivatives of crocetin, utilizing glycerol as the primary carbon source. The overexpression of zeaxanthin cleavage dioxygenase and a novel variant of crocetin dialdehyde dehydrogenase resulted in a notable yield of crocetin (34.77 ± 1.03 mg/L). Further optimization involved the overexpression of new types of crocetin and crocin-2 glycosyltransferases, facilitating the production of crocin-1 (6.29 ± 0.19 mg/L), crocin-2 (5.29 ± 0.24 mg/L), crocin-3 (1.48 ± 0.10 mg/L), and crocin-4 (2.72 ± 0.13 mg/L). CONCLUSIONS This investigation introduces a pioneering and integrated microbial synthesis method for generating crocin and its derivatives, employing glycerol as a sustainable carbon feedstock. The substantial yields achieved highlight the commercial potential of microbial-derived crocins as an eco-friendly alternative to plant extraction methods. The development of these microbial processes not only broadens the scope for crocin production but also suggests significant implications for the exploitation of bioengineered compounds in pharmaceutical and food industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ho Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Department of Applied Chemical and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, Woncheon-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Rae Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Department of Applied Chemical and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, Woncheon-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Yup Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Pyung Cheon Lee
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Department of Applied Chemical and Biological Engineering, Ajou University, Woncheon-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea.
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Zhou J, Huang D, Liu C, Hu Z, Li H, Lou S. Research Progress in Heterologous Crocin Production. Mar Drugs 2023; 22:22. [PMID: 38248646 PMCID: PMC10820313 DOI: 10.3390/md22010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Crocin is one of the most valuable components of the Chinese medicinal plant Crocus sativus and is widely used in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Traditional planting of C. sativus is unable to fulfill the increasing demand for crocin in the global market, however, such that researchers have turned their attention to the heterologous production of crocin in a variety of hosts. At present, there are reports of successful heterologous production of crocin in Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, microalgae, and plants that do not naturally produce crocin. Of these, the microalga Dunaliella salina, which produces high levels of β-carotene, the substrate for crocin biosynthesis, is worthy of attention. This article describes the biosynthesis of crocin, compares the features of each heterologous host, and clarifies the requirements for efficient production of crocin in microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Zhou
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (J.Z.); (D.H.); (C.L.); (Z.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Danqiong Huang
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (J.Z.); (D.H.); (C.L.); (Z.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Chenglong Liu
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (J.Z.); (D.H.); (C.L.); (Z.H.); (H.L.)
| | - Zhangli Hu
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (J.Z.); (D.H.); (C.L.); (Z.H.); (H.L.)
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Longhua Innovation Institute for Biotechnology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Hui Li
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (J.Z.); (D.H.); (C.L.); (Z.H.); (H.L.)
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Longhua Innovation Institute for Biotechnology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Sulin Lou
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (J.Z.); (D.H.); (C.L.); (Z.H.); (H.L.)
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Longhua Innovation Institute for Biotechnology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
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Xie L, Luo Z, Jia X, Mo C, Huang X, Suo Y, Cui S, Zang Y, Liao J, Ma X. Synthesis of Crocin I and Crocin II by Multigene Stacking in Nicotiana benthamiana. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14139. [PMID: 37762441 PMCID: PMC10532124 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Crocins are a group of highly valuable water-soluble carotenoids that are reported to have many pharmacological activities, such as anticancer properties, and the potential for treating neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. Crocins are mainly biosynthesized in the stigmas of food-medicine herbs Crocus sativus L. and Gardenia jasminoides fruits. The distribution is narrow in nature and deficient in resources, which are scarce and expensive. Recently, the synthesis of metabolites in the heterologous host has opened up the potential for large-scale and sustainable production of crocins, especially for the main active compounds crocin I and crocin II. In this study, GjCCD4a, GjALDH2C3, GjUGT74F8, and GjUGT94E13 from G. jasminoides fruits were expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. The highest total content of crocins in T1 generation tobacco can reach 78,362 ng/g FW (fresh weight) and the dry weight is expected to reach 1,058,945 ng/g DW (dry weight). Surprisingly, the primary effective constituents crocin I and crocin II can account for 99% of the total crocins in transgenic plants. The strategy mentioned here provides an alternative platform for the scale-up production of crocin I and crocin II in tobacco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xie
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (L.X.); (Z.L.); (X.J.); (S.C.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Zuliang Luo
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (L.X.); (Z.L.); (X.J.); (S.C.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Xunli Jia
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (L.X.); (Z.L.); (X.J.); (S.C.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Changming Mo
- Guangxi Crop Genetic Improvement and Biotechnology Lab, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Science, Nanning 530007, China;
| | - Xiyang Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Phytochemicals and Sustainable Utilization, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guilin 541006, China;
| | - Yaran Suo
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China;
| | - Shengrong Cui
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (L.X.); (Z.L.); (X.J.); (S.C.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yimei Zang
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (L.X.); (Z.L.); (X.J.); (S.C.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Jingjing Liao
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China;
| | - Xiaojun Ma
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (L.X.); (Z.L.); (X.J.); (S.C.); (Y.Z.)
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Varghese R, Buragohain T, Banerjee I, Mukherjee R, Penshanwar SN, Agasti S, Ramamoorthy S. The apocarotenoid production in microbial biofactories: An overview. J Biotechnol 2023; 374:5-16. [PMID: 37499877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2023.07.009] [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: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Carotenoids are a vast group of natural pigments that come in a variety of colors ranging from red to orange. Apocarotenoids are derived from these carotenoids, which are hormones, pigments, retinoids, and volatiles employed in the textiles, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Due to the high commercial value and poor natural host abundance, they are significantly undersupplied. Microbes like Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli act as heterologous hosts for apocarotenoid production. This article briefly reviews categories of apocarotenoids, their biosynthetic pathway commencing from the MVA and MEP, its significance, the tool enzymes for apocarotenoid biosynthesis like CCDs, their biotechnological production in microbial factories, and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ressin Varghese
- School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Tinamoni Buragohain
- School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ishani Banerjee
- School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rishyani Mukherjee
- School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Shraddha Naresh Penshanwar
- School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Swapna Agasti
- School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Siva Ramamoorthy
- School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Li J, Chen Y, Gao A, Wei L, Wei D, Wang W. Simultaneous Production of Cellulase and β-Carotene in the Filamentous Fungus Trichoderma reesei. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:6358-6365. [PMID: 37042195 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c00690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
β-Carotene is an indispensable additive in beverage, cosmetic, feed, and pharmaceutical production. The fermentation industry annually generates abundant waste mycelia from Trichoderma reesei (T. reesei), a pivotal industrial strain for cellulase and heterologous protein production. In this study, we constructed a T. reesei cell factory for β-carotene production for the first time. Four key enzymes, CarRP, CarB, GGS1/CrtE, and HMG1, were overexpressed in T. reesei. The concentrations of medium components, including tryptone and glucose, were optimized. The modified strain accumulated β-carotene at a titer of 218.8 mg/L in flask culture. We achieved cellulase production (FPase, 22.33 IU/mL) with the concomitant production of β-carotene (286.63 mg/L) from T. reesei in a jar. Overall, this study offers a novel and unique approach to address the costly waste mycelium management process using T. reesei industrial strains that simultaneously produce proteins and carotenoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yumeng Chen
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Ao Gao
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Liujing Wei
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Dongzhi Wei
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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The Biosynthesis of Non-Endogenous Apocarotenoids in Transgenic Nicotiana glauca. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12070575. [PMID: 35888700 PMCID: PMC9317256 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12070575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Crocins are high-value compounds with industrial and food applications. Saffron is currently the main source of these soluble pigments, but its high market price hinders its use by sectors, such as pharmaceutics. Enzymes involved in the production of these compounds have been identified in saffron, Buddleja, and gardenia. In this study, the enzyme from Buddleja, BdCCD4.1, was constitutively expressed in Nicotiana glauca, a tobacco species with carotenoid-pigmented petals. The transgenic lines produced significant levels of crocins in their leaves and petals. However, the accumulation of crocins was, in general, higher in the leaves than in the petals, reaching almost 302 µg/g DW. The production of crocins was associated with decreased levels of endogenous carotenoids, mainly β-carotene. The stability of crocins in leaf and petal tissues was evaluated after three years of storage, showing an average reduction of 58.06 ± 2.20% in the petals, and 78.37 ± 5.08% in the leaves. This study illustrates the use of BdCCD4.1 as an effective tool for crocin production in N. glauca and how the tissue has an important impact on the stability of produced high-value metabolites during storage.
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10
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Basiony M, Ouyang L, Wang D, Yu J, Zhou L, Zhu M, Wang X, Feng J, Dai J, Shen Y, Zhang C, Hua Q, Yang X, Zhang L. Optimization of microbial cell factories for astaxanthin production: Biosynthesis and regulations, engineering strategies and fermentation optimization strategies. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2022; 7:689-704. [PMID: 35261927 PMCID: PMC8866108 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2022.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The global market demand for natural astaxanthin is rapidly increasing owing to its safety, the potential health benefits, and the diverse applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. The major native producers of natural astaxanthin on industrial scale are the alga Haematococcus pluvialis and the yeast Xanthopyllomyces dendrorhous. However, the natural production via these native producers is facing challenges of limited yield and high cost of cultivation and extraction. Alternatively, astaxanthin production via metabolically engineered non-native microbial cell factories such as Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Yarrowia lipolytica is another promising strategy to overcome these limitations. In this review we summarize the recent scientific and biotechnological progresses on astaxanthin biosynthetic pathways, transcriptional regulations, the interrelation with lipid metabolism, engineering strategies as well as fermentation process control in major native and non-native astaxanthin producers. These progresses illuminate the prospects of producing astaxanthin by microbial cell factories on industrial scale.
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Ahrazem O, Zhu C, Huang X, Rubio-Moraga A, Capell T, Christou P, Gómez-Gómez L. Metabolic Engineering of Crocin Biosynthesis in Nicotiana Species. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:861140. [PMID: 35350302 PMCID: PMC8957871 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.861140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Crocins are high-value soluble pigments that are used as colorants and supplements, their presence in nature is extremely limited and, consequently, the high cost of these metabolites hinders their use by other sectors, such as the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2L (CsCCD2L) is the key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of crocins in Crocus sativus. In this study, CsCCD2L was introduced into Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana glauca for the production of crocins. In addition, a chimeric construct containing the Brevundimonas sp. β-carotene hydroxylase (BrCrtZ), the Arabidopsis thaliana ORANGE mutant gene (AtOrMut), and CsCCD2L was also introduced into N. tabacum. Quantitative and qualitative studies on carotenoids and apocarotenoids in the transgenic plants expressing CsCCD2L alone showed higher crocin level accumulation in N. glauca transgenic plants, reaching almost 400 μg/g DW in leaves, while in N. tabacum 36 μg/g DW was obtained. In contrast, N. tabacum plants coexpressing CsCCD2L, BrCrtZ, and AtOrMut accumulated, 3.5-fold compared to N. tabacum plants only expressing CsCCD2L. Crocins with three and four sugar molecules were the main molecular species in both host systems. Our results demonstrate that the production of saffron apocarotenoids is feasible in engineered Nicotiana species and establishes a basis for the development of strategies that may ultimately lead to the commercial exploitation of these valuable pigments for multiple applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oussama Ahrazem
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Instituto Botánico, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, Albacete, Spain
| | - Changfu Zhu
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia (CERCA) Center, Lleida, Spain
- School of Life Sciences, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia (CERCA) Center, Lleida, Spain
| | - Angela Rubio-Moraga
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Instituto Botánico, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, Albacete, Spain
| | - Teresa Capell
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia (CERCA) Center, Lleida, Spain
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Science, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Centre de Recerca en Agrotecnologia (CERCA) Center, Lleida, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lourdes Gómez-Gómez
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Instituto Botánico, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario, Albacete, Spain
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12
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Liang N, Yao MD, Wang Y, Liu J, Feng L, Wang ZM, Li XY, Xiao WH, Yuan YJ. CsCCD2 Access Tunnel Design for a Broader Substrate Profile in Crocetin Production. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:11626-11636. [PMID: 34554747 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c04588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Crocetin, a high-value apocarotenoid in saffron, is widely applied to the fields of food and medicine. However, the existing method of obtaining crocetin through large-scale cultivation is far from meeting the market demand. Microbial synthesis of crocetin is a potential alternative to traditional resources, and it is found that carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) is the critical enzyme to synthesize crocetin. So, in this study, we used "hybrid-tunnel" engineering to obtain variants of Crocus sativus-derived CsCCD2, essential for zeaxanthin conversion into crocetin, with a broader substrate specificity and higher catalytic efficiency. Variants including S323A, with a lower charge bias and a larger tunnel size than the wild-type, showed a 5-fold higher crocetin titer in yeast-based fermentations. S323A could also convert the β-carotene substrate to crocetin dialdehyde and exhibited a 12.83-fold greater catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) toward zeaxanthin than the wild-type in vitro. This strategy enabled the production of 107 mg/L crocetin in 5 L fed-batch fermentation, higher than that previously reported. Our findings demonstrate that engineering access tunnels to expand the substrate profile by in silico protein design represents a viable strategy to refine the catalytic properties of enzymes across a range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Liang
- 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
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ming-Dong Yao
- 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
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ying 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
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Lu Feng
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | | | - Xiang-Yu Li
- CABIO Biotech (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., Wuhan 436070, China
| | - Wen-Hai Xiao
- 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
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute, Tianjin University, Tangxing Road 133, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518071, China
| | - Ying-Jin Yuan
- 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
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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13
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Strategies to meet the global demand for natural food colorant bixin: A multidisciplinary approach. J Biotechnol 2021; 338:40-51. [PMID: 34271054 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2021.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Bixin is an apocarotenoid derived from Bixa orellana L. well known as a food colorant along with its numerous industrial and therapeutic applications. With the current surge in usage of natural products, bixin has contributed immensely to the world carotenoid market and showcases a spike in its requirement globally. To bridge the gap between bixin availability and utility, owed to its bioactivity and demand as a colouring agent in industries the sustainable production of bixin is critical. Therefore, to meet up this challenge effective use of multidisciplinary strategies is a promising choice to enhance bixin quantity and quality. Here we report, an optimal blend of approaches directed towards manipulation of bixin biosynthesis pathway with an insight into the impact of regulatory mechanisms and environmental dynamics, engineering carotenoid degradation in plants other than annatto, usage of tissue culture techniques supported with diverse elicitations, molecular breeding, application of in silico predictive tools, screening of microbial bio-factories as alternatives, preservation of bixin bioavailability, and promotion of eco-friendly extraction techniques to play a collaborative role in promoting sustainable bixin production.
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14
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Zeng BX, Yao MD, Xiao WH, Luo YZ, Wang Y, Yuan YJ. Endogenous 2μ Plasmid Editing for Pathway Engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:631462. [PMID: 33664720 PMCID: PMC7921170 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.631462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, conventional 2μ-plasmid based plasmid (pC2μ, such as pRS425) have been widely adopted in pathway engineering for multi-copy overexpression of key genes. However, the loss of partition and copy number control elements of yeast endogenous 2μ plasmid (pE2μ) brings the issues concerning plasmid stability and copy number of pC2μ, especially in long-term fermentation. In this study, we developed a method based on CRISPR/Cas9 to edit pE2μ and built the pE2μ multi-copy system by insertion of the target DNA element and elimination of the original pE2μ plasmid. The resulting plasmid pE2μRAF1 and pE2μREP2 demonstrated higher copy number and slower loss rate than a pC2μ control plasmid pRS425RK, when carrying the same target gene. Then, moving the essential gene TPI1 (encoding triose phosphate isomerase) from chromosome to pE2μRAF1 could increase the plasmid viability to nearly 100% and further increase the plasmid copy number by 73.95%. The expression using pE2μ multi-copy system demonstrated much smaller cell-to-cell variation comparing with pC2μ multi-copy system. With auxotrophic complementation of TPI1, the resulting plasmid pE2μRT could undergo cultivation of 90 generations under non-selective conditions without loss. Applying pE2μ multi-copy system for dihydroartemisinic acid (DHAA) biosynthesis, the production of DHAA was increased to 620.9 mg/L at shake-flask level in non-selective rich medium. This titer was 4.73-fold of the strain constructed based on pC2μ due to the more stable pE2μ plasmid system and with higher plasmid copy number. This study provides an improved expression system in yeast, and set a promising platform to construct biosynthesis pathway for valuable products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Xuan Zeng
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ming-Dong Yao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen-Hai Xiao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yun-Zi Luo
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying 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, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying-Jin Yuan
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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15
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Liang MH, He YJ, Liu DM, Jiang JG. Regulation of carotenoid degradation and production of apocarotenoids in natural and engineered organisms. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 41:513-534. [PMID: 33541157 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1873242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Carotenoids are important precursors of a wide range of apocarotenoids with their functions including: hormones, pigments, retinoids, volatiles, and signals, which can be used in the food, flavors, fragrances, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. This article focuses on the formation of these multifaceted apocarotenoids and their diverse biological roles in all living systems. Carotenoid degradation pathways include: enzymatic oxidation by specific carotenoid cleavage oxygenases (CCOs) or nonspecific enzymes such as lipoxygenases and peroxidases and non-enzymatic oxidation by reactive oxygen species. Recent advances in the regulation of carotenoid cleavage genes and the biotechnological production of multiple apocarotenoids are also covered. It is suggested that different developmental stages and environmental stresses can influence both the expression of carotenoid cleavage genes and the formation of apocarotenoids at multiple levels of regulation including: transcriptional, transcription factors, posttranscriptional, posttranslational, and epigenetic modification. Regarding the biotechnological production of apocarotenoids especially: crocins, retinoids, and ionones, enzymatic biocatalysis and metabolically engineered microorganisms have been a promising alternative route. New substrates, carotenoid cleavage enzymes, biosynthetic pathways for apocarotenoids, and new biological functions of apocarotenoids will be discussed with the improvement of our understanding of apocarotenoid biology, biochemistry, function, and formation from different organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hua Liang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Jing He
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dong-Mei Liu
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Guo Jiang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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16
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Liu T, Yu S, Xu Z, Tan J, Wang B, Liu YG, Zhu Q. Prospects and progress on crocin biosynthetic pathway and metabolic engineering. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:3278-3286. [PMID: 33209212 PMCID: PMC7653203 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Crocins are a group of highly valuable apocarotenoid-derived pigments mainly produced in Crocus sativus stigmas and Gardenia jasminoides fruits, which display great pharmacological activities for human health, such as anticancer, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, and preventing Alzheimer's disease. However, traditional sources of crocins are no longer sufficient to meet current demands. The recent clarification of the crocin biosynthetic pathway opens up the possibility of large-scale production of crocins by synthetic metabolic engineering methods. In this review, we mainly introduce the crocin biosynthetic pathway, subcellular route, related key enzymes, and its synthetic metabolic engineering, as well as its challenges and prospects, with a view to providing useful references for further studies on the synthetic metabolic engineering of crocins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taoli Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Suize Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhichao Xu
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiantao Tan
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Bin Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qinlong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
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17
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Song T, Wu N, Wang C, Wang Y, Chai F, Ding M, Li X, Yao M, Xiao W, Yuan Y. Crocetin Overproduction in Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae via Tuning Key Enzymes Coupled With Precursor Engineering. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:578005. [PMID: 33015027 PMCID: PMC7500066 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.578005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Crocetin, an important natural carotenoid dicarboxylic acid with high pharmaceutical values, has been successfully generated from glucose by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae in our previous study. Here, a systematic optimization was executed for crocetin overproduction in yeast. The effects of precursor enhancement on crocetin production were investigated by blocking the genes involved in glyoxylate cycle [citric acid synthase (CIT2) and malic acid synthase (MLS1)]. Crocetin titer was promoted by 50% by ΔCIT2 compared to that of the starting strain. Then, the crocetin production was further increased by 44% through introducing the forward fusion enzymes of PsCrtZ (CrtZ from Pantoea stewartii)-CsCCD2 (CCD2 from Crocus sativus). Consequently, the crocetin titer reached to 1.95 ± 0.23 mg/L by overexpression of PsCrtZ-CsCCD2 followed by medium optimization. Eventually, a titer of 12.43 ± 0.62 mg/L crocetin was achieved in 5-L bioreactor, which is the highest crocetin titer reported in micro-organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqing Song
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Nan Wu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fenghua Chai
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingzhu Ding
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xia Li
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mingdong Yao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenhai Xiao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yingjin Yuan
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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18
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Martí M, Diretto G, Aragonés V, Frusciante S, Ahrazem O, Gómez-Gómez L, Daròs JA. Efficient production of saffron crocins and picrocrocin in Nicotiana benthamiana using a virus-driven system. Metab Eng 2020; 61:238-250. [PMID: 32629020 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Crocins and picrocrocin are glycosylated apocarotenoids responsible, respectively, for the color and the unique taste of the saffron spice, known as red gold due to its high price. Several studies have also shown the health-promoting properties of these compounds. However, their high costs hamper the wide use of these metabolites in the pharmaceutical sector. We have developed a virus-driven system to produce remarkable amounts of crocins and picrocrocin in adult Nicotiana benthamiana plants in only two weeks. The system consists of viral clones derived from tobacco etch potyvirus that express specific carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) enzymes from Crocus sativus and Buddleja davidii. Metabolic analyses of infected tissues demonstrated that the sole virus-driven expression of C. sativus CsCCD2L or B. davidii BdCCD4.1 resulted in the production of crocins, picrocrocin and safranal. Using the recombinant virus that expressed CsCCD2L, accumulations of 0.2% of crocins and 0.8% of picrocrocin in leaf dry weight were reached in only two weeks. In an attempt to improve apocarotenoid content in N. benthamiana, co-expression of CsCCD2L with other carotenogenic enzymes, such as Pantoea ananatis phytoene synthase (PaCrtB) and saffron β-carotene hydroxylase 2 (BCH2), was performed using the same viral system. This combinatorial approach led to an additional crocin increase up to 0.35% in leaves in which CsCCD2L and PaCrtB were co-expressed. Considering that saffron apocarotenoids are costly harvested from flower stigma once a year, and that Buddleja spp. flowers accumulate lower amounts, this system may be an attractive alternative for the sustainable production of these appreciated metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maricarmen Martí
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gianfranco Diretto
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy, and Sustainable Development, Casaccia Research Centre, 00123, Rome, Italy
| | - Verónica Aragonés
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sarah Frusciante
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy, and Sustainable Development, Casaccia Research Centre, 00123, Rome, Italy
| | - Oussama Ahrazem
- Instituto Botánico, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario S/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - Lourdes Gómez-Gómez
- Instituto Botánico, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario S/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain.
| | - José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022, Valencia, Spain.
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19
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Liu T, Dong C, Qi M, Zhang B, Huang L, Xu Z, Lian J. Construction of a Stable and Temperature-Responsive Yeast Cell Factory for Crocetin Biosynthesis Using CRISPR-Cas9. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:653. [PMID: 32695754 PMCID: PMC7339864 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Crocetin is a plant natural product with broad medicinal applications, such as improvement of sleep quality and attenuation of physical fatigue. However, crocetin production using microbial cell factories is still far from satisfaction, probably due to the conflict between cell growth and product accumulation. In the present work, a temperature-responsive crocetin-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was established to coordinate cell growth, precursor (zeaxanthin) generation, and product (crocetin) biosynthesis. The production of crocetin was further enhanced via increasing the copy numbers of CCD2 and ALDH genes using the CRISPR-Cas9 based multiplex genome integration technology. The final engineered strain TL009 produced crocetin up to 139.67 ± 2.24 μg/g DCW. The advantage of the temperature switch based crocetin production was particularly demonstrated by much higher zeaxanthin conversion yield. This study highlights the potential of the temperature-responsive yeast platform strains to increase the production of other valuable carotenoid derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Center for Synthetic Biology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chang Dong
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Center for Synthetic Biology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingming Qi
- Center for Synthetic Biology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- Center for Synthetic Biology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhinan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiazhang Lian
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Center for Synthetic Biology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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20
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Pu X, He C, Yang Y, Wang W, Hu K, Xu Z, Song J. In Vivo Production of Five Crocins in the Engineered Escherichia coli. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:1160-1168. [PMID: 32216376 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Crocins are highly valuable medicinal compounds for treating human disorders, and they also serve as spices and coloring agents. However, the supply of crocins from plant extractions is insufficient for current demands, and using synthetic biology to produce crocins remains a big challenge. Here, we report the in vivo production of five types of crocins in E. coli with GjUGT94E13 and GjUGT74F8, which are responsible for the glycosylation of crocetin, from the crocin-producing plant Gardenia jasminoides. Subsequently, native UDP-glucose biosynthesis in E. coli is strengthened by the overexpression of pgm and galU. The optimization of catalytic reactions has demonstrated that 50 mM NaH2PO4-Na2HPO4 buffer (pH 8.0) plus 5% glucose is the best medium to use for the efficient glycosylation of crocetin. In engineered E. coli, the conversion rate of crocin III and crocin V from crocetin (50 mg/L) by the catalysis of GjUGT74F8 was increased to 66.1%, and the conversion rate of five types of crocins from crocetin (50 mg/L) via GjUGT94E13 and GjUGT74F8 was 59.6%, much higher than the catalytic activity of the reported microbial UGTs. This study not only sheds light on the in vivo biosynthesis of crocins in E. coli, but also provides important genetic tools for the de novo synthesis of crocins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangdong Pu
- Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Chunnian He
- Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Kaizhi Hu
- Chongqing Institute of Medicinal Plant Cultivation, Chongqing, 408435, China
| | - Zhichao Xu
- Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jingyuan Song
- Key Lab of Chinese Medicine Resources Conservation, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People’s Republic of China, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100193, China
- Yunnan Branch, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Jinghong, 666100, China
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21
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Jiang G, Yang Z, Wang Y, Yao M, Chen Y, Xiao W, Yuan Y. Enhanced astaxanthin production in yeast via combined mutagenesis and evolution. Biochem Eng J 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2020.107519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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22
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Chen X, Shukal S, Zhang C. Integrating Enzyme and Metabolic Engineering Tools for Enhanced α-Ionone Production. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2019; 67:13451-13459. [PMID: 31079451 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b00860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering aims to balance intracellular pathways and increase the precursor supply. However, some heterologous enzymes are not evolved to support high flux. To remove the limitation, the catalytic properties of rate-limiting enzymes must be enhanced. Here, we engineered carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 1 (CCD1), whose intrinsic promiscuity and low activity limited the production of α-ionone in Escherichia coli. Site-directed mutagenesis was carried out to mutate three structural elements of CCD1: an active site loop, η-helices, and α-helices. Furthermore, mutated CCD1 was fused with lycopene ε-cyclase to facilitate substrate channelling. Collectively, these methods improved the α-ionone concentration by >2.5-fold compared to our previously optimized strain. Lastly, the engineered enzyme was used in conjunction with the metabolic engineering strategy to further boost the α-ionone concentration by another 20%. This work deepens our understanding of CCD1 catalytic properties and proves that integrating enzyme and metabolic engineering can be synergistic for a higher microbial production yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xixian Chen
- Biotransformation Innovation Platform , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) , 61 Biopolis Drive , Singapore 138673 , Singapore
| | - Sudha Shukal
- Biotransformation Innovation Platform , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) , 61 Biopolis Drive , Singapore 138673 , Singapore
| | - Congqiang Zhang
- Biotransformation Innovation Platform , Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) , 61 Biopolis Drive , Singapore 138673 , Singapore
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23
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Liu F, Ding F, Shao W, He B, Wang G. Regulated preparation of Crocin-1 or Crocin-2' Triggered by the Cosolvent DMSO Using Bs-GT/At-SuSy One-Pot Reaction. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2019; 67:12496-12501. [PMID: 31623438 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b05000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Crocins are the primary coloring ingredients of saffron. The low-glycosylated members of this compound family, such as crocin-1 (crocetin mono-glucosyl ester) and crocin-2' (crocetin di-glucosyl ester), are rarely distributed in nature and attracting interest for their therapeutic uses. In the present study, a one-pot reaction system was used for efficient preparation of crocin-1 and crocin-2' with in situ regeneration of UDP-Glc by coupling Bs-GT with At-SuSy, a sucrose synthase from Arabidopsis thaliana. Noticeably, DMSO was used as a cosolvent and resulted in improvement of the solubility of the substrate crocetin and regulation of the selectivity of glycosylation. With periodic addition of crocetin, the biosynthesis of crocin-2' was performed with a high yield of 3.25 g/L in 2% DMSO aqueous solution, whereas crocin-1 (2.12 g/L) was selectively obtained in a 10% DMSO aqueous solution. The present study provided a simple approach for the biosynthesis of crocin-1 and crocin-2'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Guangji Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics , China Pharmaceutical University , Tongjiaxiang 24 , Nanjing 210009 , China
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24
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Tan H, Chen X, Liang N, Chen R, Chen J, Hu C, Li Q, Li Q, Pei W, Xiao W, Yuan Y, Chen W, Zhang L. Transcriptome analysis reveals novel enzymes for apo-carotenoid biosynthesis in saffron and allows construction of a pathway for crocetin synthesis in yeast. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:4819-4834. [PMID: 31056664 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Crocus sativus is generally considered the source of saffron spice which is rich in apo-carotenoid compounds such as crocins, crocetin, picrocrocin, and safranal, which possess effective pharmacological activities. However, little is known about the exact genes involved in apo-carotenoid biosynthesis in saffron and the potential mechanism of specific accumulation in the stigma. In this study, we integrated stigmas at different developmental stages to perform in-depth transcriptome and dynamic metabolomic analyses to discover the potential key catalytic steps involved in apo-carotenoid biosynthesis in saffron. A total of 61 202 unigenes were obtained, and 28 regulators and 32 putative carotenogenic genes were captured after the co-expression network analysis. Moreover, 15 candidate genes were predicted to be closely related to safranal and crocin production, in which one aldehyde dehydrogenase (CsALDH3) was validated to oxidize crocetin dialdehyde into crocetin and a crocetin-producing yeast strain was created. In addition, a new branch pathway that catalyses the conversion of geranyl-geranyl pyrophosphate to copalol and ent-kaurene by the class II diterpene synthase CsCPS1 and three class I diterpene synthases CsEKL1/2/3 were investigated for the first time. Such gene to apo-carotenoid landscapes illuminate the synthetic charactersistics and regulators of apo-carotenoid biosynthesis, laying the foundation for a deep understanding of the biosynthesis mechanism and metabolic engineering of apo-carotenoids in plants or microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hexin Tan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianghui Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Nan Liang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ruibing Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junfeng Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoyang Hu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weizhong Pei
- Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenhai Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yingjin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wansheng Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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25
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Wen Bin Goh W, Thalappilly S, Thibault G. Moving beyond the current limits of data analysis in longevity and healthy lifespan studies. Drug Discov Today 2019; 24:2273-2285. [PMID: 31499187 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Living longer with sustainable quality of life is becoming increasingly important in aging populations. Understanding associative biological mechanisms have proven daunting, because of multigenicity and population heterogeneity. Although Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help, naïve adoption is ill advised. We hold the view that model organisms are better suited for big-data analytics but might lack relevance because they do not immediately reflect the human condition. Resolving this hurdle and bridging the human-model organism gap will require some finesse. This includes improving signal:noise ratios by appropriate contextualization of high-throughput data, establishing consistency across multiple high-throughput platforms, and adopting supporting technologies that provide useful in silico and in vivo validation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilson Wen Bin Goh
- Bio-Data Science and Education Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.
| | - Subhash Thalappilly
- Lipid Regulation and Cell Stress Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore
| | - Guillaume Thibault
- Lipid Regulation and Cell Stress Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, 138673, Singapore.
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26
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Wang W, He P, Zhao D, Ye L, Dai L, Zhang X, Sun Y, Zheng J, Bi C. Construction of Escherichia coli cell factories for crocin biosynthesis. Microb Cell Fact 2019; 18:120. [PMID: 31277660 PMCID: PMC6610952 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-019-1166-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Crocin is a carotenoid-derived natural product found in the stigma of Crocus spp., which has great potential in medicine, food and cosmetics. In recent years, microbial production of crocin has drawn increasing attention, but there were no reports of successful implementation. Escherichia coli has been engineered to produce various carotenoids, including lycopene, β-carotene and astaxanthin. Therefore, we intended to construct E. coli cell factories for crocin biosynthesis. Results In this study, a heterologous crocetin and crocin synthesis pathway was first constructed in E. coli. Firstly, the three different zeaxanthin-cleaving dioxygenases CsZCD, CsCCD2 from Crocus sativus, and CaCCD2 from Crocus ancyrensis, as well as the glycosyltransferases UGT94E5 and UGT75L6 from Gardenia jasminoides, were introduced into zeaxanthin-producing E. coli cells. The results showed that CsCCD2 catalyzed the synthesis of crocetin dialdehyde. Next, the aldehyde dehydrogenases ALD3, ALD6 and ALD9 from Crocus sativus and ALD8 from Neurospora crassa were tested for crocetin dialdehyde oxidation, and we were able to produce 4.42 mg/L crocetin using strain YL4(pCsCCD2-UGT94E5-UGT75L6,pTrc-ALD8). Glycosyltransferases from diverse sources were screened by in vitro enzyme activity assays. The results showed that crocin and its various derivatives could be obtained using the glycosyltransferases YjiC, YdhE and YojK from Bacillus subtilis, and the corresponding genes were introduced into the previously constructed crocetin-producing strain. Finally, crocin-5 was detected among the fermentation products of strain YL4(pCsCCD2-UGT94E5-UGT75L6,pTrc-ALD8,pET28a-YjiC-YdhE-YojK) using HPLC and LC–ESI–MS. Conclusions A heterologous crocin synthesis pathway was constructed in vitro, using glycosyltransferases from the Bacillus subtilis instead of the original plant glycosyltransferases, and a crocetin and crocin-5 producing E. coli cell factory was obtained. This research provides a foundation for the large-scale production of crocetin and crocin in E. coli cell factories. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12934-019-1166-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping He
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongdong Zhao
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijun Ye
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Longhai Dai
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueli Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanxia Sun
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jing Zheng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
| | - Changhao Bi
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.
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27
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Moser S, Pichler H. Identifying and engineering the ideal microbial terpenoid production host. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:5501-5516. [PMID: 31129740 PMCID: PMC6597603 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09892-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
More than 70,000 different terpenoid structures are known so far; many of them offer highly interesting applications as pharmaceuticals, flavors and fragrances, or biofuels. Extraction of these compounds from their natural sources or chemical synthesis is-in many cases-technically challenging with low or moderate yields while wasting valuable resources. Microbial production of terpenoids offers a sustainable and environment-friendly alternative starting from simple carbon sources and, frequently, safeguards high product specificity. Here, we provide an overview on employing recombinant bacteria and yeasts for heterologous de novo production of terpenoids. Currently, Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae are the two best-established production hosts for terpenoids. An increasing number of studies have been successful in engineering alternative microorganisms for terpenoid biosynthesis, which we intend to highlight in this review. Moreover, we discuss the specific engineering challenges as well as recent advances for microbial production of different classes of terpenoids. Rationalizing the current stages of development for different terpenoid production hosts as well as future prospects shall provide a valuable decision basis for the selection and engineering of the cell factory(ies) for industrial production of terpenoid target molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Moser
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (acib GmbH), Petersgasse 14, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, NAWI Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 14/2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Harald Pichler
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (acib GmbH), Petersgasse 14, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, NAWI Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 14/2, 8010, Graz, Austria.
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28
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Hashemi M, Hosseinzadeh H. A comprehensive review on biological activities and toxicology of crocetin. Food Chem Toxicol 2019; 130:44-60. [PMID: 31100302 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Natural products with high pharmacological potential and low toxicity have been considered as the novel therapeutic agents. Crocetin is an active constituent of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) stigma, which in its free-acid form is insoluble in water and most organic solvents. Crocetin exhibits various health-promoting properties including anti-tumor, neuroprotective effects, anti-diabetics, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemia, etc. These therapeutic effects can be achieved with different mechanisms such as improvement of oxygenation in hypoxic tissues, antioxidant effects, inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators, anti-proliferative activity and stimulation of apoptosis in cancer cells. It is also worth considering that crocetin could be tolerated without major toxicity at therapeutic dosage in experimental models. In the present review, we discuss the biosynthesis, pharmacokinetic properties of crocetin and provide a comprehensive study on the biological activities and toxicity along with the mechanism of actions and clinical trials data of crocetin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Hashemi
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hossein Hosseinzadeh
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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29
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Jiang R, Chen X, Lian J, Huang L, Cai J, Xu Z. Efficient production of Pseudoionone with multipathway engineering in
Escherichia coli. J Appl Microbiol 2019; 126:1751-1760. [DOI: 10.1111/jam.14245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering (Education Ministry) College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
- Institute of Biological Engineering College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
| | - X. Chen
- Hangzhou Tongjuntang Biotechnology Corporation, Ltd Hangzhou China
| | - J. Lian
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering (Education Ministry) College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
- Institute of Biological Engineering College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
| | - L. Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering (Education Ministry) College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
- Institute of Biological Engineering College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
| | - J. Cai
- Institute of Biological Engineering College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
| | - Z. Xu
- Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering (Education Ministry) College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
- Institute of Biological Engineering College of Chemical and Biological Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
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30
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Kallscheuer N, Classen T, Drepper T, Marienhagen J. Production of plant metabolites with applications in the food industry using engineered microorganisms. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 56:7-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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31
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Ding F, Liu F, Shao W, Chu J, Wu B, He B. Efficient Synthesis of Crocins from Crocetin by a Microbial Glycosyltransferase from Bacillus subtilis 168. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2018; 66:11701-11708. [PMID: 30350978 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b04274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Crocins are the most important active ingredient found in Crocus sativus, a well-known "plant gold". The glycosyltransferase-catalyzed glycosylation of crocetin is the last step of biosynthesizing crocins and contributes to their structural diversity. Crocin biosynthesis is now hampered by the lack of efficient glycosyltransferases with activity toward crocetin. In this study, two microbial glycosyltransferases (Bs-GT and Bc-GTA) were successfully mined based on the comprehensive analysis of the PSPG motif and the N-terminal motif of the target plant-derived UGT75L6 and Cs-GT2. Bs-GT from Bacillus subtilis 168, an enzyme with a higher activity of glycosylation toward crocetin than that of Bc-GTA, was characterized. The efficient synthesis of crocins from crocetin catalyzed by microbial GT (Bs-GT) was first reported with a high molecular conversion rate of 81.9%, resulting in the production of 476.8 mg/L of crocins. The glycosylation of crocetin on its carboxyl groups by Bs-GT specifically produced crocin-5 and crocin-3, the important rare crocins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyu Ding
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering , Nanjing Tech University , No. 30 Puzhu South Road , Nanjing 211816 , China
| | - Feng Liu
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering , Nanjing Tech University , No. 30 Puzhu South Road , Nanjing 211816 , China
| | - Wenming Shao
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering , Nanjing Tech University , No. 30 Puzhu South Road , Nanjing 211816 , China
| | - Jianlin Chu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Nanjing Tech University , No. 30 Puzhu South Road , Nanjing 211816 , China
- Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials , 30 Puzhunan Road , Nanjing 211816 , China
| | - Bin Wu
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering , Nanjing Tech University , No. 30 Puzhu South Road , Nanjing 211816 , China
| | - Bingfang He
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering , Nanjing Tech University , No. 30 Puzhu South Road , Nanjing 211816 , China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Nanjing Tech University , No. 30 Puzhu South Road , Nanjing 211816 , China
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32
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Goold HD, Wright P, Hailstones D. Emerging Opportunities for Synthetic Biology in Agriculture. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E341. [PMID: 29986428 PMCID: PMC6071285 DOI: 10.3390/genes9070341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid expansion in the emerging field of synthetic biology has to date mainly focused on the microbial sciences and human health. However, the zeitgeist is that synthetic biology will also shortly deliver major outcomes for agriculture. The primary industries of agriculture, fisheries and forestry, face significant and global challenges; addressing them will be assisted by the sector’s strong history of early adoption of transformative innovation, such as the genetic technologies that underlie synthetic biology. The implementation of synthetic biology within agriculture may, however, be hampered given the industry is dominated by higher plants and mammals, where large and often polyploid genomes and the lack of adequate tools challenge the ability to deliver outcomes in the short term. However, synthetic biology is a rapidly growing field, new techniques in genome design and synthesis, and more efficient molecular tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 may harbor opportunities more broadly than the development of new cultivars and breeds. In particular, the ability to use synthetic biology to engineer biosensors, synthetic speciation, microbial metabolic engineering, mammalian multiplexed CRISPR, novel anti microbials, and projects such as Yeast 2.0 all have significant potential to deliver transformative changes to agriculture in the short, medium and longer term. Specifically, synthetic biology promises to deliver benefits that increase productivity and sustainability across primary industries, underpinning the industry’s prosperity in the face of global challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh Douglas Goold
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia.
| | - Philip Wright
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 21, 161 Kite St, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.
| | - Deborah Hailstones
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia.
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33
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Xiong S, Wang Y, Yao M, Liu H, Zhou X, Xiao W, Yuan Y. Cell foundry with high product specificity and catalytic activity for 21-deoxycortisol biotransformation. Microb Cell Fact 2017; 16:105. [PMID: 28610588 PMCID: PMC5470312 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-017-0720-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background 21-deoxycortisol (21-DF) is the key intermediate to manufacture pharmaceutical glucocorticoids. Recently, a Japan patent has realized 21-DF production via biotransformation of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) by purified steroid 11β-hydroxylase CYP11B1. Due to the less costs on enzyme isolation, purification and stabilization as well as cofactors supply, whole-cell should be preferentially employed as the biocatalyst over purified enzymes. No reports as so far have demonstrated a whole-cell system to produce 21-DF. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a whole-cell biocatalyst to achieve 21-DF transformation with high catalytic activity and product specificity. Results In this study, Escherichia coli MG1655(DE3), which exhibited the highest substrate transportation rate among other tested chassises, was employed as the host cell to construct our biocatalyst by co-expressing heterologous CYP11B1 together with bovine adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase. Through screening CYP11B1s (with mutagenesis at N-terminus) from nine sources, Homo sapiens CYP11B1 mutant (G25R/G46R/L52 M) achieved the highest 21-DF transformation rate at 10.6 mg/L/h. Furthermore, an optimal substrate concentration of 2.4 g/L and a corresponding transformation rate of 16.2 mg/L/h were obtained by screening substrate concentrations. To be noted, based on structural analysis of the enzyme-substrate complex, two types of site-directed mutations were designed to adjust the relative position between the catalytic active site heme and the substrate. Accordingly, 1.96-fold enhancement on 21-DF transformation rate (to 47.9 mg/L/h) and 2.78-fold improvement on product/by-product ratio (from 0.36 to 1.36) were achieved by the combined mutagenesis of F381A/L382S/I488L. Eventually, after 38-h biotransformation in shake-flask, the production of 21-DF reached to 1.42 g/L with a yield of 52.7%, which is the highest 21-DF production as known. Conclusions Heterologous CYP11B1 was manipulated to construct E. coli biocatalyst converting 17-OHP to 21-DF. Through the strategies in terms of (1) screening enzymes (with N-terminal mutagenesis) sources, (2) optimizing substrate concentration, and most importantly (3) rational design novel mutants aided by structural analysis, the 21-DF transformation rate was stepwise improved by 19.5-fold along with 4.67-fold increase on the product/byproduct ratio. Eventually, the highest 21-DF reported production was achieved in shake-flask after 38-h biotransformation. This study highlighted above described methods to obtain a high efficient and specific biocatalyst for the desired biotransformation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-017-0720-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingdong Yao
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenhai Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China. .,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yingjin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, No. 92, Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China.,SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, People's Republic of China
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