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Dong P, Fan Y, Huo YX, Sun L, Guo S. Pathway-Adapted Biosensor for High-Throughput Screening of O-Methyltransferase and its Application in Vanillin Synthesis. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:2873-2886. [PMID: 39208264 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Vanillin is a widely used flavoring compound in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics area. However, the biosynthesis of vanillin from low-cost shikimic acid is significantly hindered by the low activity of the rate-limiting enzyme, caffeate O-methyltransferase (COMT). To screen COMT variants with improved conversion rates, we designed a biosensing system that is adaptable to the COMT-mediated vanillin synthetic pathway. Through the evolution of aldehyde transcriptional factor YqhC, we obtained a dual-responsive variant, MuYqhC, which positively responds to the product and negatively responds to the substrate, with no response to intermediates. Using the MuYqhC-based vanillin biosensor, we successfully identified a COMT variant, Mu176, that displayed a 7-fold increase in the conversion rate compared to the wild-type COMT. This variant produced 2.38 mM vanillin from 3 mM protocatechuic acid, achieving a conversion rate of 79.33%. The enhanced activity of Mu176 was attributed to an enlarged binding pocket and strengthened substrate interaction. Applying Mu176 to Bacillus subtilis increased the level of vanillin production from shikimic acid by 2.39-fold. Further optimization of the production chassis, increasing the S-adenosylmethionine supply and the precursor concentration, elevated the vanillin titer to 1 mM, marking the highest level of vanillin production from shikimic acid in Bacillus. Our work highlights the significance of the MuYqhC-based biosensing system and the Mu176 variant in vanillin production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Yunjuan Fan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Yi-Xin Huo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081 Beijing, China
- Tangshan Research Institute, Beijing Institute of Technology, 063611 Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Lichao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081 Beijing, China
- Tangshan Research Institute, Beijing Institute of Technology, 063611 Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Shuyuan Guo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081 Beijing, China
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Dickey RM, Gopal MR, Nain P, Kunjapur AM. Recent developments in enzymatic and microbial biosynthesis of flavor and fragrance molecules. J Biotechnol 2024; 389:43-60. [PMID: 38616038 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2024.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Flavors and fragrances are an important class of specialty chemicals for which interest in biomanufacturing has risen during recent years. These naturally occurring compounds are often amenable to biosynthesis using purified enzyme catalysts or metabolically engineered microbial cells in fermentation processes. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the categories of molecules that have received the greatest interest, both academically and industrially, by examining scholarly publications as well as patent literature. Overall, we seek to highlight innovations in the key reaction steps and microbial hosts used in flavor and fragrance manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman M Dickey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA
| | - Madan R Gopal
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA
| | - Priyanka Nain
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA
| | - Aditya M Kunjapur
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA.
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3
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van Aalst ACA, Jansen MLA, Mans R, Pronk JT. Quantification and mitigation of byproduct formation by low-glycerol-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains containing Calvin-cycle enzymes. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:81. [PMID: 37173767 PMCID: PMC10176687 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02329-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anaerobic Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures require glycerol formation to re-oxidize NADH formed in biosynthetic processes. Introduction of the Calvin-cycle enzymes phosphoribulokinase (PRK) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) has been shown to couple re-oxidation of biosynthetic NADH to ethanol production and improve ethanol yield on sugar in fast-growing batch cultures. Since growth rates in industrial ethanol production processes are not constant, performance of engineered strains was studied in slow-growing cultures. RESULTS In slow-growing anaerobic chemostat cultures (D = 0.05 h-1), an engineered PRK/RuBisCO strain produced 80-fold more acetaldehyde and 30-fold more acetate than a reference strain. This observation suggested an imbalance between in vivo activities of PRK/RuBisCO and formation of NADH in biosynthesis. Lowering the copy number of the RuBisCO-encoding cbbm expression cassette from 15 to 2 reduced acetaldehyde and acetate production by 67% and 29%, respectively. Additional C-terminal fusion of a 19-amino-acid tag to PRK reduced its protein level by 13-fold while acetaldehyde and acetate production decreased by 94% and 61%, respectively, relative to the 15 × cbbm strain. These modifications did not affect glycerol production at 0.05 h-1 but caused a 4.6 fold higher glycerol production per amount of biomass in fast-growing (0.29 h-1) anaerobic batch cultures than observed for the 15 × cbbm strain. In another strategy, the promoter of ANB1, whose transcript level positively correlated with growth rate, was used to control PRK synthesis in a 2 × cbbm strain. At 0.05 h-1, this strategy reduced acetaldehyde and acetate production by 79% and 40%, respectively, relative to the 15 × cbbm strain, without affecting glycerol production. The maximum growth rate of the resulting strain equalled that of the reference strain, while its glycerol production was 72% lower. CONCLUSIONS Acetaldehyde and acetate formation by slow-growing cultures of engineered S. cerevisiae strains carrying a PRK/RuBisCO bypass of yeast glycolysis was attributed to an in vivo overcapacity of PRK and RuBisCO. Reducing the capacity of PRK and/or RuBisCO was shown to mitigate this undesirable byproduct formation. Use of a growth rate-dependent promoter for PRK expression highlighted the potential of modulating gene expression in engineered strains to respond to growth-rate dynamics in industrial batch processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aafke C A van Aalst
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Mickel L A Jansen
- DSM Biotechnology Centre, Alexander Fleminglaan 1, 2613 AX, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Mans
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Jack T Pronk
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands.
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Wagner N, Bade F, Straube E, Rabe K, Frazão CJR, Walther T. In vivo implementation of a synthetic metabolic pathway for the carbon-conserving conversion of glycolaldehyde to acetyl-CoA. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1125544. [PMID: 36845174 PMCID: PMC9947464 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1125544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ethylene glycol (EG) derived from plastic waste or CO2 can serve as a substrate for microbial production of value-added chemicals. Assimilation of EG proceeds though the characteristic intermediate glycolaldehyde (GA). However, natural metabolic pathways for GA assimilation have low carbon efficiency when producing the metabolic precursor acetyl-CoA. In alternative, the reaction sequence catalyzed by EG dehydrogenase, d-arabinose 5-phosphate aldolase, d-arabinose 5-phosphate isomerase, d-ribulose 5-phosphate 3-epimerase (Rpe), d-xylulose 5-phosphate phosphoketolase, and phosphate acetyltransferase may enable the conversion of EG into acetyl-CoA without carbon loss. We investigated the metabolic requirements for in vivo function of this pathway in Escherichia coli by (over)expressing constituting enzymes in different combinations. Using 13C-tracer experiments, we first examined the conversion of EG to acetate via the synthetic reaction sequence and showed that, in addition to heterologous phosphoketolase, overexpression of all native enzymes except Rpe was required for the pathway to function. Since acetyl-CoA could not be reliably quantified by our LC/MS-method, the distribution of isotopologues in mevalonate, a stable metabolite that is exclusively derived from this intermediate, was used to probe the contribution of the synthetic pathway to biosynthesis of acetyl-CoA. We detected strong incorporation of 13C carbon derived from labeled GA in all intermediates of the synthetic pathway. In presence of unlabeled co-substrate glycerol, 12.4% of the mevalonate (and therefore acetyl-CoA) was derived from GA. The contribution of the synthetic pathway to acetyl-CoA production was further increased to 16.1% by the additional expression of the native phosphate acyltransferase enzyme. Finally, we demonstrated that conversion of EG to mevalonate was feasible albeit at currently extremely small yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Wagner
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Frederik Bade
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elly Straube
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kenny Rabe
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
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Guo L, Sun L, Huo YX. Toward bioproduction of oxo chemicals from C1 feedstocks using isobutyraldehyde as an example. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2022; 15:80. [PMID: 35945564 PMCID: PMC9361566 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-022-02178-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
AbstractOxo chemicals are valuable chemicals for synthesizing a wide array of industrial and consumer products. However, producing of oxo chemicals is predominately through the chemical process called hydroformylation, which requires petroleum-sourced materials and generates abundant greenhouse gas. Current concerns on global climate change have renewed the interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and recycling the plentiful greenhouse gas. A carbon–neutral manner in this regard is producing oxo chemicals biotechnologically using greenhouse gas as C1 feedstocks. Exemplifying isobutyraldehyde, this review demonstrates the significance of using greenhouse gas for oxo chemicals production. We highlight the current state and the potential of isobutyraldehyde synthesis with a special focus on the in vivo and in vitro scheme of C1-based biomanufacturing. Specifically, perspectives and scenarios toward carbon– and nitrogen–neutral isobutyraldehyde production are proposed. In addition, key challenges and promising approaches for enhancing isobutyraldehyde bioproduction are thoroughly discussed. This study will serve as a reference case in exploring the biotechnological potential and advancing oxo chemicals production derived from C1 feedstocks.
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Chang D, Wang C, Ndayisenga F, Yu Z. Mutations in adaptively evolved Escherichia coli LGE2 facilitated the cost-effective upgrading of undetoxified bio-oil to bioethanol fuel. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2021; 8:105. [PMID: 38650237 PMCID: PMC10991953 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-021-00459-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Levoglucosan is a promising sugar present in the lignocellulose pyrolysis bio-oil, which is a renewable and environment-friendly source for various value-added productions. Although many microbial catalysts have been engineered to produce biofuels and chemicals from levoglucosan, the demerits that these biocatalysts can only utilize pure levoglucosan while inhibited by the inhibitors co-existing with levoglucosan in the bio-oil have greatly limited the industrial-scale application of these biocatalysts in lignocellulose biorefinery. In this study, the previously engineered Escherichia coli LGE2 was evolved for enhanced inhibitor tolerance using long-term adaptive evolution under the stress of multiple inhibitors and finally, a stable mutant E. coli-H was obtained after ~ 374 generations' evolution. In the bio-oil media with an extremely acidic pH of 3.1, E. coli-H with high inhibitor tolerance exhibited remarkable levoglucosan consumption and ethanol production abilities comparable to the control, while the growth of the non-evolved strain was completely blocked even when the pH was adjusted to 7.0. Finally, 8.4 g/L ethanol was achieved by E. coli-H in the undetoxified bio-oil media with ~ 2.0% (w/v) levoglucosan, reaching 82% of the theoretical yield. Whole-genome re-sequencing to monitor the acquisition of mutations identified 4 new mutations within the globally regulatory genes rssB, yqhA, and basR, and the - 10 box of the putative promoter of yqhD-dgkA operon. Especially, yqhA was the first time to be revealed as a gene responsible for inhibitor tolerance. The mutations were all responsible for improved fitness, while basR mutation greatly contributed to the fitness improvement of E. coli-H. This study, for the first time, generated an inhibitor-tolerant levoglucosan-utilizing strain that could produce cost-effective bioethanol from the toxic bio-oil without detoxification process, and provided important experimental evidence and valuable genetic/proteinic information for the development of other robust microbial platforms involved in lignocellulose biorefining processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Chang
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Cong Wang
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Fabrice Ndayisenga
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhisheng Yu
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
- RCEES-IMCAS-UCAS Joint-Lab of Microbial Technology for Environmental Science, Beijing, 100085, People's Republic of China.
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Dhyani R, Srivastava SK, Shankar K, Ghosh T, Beniwal A, Navani NK. A chemical genetic approach using genetically encoded reporters to detect and assess the toxicity of plant secondary metabolites against bacterial pathogens. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 418:126399. [PMID: 34329040 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant secondary metabolites are emerging as attractive alternatives in the development of therapeutics against infectious and chronic diseases. Due to the present pandemic, therapeutics showing toxicity against bacterial pathogens and viruses are gaining interest. Plant metabolites of terpenoid and phenylpropanoid categories have known antibacterial and antiviral properties. These metabolites have also been associated with toxicity to eukaryotic cells in terms of carcinogenicity, hepatotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. Sensing methods that can report the exact antibacterial dosage, formation, and accumulation of these antibacterial compounds are needed. The whole-cell reporters for such antibacterial metabolites are cost-effective and easy to maintain. In the present study, battery of toxicity sensors containing fluorescent transcriptional bioreporters was constructed, followed by fine-tuning the response using gene-debilitated E. coli mutants. This study shows that by combining regulatory switches with chemical genetics strategy, it may be possible to detect and elucidate the mode of action of effective antibacterial plant secondary metabolites - thymol, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and carvacrol in both pure and complex formats. Apart from the detection of adulteration of pure compounds present in complex mixture of essential oils, this approach will be useful to detect authenticity of essential oils and thus reduce unintended harmful effects on human and animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajat Dhyani
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | | | - Krishna Shankar
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Tamoghna Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Arun Beniwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Naveen Kumar Navani
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India.
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8
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LuxAB-Based Microbial Cell Factories for the Sensing, Manufacturing and Transformation of Industrial Aldehydes. Catalysts 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/catal11080953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of genetically encoded biosensors enables the detection of small molecules in living cells and has facilitated the characterization of enzymes, their directed evolution and the engineering of (natural) metabolic pathways. In this work, the LuxAB biosensor system from Photorhabdus luminescens was implemented in Escherichia coli to monitor the enzymatic production of aldehydes from primary alcohols and carboxylic acid substrates. A simple high-throughput assay utilized the bacterial luciferase—previously reported to only accept aliphatic long-chain aldehydes—to detect structurally diverse aldehydes, including aromatic and monoterpene aldehydes. LuxAB was used to screen the substrate scopes of three prokaryotic oxidoreductases: an alcohol dehydrogenase (Pseudomonas putida), a choline oxidase variant (Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus) and a carboxylic acid reductase (Mycobacterium marinum). Consequently, high-value aldehydes such as cinnamaldehyde, citral and citronellal could be produced in vivo in up to 80% yield. Furthermore, the dual role of LuxAB as sensor and monooxygenase, emitting bioluminescence through the oxidation of aldehydes to the corresponding carboxylates, promises implementation in artificial enzyme cascades for the synthesis of carboxylic acids. These findings advance the bio-based detection, preparation and transformation of industrially important aldehydes in living cells.
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Production of Aldehydes by Biocatalysis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094949. [PMID: 34066641 PMCID: PMC8124467 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The production of aldehydes, highly reactive and toxic chemicals, brings specific challenges to biocatalytic processes. Absence of natural accumulation of aldehydes in microorganisms has led to a combination of in vitro and in vivo strategies for both, bulk and fine production. Advances in genetic and metabolic engineering and implementation of computational techniques led to the production of various enzymes with special requirements. Cofactor synthesis, post-translational modifications and structure engineering are applied to prepare active enzymes for one-step or cascade reactions. This review presents the highlights in biocatalytical production of aldehydes with the potential to shape future industrial applications.
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Cortés-Avalos D, Martínez-Pérez N, Ortiz-Moncada MA, Juárez-González A, Baños-Vargas AA, Estrada-de Los Santos P, Pérez-Rueda E, Ibarra JA. An update of the unceasingly growing and diverse AraC/XylS family of transcriptional activators. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:6219864. [PMID: 33837749 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional factors play an important role in gene regulation in all organisms, especially in Bacteria. Here special emphasis is placed in the AraC/XylS family of transcriptional regulators. This is one of the most abundant as many predicted members have been identified and more members are added because more bacterial genomes are sequenced. Given the way more experimental evidence has mounded in the past decades, we decided to update the information about this captivating family of proteins. Using bioinformatics tools on all the data available for experimentally characterized members of this family, we found that many members that display a similar functional classification can be clustered together and in some cases they have a similar regulatory scheme. A proposal for grouping these proteins is also discussed. Additionally, an analysis of surveyed proteins in bacterial genomes is presented. Altogether, the current review presents a panoramic view into this family and we hope it helps to stimulate future research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Cortés-Avalos
- Laboratorio de Genética Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Noemy Martínez-Pérez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Mario A Ortiz-Moncada
- Laboratorio de Genética Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Aylin Juárez-González
- Laboratorio de Genética Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Arturo A Baños-Vargas
- Laboratorio de Genética Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Paulina Estrada-de Los Santos
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ernesto Pérez-Rueda
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México.,Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - J Antonio Ibarra
- Laboratorio de Genética Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
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Ferreira SS, Antunes MS. Re-engineering Plant Phenylpropanoid Metabolism With the Aid of Synthetic Biosensors. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:701385. [PMID: 34603348 PMCID: PMC8481569 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.701385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Phenylpropanoids comprise a large class of specialized plant metabolites with many important applications, including pharmaceuticals, food nutrients, colorants, fragrances, and biofuels. Therefore, much effort has been devoted to manipulating their biosynthesis to produce high yields in a more controlled manner in microbial and plant systems. However, current strategies are prone to significant adverse effects due to pathway complexity, metabolic burden, and metabolite bioactivity, which still hinder the development of tailor-made phenylpropanoid biofactories. This gap could be addressed by the use of biosensors, which are molecular devices capable of sensing specific metabolites and triggering a desired response, as a way to sense the pathway's metabolic status and dynamically regulate its flux based on specific signals. Here, we provide a brief overview of current research on synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches to control phenylpropanoid synthesis and phenylpropanoid-related biosensors, advocating for the use of biosensors and genetic circuits as a step forward in plant synthetic biology to develop autonomously-controlled phenylpropanoid-producing plant biofactories.
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12
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Chen X, Zhang C, Lindley ND. Metabolic Engineering Strategies for Sustainable Terpenoid Flavor and Fragrance Synthesis. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2020; 68:10252-10264. [PMID: 31865696 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b06203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids derived from plant material are widely applied in the flavor and fragrance industry. Traditional extraction methods are unsustainable, but microbial synthesis offers a promising solution to attain efficient production of natural-identical terpenoids. Overproduction of terpenoids in microbes requires careful balancing of the synthesis pathway constituents within the constraints of host cell metabolism. Advances in metabolic engineering have greatly facilitated overcoming the challenges of achieving high titers, rates, and yields (TRYs). The review summarizes recent development in the molecular biology toolbox to achieve high TRYs for terpenoid biosynthesis, mainly in the two industrial platform microorganisms: Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The biosynthetic pathways, including alternative pathway designs, are briefly introduced, followed by recently developed methodologies used for pathway, genome, and strain optimization. Integrated applications of these tools are important to achieve high "TRYs" of terpenoid production and pave the way for translating laboratory research into successful commercial manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xixian Chen
- Biotransformation Innovation Platform, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673
| | - Congqiang Zhang
- Biotransformation Innovation Platform, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673
| | - Nicholas D Lindley
- Biotransformation Innovation Platform, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRA, INSA,31077 Toulouse, France
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13
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Genetic Biosensor Design for Natural Product Biosynthesis in Microorganisms. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 38:797-810. [PMID: 32359951 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Low yield and low titer of natural products are common issues in natural product biosynthesis through microbial cell factories. One effective way to resolve such bottlenecks is to design genetic biosensors to monitor and regulate the biosynthesis of target natural products. In this review, we evaluate the most recent advances in the design of genetic biosensors for natural product biosynthesis in microorganisms. In particular, we examine strategies for selection of genetic parts and construction principles for the design and evaluation of genetic biosensors. We also review the latest applications of transcription factor- and riboswitch-based genetic biosensors in natural product biosynthesis. Lastly, we discuss challenges and solutions in designing genetic biosensors for the biosynthesis of natural products in microorganisms.
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14
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Sulzbach M, Kunjapur AM. The Pathway Less Traveled: Engineering Biosynthesis of Nonstandard Functional Groups. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 38:532-545. [PMID: 31954529 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The field of metabolic engineering has achieved biochemical routes for conversion of renewable inputs to structurally diverse chemicals, but these products contain a limited number of chemical functional groups. In this review, we provide an overview of the progression of uncommon or 'nonstandard' functional groups from the elucidation of their biosynthetic machinery to the pathway optimization framework of metabolic engineering. We highlight exemplary efforts from primarily the last 5 years for biosynthesis of aldehyde, ester, terminal alkyne, terminal alkene, fluoro, epoxide, nitro, nitroso, nitrile, and hydrazine functional groups. These representative nonstandard functional groups vary in development stage and showcase the pipeline of chemical diversity that could soon appear within customized, biologically produced molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Sulzbach
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA
| | - Aditya M Kunjapur
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19711, USA.
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Carboxylic acid reductases in metabolic engineering. J Biotechnol 2020; 307:1-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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16
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F M Machado L, Currin A, Dixon N. Directed evolution of the PcaV allosteric transcription factor to generate a biosensor for aromatic aldehydes. J Biol Eng 2019; 13:91. [PMID: 31798685 PMCID: PMC6882365 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-019-0214-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transcription factor-based biosensors are useful tools for the detection of metabolites and industrially valuable molecules, and present many potential applications in biotechnology and biomedicine. However, the most common approach to develop biosensors relies on employing a limited set of naturally occurring allosteric transcription factors (aTFs). Therefore, altering the ligand specificity of aTFs towards the detection of new effectors is an important goal. Results Here, the PcaV repressor, a member of the MarR aTF family, was used to develop a biosensor for the detection of hydroxyl-substituted benzoic acids, including protocatechuic acid (PCA). The PCA biosensor was further subjected to directed evolution to alter its ligand specificity towards vanillin and other closely related aromatic aldehydes, to generate the Van2 biosensor. Ligand recognition of Van2 was explored in vitro using a range of biochemical and biophysical analyses, and extensive in vivo genetic-phenotypic analysis was performed to determine the role of each amino acid change upon biosensor performance. Conclusions This is the first study to report directed evolution of a member of the MarR aTF family, and demonstrates the plasticity of the PCA biosensor by altering its ligand specificity to generate a biosensor for aromatic aldehydes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leopoldo F M Machado
- 1Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, Manchester, UK.,2Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, Manchester, UK
| | - Andrew Currin
- 1Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, Manchester, UK.,2Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, Manchester, UK.,3SYNBIOCHEM, The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, Manchester, UK
| | - Neil Dixon
- 1Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, Manchester, UK.,2Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, Manchester, UK.,3SYNBIOCHEM, The University of Manchester, M1 7DN, Manchester, UK
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17
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Alvarez-Gonzalez G, Dixon N. Genetically encoded biosensors for lignocellulose valorization. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:246. [PMID: 31636705 PMCID: PMC6792243 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1585-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Modern society is hugely dependent on finite oil reserves for the supply of fuels and chemicals. Moving our dependence away from these unsustainable oil-based feedstocks to renewable ones is, therefore, a critical factor towards the development of a low carbon bioeconomy. Lignin derived from biomass feedstocks offers great potential as a renewable source of aromatic compounds if methods for its effective valorization can be developed. Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering offer the potential to synergistically enable the development of cell factories with novel biosynthetic routes to valuable chemicals from these sustainable sources. Pathway design and optimization is, however, a major bottleneck due to the lack of high-throughput methods capable of screening large libraries of genetic variants and the metabolic burden associated with bioproduction. Genetically encoded biosensors can provide a solution by transducing the target metabolite concentration into detectable signals to provide high-throughput phenotypic read-outs and allow dynamic pathway regulation. The development and application of biosensors in the discovery and engineering of efficient biocatalytic processes for the degradation, conversion, and valorization of lignin are paving the way towards a sustainable and economically viable biorefinery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Neil Dixon
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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18
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Frazão CJR, Trichez D, Serrano-Bataille H, Dagkesamanskaia A, Topham CM, Walther T, François JM. Construction of a synthetic pathway for the production of 1,3-propanediol from glucose. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11576. [PMID: 31399628 PMCID: PMC6689062 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48091-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, we describe the construction of a synthetic metabolic pathway enabling direct biosynthesis of 1,3-propanediol (PDO) from glucose via the Krebs cycle intermediate malate. This non-natural pathway extends a previously published synthetic pathway for the synthesis of (L)-2,4-dihydroxybutyrate (L-DHB) from malate by three additional reaction steps catalyzed respectively, by a DHB dehydrogenase, a 2-keto-4-hydroxybutyrate (OHB) dehydrogenase and a PDO oxidoreductase. Screening and structure-guided protein engineering provided a (L)-DHB dehydrogenase from the membrane-associated (L)-lactate dehydrogenase of E. coli and OHB decarboxylase variants derived from the branched-chain keto-acid decarboxylase encoded by kdcA from Lactococcus lactis or pyruvate decarboxylase from Zymomonas mobilis. The simultaneous overexpression of the genes encoding these enzymes together with the endogenous ydhD-encoded aldehyde reductase enabled PDO biosynthesis from (L)-DHB. While the simultaneous expression of the six enzymatic activities in a single engineered E. coli strain resulted in a low production of 0.1 mM PDO from 110 mM glucose, a 40-fold increased PDO titer was obtained by co-cultivation of an E. coli strain expressing the malate-DHB pathway with another strain harboring the DHB-to-PDO pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudio J R Frazão
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRA, INSA, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Débora Trichez
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRA, INSA, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Hélène Serrano-Bataille
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRA, INSA, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Adilia Dagkesamanskaia
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRA, INSA, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Thomas Walther
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRA, INSA, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077, Toulouse, France.,TWB, 3 Rue des Satellites, Canal Biotech Building 2, F-31400, Toulouse, France.,TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jean Marie François
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRA, INSA, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077, Toulouse, France. .,TWB, 3 Rue des Satellites, Canal Biotech Building 2, F-31400, Toulouse, France.
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19
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Tee KL, Xu JH, Wong TS. Protein engineering for bioreduction of carboxylic acids. J Biotechnol 2019; 303:53-64. [PMID: 31325477 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Carboxylic acids (CAs) are widespread in Nature. A prominent example is fatty acids, a major constituent of lipids. CAs are potentially economical precursors for bio-based products such as bio-aldehydes and bio-alcohols. However, carboxylate reduction is a challenging chemical transformation due to the thermodynamic stability of carboxylate. Carboxylic acid reductases (CARs), found in bacteria and fungi, offer a good solution to this challenge. These enzymes catalyse the NADPH- and ATP-dependent reduction of aliphatic and aromatic CAs. This review summarised all the protein engineering work that has been done on these versatile biocatalysts to date. The intricate catalytic mechanism and structure of CARs prompted us to first examine their domain architecture to facilitate the subsequent discussion of various protein engineering strategies. This then led to a survey of assays to detect aldehyde formation and to monitor aldenylation activity. Strategies for NADPH and ATP regeneration were also incorporated, as they are deemed vital to developing preparative-scale biocatalytic process and high-throughput screening systems. The objectives of the review are to consolidate CAR engineering research, stimulate interest, discussion or debate, and advance the field of bioreduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Lan Tee
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering and Advanced Biomanufacturing Centre, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom
| | - Jian-He Xu
- Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Tuck Seng Wong
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering and Advanced Biomanufacturing Centre, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
Synthetic biology has undergone dramatic advancements for over a decade, during which it has expanded our understanding on the systems of life and opened new avenues for microbial engineering. Many biotechnological and computational methods have been developed for the construction of synthetic systems. Achievements in synthetic biology have been widely adopted in metabolic engineering, a field aimed at engineering micro-organisms to produce substances of interest. However, the engineering of metabolic systems requires dynamic redistribution of cellular resources, the creation of novel metabolic pathways, and optimal regulation of the pathways to achieve higher production titers. Thus, the design principles and tools developed in synthetic biology have been employed to create novel and flexible metabolic pathways and to optimize metabolic fluxes to increase the cells’ capability to act as production factories. In this review, we introduce synthetic biology tools and their applications to microbial cell factory constructions.
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