Improved Itaconate Production with Ustilago cynodontis via Co-Metabolism of CO2-Derived Formate

Concatenating Microbial, Enzymatic, and Organometallic Catalysis for Integrated Conversion of Renewable Carbon Sources

The chemical industry can now seize the opportunity to improve the sustainability of its processes by replacing fossil carbon sources with renewable alternatives such as CO2, biomass, and plastics, thereby thinking ahead and having a look into the future. For their conversion to intermediate and final products, different types of catalysts-microbial, enzymatic, and organometallic-can be applied. The first part of this review shows how these catalysts can work separately in parallel, each route with unique requirements and advantages. While the different types of catalysts are often seen as competitive approaches, an increasing number of examples highlight, how combinations and concatenations of catalysts of the complete spectrum can open new roads to new products. Therefore, the second part focuses on the different catalysts either in one-step, one-pot transformations or in reaction cascades. In the former, the reaction conditions must be conflated but purification steps are minimized. In the latter, each catalyst can work under optimal conditions and the "hand-over points" should be chosen according to defined criteria like minimal energy usage during separation procedures. The examples are discussed in the context of the contributions of catalysis to the envisaged (bio)economy.

Prospects of formamide as nitrogen source in biotechnological production processes

This review presents an analysis of formamide, focussing on its occurrence in nature, its functional roles, and its promising applications in the context of the bioeconomy. We discuss the utilization of formamide as an innovative nitrogen source achieved through metabolic engineering. These approaches underscore formamide's potential in supporting growth and production in biotechnological processes. Furthermore, our review illuminates formamide's role as a nitrogen source capable of safeguarding cultivation systems against contamination in non-sterile conditions. This attribute adds an extra layer of practicality to its application, rendering it an attractive candidate for sustainable and resilient industrial practices. Additionally, the article unveils the versatility of formamide as a potential carbon source that could be combined with formate or CO2 assimilation pathways. However, its attributes, i.e., enriched nitrogen content and comparatively limited energy content, led to conclude that formamide is more suitable as a co-substrate and that its use as a sole source of carbon for biomass and bio-production is limited. Through our exploration of formamide's properties and its applications, this review underscores the significance of formamide as valuable resource for a large spectrum of industrial applications. KEY POINTS: • Formidases enable access to formamide as source of nitrogen, carbon, and energy • The formamide/formamidase system supports non-sterile fermentation • The nitrogen source formamide supports production of nitrogenous compounds.