1
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Ricci L, Cen X, Zu Y, Antonicelli G, Chen Z, Fino D, Pirri FC, Stephanopoulos G, Woolston BM, Re A. Metabolic Engineering of E. coli for Enhanced Diols Production from Acetate. ACS Synth Biol 2025; 14:1204-1219. [PMID: 40103233 PMCID: PMC12012870 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00839] [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: 12/04/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2025] [Accepted: 03/11/2025] [Indexed: 03/20/2025]
Abstract
Effective employment of renewable carbon sources is highly demanded to develop sustainable biobased manufacturing. Here, we developed Escherichia coli strains to produce 2,3-butanediol and acetoin (collectively referred to as diols) using acetate as the sole carbon source by stepwise metabolic engineering. When tested in fed-batch experiments, the strain overexpressing the entire acetate utilization pathway was found to consume acetate at a 15% faster rate (0.78 ± 0.05 g/g/h) and to produce a 35% higher diol titer (1.16 ± 0.01 g/L) than the baseline diols-producing strain. Moreover, singularly overexpressing the genes encoding alternative acetate uptake pathways as well as alternative isoforms of genes in the malate-to-pyruvate pathway unveiled that leveraging ackA-pta and maeA is more effective in enhancing acetate consumption and diols production, compared to acs and maeB. Finally, the increased substrate consumption rate and diol production obtained in flask-based experiments were confirmed in bench-scale bioreactors operated in fed-batch mode. Consequently, the highest titer of 1.56 g/L achieved in this configuration increased by over 30% compared to the only other similar effort carried out so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ricci
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Centre
for Sustainable Future Technologies, Fondazione
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Livorno 60, 10144 Turin, Italy
- Department
of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico
di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
- RINA
Consulting S.p.A., Energy Innovation Strategic
Centre, Via Antonio Cecchi,
6, 16129 Genoa, Italy
| | - Xuecong Cen
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis
(Ministry of Education), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuexuan Zu
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Giacomo Antonicelli
- Centre
for Sustainable Future Technologies, Fondazione
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Livorno 60, 10144 Turin, Italy
- Department
of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Zhen Chen
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis
(Ministry of Education), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Debora Fino
- Centre
for Sustainable Future Technologies, Fondazione
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Livorno 60, 10144 Turin, Italy
- Department
of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico
di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Fabrizio C. Pirri
- Centre
for Sustainable Future Technologies, Fondazione
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Livorno 60, 10144 Turin, Italy
- Department
of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico
di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Gregory Stephanopoulos
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Benjamin M. Woolston
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 223 Cullinane, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Angela Re
- Department
of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico
di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
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2
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Wu N, Wang W, Zhu J. Progress on production of malic acid and succinic acid by industrially-important engineered microorganisms. J Biotechnol 2025; 400:8-19. [PMID: 39923900 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2025.02.001] [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: 10/17/2024] [Revised: 02/04/2025] [Accepted: 02/05/2025] [Indexed: 02/11/2025]
Abstract
Organic acids are widely used as additives in the food, pharmaceutical, chemical, and plastic industries. Currently, the industrial production methods of organic acids mainly include plant extraction and chemical synthesis. The latter mainly uses petroleum-based compounds as raw materials to synthesize organic acids through a series of chemical reactions. All of these methods have problems such as environmental pollution, high cost, and unsustainability. By contrast, microbial fermentation can effectively utilize a variety of carbon sources. Due to its low production cost, environmental friendliness, and high product purity, microbial fermentation has received increasing attention in recent years. However, the low yield and long fermentation cycle of microbial fermentation limits its industrial application. With the development of genomics, transcriptomics, and other omics technologies, the metabolic pathways of various strains producing organic acids have gradually been elucidated. Based on this, new technologies such as synthetic biology and high-throughput screening have also been extensively studied. This review summarizes the latest research progress in improving organic acid biosynthesis through metabolic engineering, focusing on L-malic acid (L-MA) and succinic acid (SA). Finally, we also discuss the challenges and future prospects of this field. This review has important reference value in the fields of food, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals, providing a theoretical basis for the study of organic acid biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Wu
- College of Marine and Bioengineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, China
| | - Wenxin Wang
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianguo Zhu
- Suzhou Wecare Probiotics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., Suzhou, China.
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3
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Jia M, Liu M, Li J, Jiang W, Xin F, Zhang W, Jiang Y, Jiang M. Formaldehyde: An Essential Intermediate for C1 Metabolism and Bioconversion. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:3507-3522. [PMID: 39395007 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00454] [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: 10/14/2024]
Abstract
Formaldehyde is an intermediate metabolite of methylotrophic microorganisms that can be obtained from formate and methanol through oxidation-reduction reactions. Formaldehyde is also a one-carbon (C1) compound with high uniquely reactive activity and versatility, which is more amenable to further biocatalysis. Biosynthesis of high-value-added chemicals using formaldehyde as an intermediate is theoretically feasible and promising. This review focuses on the design of the biosynthesis of high-value-added chemicals using formaldehyde as an essential intermediate. The upstream biosynthesis and downstream bioconversion pathways of formaldehyde as an intermediate metabolite are described in detail, aiming to highlight the important role of formaldehyde in the transition from inorganic to organic carbon and carbon chain elongation. In addition, challenges and future directions of formaldehyde as an intermediate for the chemicals are discussed, with the expectation of providing ideas for the utilization of C1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengshi Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, P. R. China
| | - Mengge Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, P. R. China
| | - Jiawen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, P. R. China
| | - Wankui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, P. R. China
| | - Fengxue Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, P. R. China
| | - Wenming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, P. R. China
- Jiangsu Biochemical Chiral Engineering Technology Reseach Center, Changmao Biochemical Engineering Co., Ltd., Changzhou 213034, P. R. China
| | - Yujia Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, P. R. China
| | - Min Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211800, P. R. China
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4
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Schann K, Bakker J, Boinot M, Kuschel P, He H, Nattermann M, Paczia N, Erb T, Bar‐Even A, Wenk S. Design, construction and optimization of formaldehyde growth biosensors with broad application in biotechnology. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14527. [PMID: 39031508 PMCID: PMC11259041 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Formaldehyde is a key metabolite in natural and synthetic one-carbon metabolism. To facilitate the engineering of formaldehyde-producing enzymes, the development of sensitive, user-friendly, and cost-effective detection methods is required. In this study, we engineered Escherichia coli to serve as a cellular biosensor capable of detecting a broad range of formaldehyde concentrations. Using both natural and promiscuous formaldehyde assimilation enzymes, we designed three distinct E. coli growth biosensor strains that depend on formaldehyde for cell growth. These strains were engineered to be auxotrophic for one or several essential metabolites that could be produced through formaldehyde assimilation. The respective assimilating enzyme was expressed from the genome to compensate the auxotrophy in the presence of formaldehyde. We first predicted the formaldehyde dependency of the biosensors by flux balance analysis and then analysed it experimentally. Subsequent to strain engineering, we enhanced the formaldehyde sensitivity of two biosensors either through adaptive laboratory evolution or modifications at metabolic branch points. The final set of biosensors demonstrated the ability to detect formaldehyde concentrations ranging approximately from 30 μM to 13 mM. We demonstrated the application of the biosensors by assaying the in vivo activity of different methanol dehydrogenases in the most sensitive strain. The fully genomic nature of the biosensors allows them to be deployed as "plug-and-play" devices for high-throughput screenings of extensive enzyme libraries. The formaldehyde growth biosensors developed in this study hold significant promise for advancing the field of enzyme engineering, thereby supporting the establishment of a sustainable one-carbon bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Schann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Jenny Bakker
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Maximilian Boinot
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Pauline Kuschel
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Hai He
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial MicrobiologyMarburgGermany
| | | | - Nicole Paczia
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial MicrobiologyMarburgGermany
| | - Tobias Erb
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial MicrobiologyMarburgGermany
| | - Arren Bar‐Even
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Sebastian Wenk
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
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5
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Schulz-Mirbach H, Dronsella B, He H, Erb TJ. Creating new-to-nature carbon fixation: A guide. Metab Eng 2024; 82:12-28. [PMID: 38160747 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic biology aims at designing new biological functions from first principles. These new designs allow to expand the natural solution space and overcome the limitations of naturally evolved systems. One example is synthetic CO2-fixation pathways that promise to provide more efficient ways for the capture and conversion of CO2 than natural pathways, such as the Calvin Benson Bassham (CBB) cycle of photosynthesis. In this review, we provide a practical guideline for the design and realization of such new-to-nature CO2-fixation pathways. We introduce the concept of "synthetic CO2-fixation", and give a general overview over the enzymology and topology of synthetic pathways, before we derive general principles for their design from their eight naturally evolved analogs. We provide a comprehensive summary of synthetic carbon-assimilation pathways and derive a step-by-step, practical guide from the theoretical design to their practical implementation, before ending with an outlook on new developments in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Schulz-Mirbach
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Beau Dronsella
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Hai He
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany; Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 16, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.
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6
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Lim X, Zhang C, Chen X. Advances and applications of CRISPR/Cas-mediated interference in Escherichia coli. ENGINEERING MICROBIOLOGY 2024; 4:100123. [PMID: 39628789 PMCID: PMC11611006 DOI: 10.1016/j.engmic.2023.100123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2024]
Abstract
The bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of the most widely used chassis microbes employed for the biosynthesis of numerous valuable chemical compounds. In the past decade, the metabolic engineering of E. coli has undergone significant advances, although further productivity improvements will require extensive genome modification, multi-dimensional regulation, and multiple metabolic-pathway coordination. In this context, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), along with CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) and its inactive variant (dCas), have emerged as notable recombination and transcriptional regulation tools that are particularly useful for multiplex metabolic engineering in E. coli. In this review, we briefly describe the CRISPR/Cas9 technology in E. coli, and then summarize the recent advances in CRISPR/dCas9 interference (CRISPRi) systems in E. coli, particularly the strategies designed to effectively regulate gene repression and overcome retroactivity during multiplexing. Moreover, we discuss recent applications of the CRISPRi system for enhancing metabolite production in E. coli, and finally highlight the major challenges and future perspectives of this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Lim
- Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A∗STAR), 31 Biopolis Way, Level 6, Nanos Building, Singapore 138669, Singapore
| | - Congqiang Zhang
- Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A∗STAR), 31 Biopolis Way, Level 6, Nanos Building, Singapore 138669, Singapore
| | - Xixian Chen
- Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A∗STAR), 31 Biopolis Way, Level 6, Nanos Building, Singapore 138669, Singapore
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7
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Tian J, Deng W, Zhang Z, Xu J, Yang G, Zhao G, Yang S, Jiang W, Gu Y. Discovery and remodeling of Vibrio natriegens as a microbial platform for efficient formic acid biorefinery. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7758. [PMID: 38012202 PMCID: PMC10682008 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43631-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Formic acid (FA) has emerged as a promising one-carbon feedstock for biorefinery. However, developing efficient microbial hosts for economically competitive FA utilization remains a grand challenge. Here, we discover that the bacterium Vibrio natriegens has exceptional FA tolerance and metabolic capacity natively. This bacterium is remodeled by rewiring the serine cycle and the TCA cycle, resulting in a non-native closed loop (S-TCA) which as a powerful metabolic sink, in combination with laboratory evolution, enables rapid emergence of synthetic strains with significantly improved FA-utilizing ability. Further introduction of a foreign indigoidine-forming pathway into the synthetic V. natriegens strain leads to the production of 29.0 g · L-1 indigoidine and consumption of 165.3 g · L-1 formate within 72 h, achieving a formate consumption rate of 2.3 g · L-1 · h-1. This work provides an important microbial chassis as well as design rules to develop industrially viable microorganisms for FA biorefinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhong Tian
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Xianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou, 311231, China.
| | - Wangshuying Deng
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ziwen Zhang
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaqi Xu
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311215, China
| | | | - Guoping Zhao
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Sheng Yang
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Weihong Jiang
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yang Gu
- CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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8
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Liu L, Tang S, Liu T, Zhang Z, Wang X, Bilal M, Liu S, Luo H, Zhao Y, Duan X. Transcriptomic analysis approach towards an improved tolerance of Escherichia coli to gallic acid stress. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:372. [PMID: 37934297 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03708-4] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
As a natural green additive, gallic acid has been widely used in food production. However, it can inhibit the physiological metabolism of Escherichia coli, which severely limits the ability and efficiency of gallic acid production. To explore the adaptation mechanism of E. coli under gallic acid stress and further explore the target of genetic modification, the effects of gallic acid stress on the fermentation characteristics of E. coli W3110 ATCC (82057) were investigated by cell biomass and cell morphometry. Moreover, transcriptome analysis was used to analyze the gene transcription level of E. coli W3110 ATCC (82057) to explore effects of gallic acid stress on important essential physiological processes. The results showed that under high concentration of gallic acid, the biomass of E. coli W3110 ATCC (82057) decreased significantly and the cells showed irregular morphology. Transcriptome analysis showed that E. coli W3110 ATCC (82057) improved its adaptive capacity through three strategies. First, genes of bamD, ompC, and ompF encoding outer membrane protein BamD, OmpC, and OmpC were decreased 5-, 31.1- and 8.1-fold, respectively, under gallic acid stress compared to the control, leading to the reduction of gallic acid absorption. Moreover, genes (mdtA, mdtB, mdtC, mdtD, mdtE, and mdtF) related to MdtABC multidrug efflux system and multidrug efflux pump MdtEF were up-regulated by1.0-53.0 folds, respectively, and genes (aaeA, aaeB, and aaeX) related to AaeAB efflux system were up-regulated by 8.0-13.3 folds, respectively, which contributed to the excretion of gallic acid. In addition, genes of acid fitness island also were up-regulated by different degrees under the stress of an acidic environment to maintain the stability of the intracellular environment. In conclusion, E. coli W3110 ATCC (82057) would enhance its tolerance to gallic acid by reducing absorption, increasing excretion, and maintaining intracellular environment stability. This study provides research ideas for the construction of engineered strains with high gallic acid yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Liu
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China.
| | - Shijie Tang
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China
| | - Zihao Zhang
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China
| | - Xuefeng Wang
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China
| | - Muhammad Bilal
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China
| | - Hongzhen Luo
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China
| | - Yuping Zhao
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, China
| | - Xuguo Duan
- College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, Jiangsu, China
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Chen Y, Wang J, Wang M, Han A, Zhao X, Wang W, Wei D. Engineering the metabolism and morphology of the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei for efficient L-malic acid production. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 387:129629. [PMID: 37558099 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
L-malic acid (MA) is a vital platform chemical with huge market demand because of its broad industrial applications. A cell factory for MA production was engineered by strengthening the intrinsic pathway without inserting foreign genes into Trichoderma reesei. The native MA transporter gene in the T. reesei genome was characterized (trmae1), and its overexpression significantly improved MA production, which increased from 2 to 56.24 g/L. Native pyruvate carboxylase, malate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, and glucose transporter were overexpressed further to improve the titer and yield of MA production. Fungal morphology was adapted to produce MA in the fermenter by deleting gul1. A titer of 235.8 g/L MA was produced from the final engineered strain in a 5-L fermenter with a yield of 1.48 mol of MA per mol of glucose and productivity of 1.23 g/L/h. This study provides novel insights for understanding and remodeling the MA synthesis pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Chen
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, China; Luhua Suo, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiajia Wang
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, China; Luhua Suo, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Meng Wang
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Ao Han
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Wei Wang
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, China; Luhua Suo, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Dongzhi Wei
- State Key Lab of Bioreactor Engineering, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, China; Luhua Suo, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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10
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Zhang J, Yuan Y, Wang Z, Chen T. Metabolic engineering of Halomonas bluephagenesis for high-level mevalonate production from glucose and acetate mixture. Metab Eng 2023; 79:203-213. [PMID: 37657641 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Mevalonate (MVA) plays a crucial role as a building block for the biosynthesis of isoprenoids. In this study, we engineered Halomonas bluephagenesis to efficiently produce MVA. Firstly, by screening MVA synthetases from eight different species, the two efficient candidate modules, specifically NADPH-dependent mvaESEfa from Enterococcus faecalis and NADH-dependent mvaESLca from Lactobacillus casei, were integrated into the chromosome, leading to the construction of the H. bluephagenesis MVA11. Through the synergetic utilization of glucose and acetate as mixed carbon sources, MVA11 produced 11.2 g/L MVA with a yield of 0.45 g/g (glucose + acetic acid) in the shake flask. Subsequently, 10 beneficial genes out of 50 targets that could promote MVA production were identified using CRISPR interference. The simultaneous repression of rpoN (encoding RNA polymerase sigma-54 factor) and IldD (encoding L-lactate dehydrogenase) increased MVA titer (13.3 g/L) by 19.23% and yield (0.53 g/g (glucose + acetic acid)) by 17.78%, respectively. Furthermore, introducing the non-oxidative glycolysis (NOG) pathway into MVA11 enhanced MVA yield by 12.20%. Ultimately, by combining these strategies, the resultant H. bluephagenesis MVA13/pli-63 produced 13.9 g/L MVA in the shake flask, and the yield increased to 0.56 g/g (glucose + acetic acid), which was the highest reported so far. Under open fed-batch fermentation conditions, H. bluephagenesis MVA13/pli-63 produced 121 g/L of MVA with a yield of 0.42 g/g (glucose + acetic acid), representing the highest reported titer and yield in the bioreactor to date. This study demonstrates that H. bluephagenesis is one of the most favorable chassis for MVA production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Yue Yuan
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Zhiwen Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Tao Chen
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Tianjin, 300072, China.
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Bierbaumer S, Nattermann M, Schulz L, Zschoche R, Erb TJ, Winkler CK, Tinzl M, Glueck SM. Enzymatic Conversion of CO 2: From Natural to Artificial Utilization. Chem Rev 2023; 123:5702-5754. [PMID: 36692850 PMCID: PMC10176493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Enzymatic carbon dioxide fixation is one of the most important metabolic reactions as it allows the capture of inorganic carbon from the atmosphere and its conversion into organic biomass. However, due to the often unfavorable thermodynamics and the difficulties associated with the utilization of CO2, a gaseous substrate that is found in comparatively low concentrations in the atmosphere, such reactions remain challenging for biotechnological applications. Nature has tackled these problems by evolution of dedicated CO2-fixing enzymes, i.e., carboxylases, and embedding them in complex metabolic pathways. Biotechnology employs such carboxylating and decarboxylating enzymes for the carboxylation of aromatic and aliphatic substrates either by embedding them into more complex reaction cascades or by shifting the reaction equilibrium via reaction engineering. This review aims to provide an overview of natural CO2-fixing enzymes and their mechanistic similarities. We also discuss biocatalytic applications of carboxylases and decarboxylases for the synthesis of valuable products and provide a separate summary of strategies to improve the efficiency of such processes. We briefly summarize natural CO2 fixation pathways, provide a roadmap for the design and implementation of artificial carbon fixation pathways, and highlight examples of biocatalytic cascades involving carboxylases. Additionally, we suggest that biochemical utilization of reduced CO2 derivates, such as formate or methanol, represents a suitable alternative to direct use of CO2 and provide several examples. Our discussion closes with a techno-economic perspective on enzymatic CO2 fixation and its potential to reduce CO2 emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Bierbaumer
- Institute
of Chemistry, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Heinrichstraße 28, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Maren Nattermann
- Department
of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Luca Schulz
- Department
of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Tobias J. Erb
- Department
of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Christoph K. Winkler
- Institute
of Chemistry, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Heinrichstraße 28, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Matthias Tinzl
- Department
of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Silvia M. Glueck
- Institute
of Chemistry, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Heinrichstraße 28, 8010 Graz, Austria
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12
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Nattermann M, Wenk S, Pfister P, He H, Lee SH, Szymanski W, Guntermann N, Zhu F, Nickel L, Wallner C, Zarzycki J, Paczia N, Gaißert N, Franciò G, Leitner W, Gonzalez R, Erb TJ. Engineering a new-to-nature cascade for phosphate-dependent formate to formaldehyde conversion in vitro and in vivo. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2682. [PMID: 37160875 PMCID: PMC10170137 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38072-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Formate can be envisioned at the core of a carbon-neutral bioeconomy, where it is produced from CO2 by (electro-)chemical means and converted into value-added products by enzymatic cascades or engineered microbes. A key step in expanding synthetic formate assimilation is its thermodynamically challenging reduction to formaldehyde. Here, we develop a two-enzyme route in which formate is activated to formyl phosphate and subsequently reduced to formaldehyde. Exploiting the promiscuity of acetate kinase and N-acetyl-γ-glutamyl phosphate reductase, we demonstrate this phosphate (Pi)-based route in vitro and in vivo. We further engineer a formyl phosphate reductase variant with improved formyl phosphate conversion in vivo by suppressing cross-talk with native metabolism and interface the Pi route with a recently developed formaldehyde assimilation pathway to enable C2 compound formation from formate as the sole carbon source in Escherichia coli. The Pi route therefore offers a potent tool in expanding the landscape of synthetic formate assimilation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Nattermann
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wenk
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Pascal Pfister
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Hai He
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Seung Hwan Lee
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Witold Szymanski
- Institute of Translational Proteomics, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nils Guntermann
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Fayin Zhu
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Jan Zarzycki
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Paczia
- Core Facility for Metabolomics and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Giancarlo Franciò
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Walter Leitner
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Ramon Gonzalez
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany.
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13
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Recent progress in the synthesis of advanced biofuel and bioproducts. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 80:102913. [PMID: 36854202 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
Energy is one of the most complex fields of study and an issue that influences nearly every aspect of modern life. Over the past century, combustion of fossil fuels, particularly in the transportation sector, has been the dominant form of energy release. Refining of petroleum and natural gas into liquid transportation fuels is also the centerpiece of the modern chemical industry used to produce materials, solvents, and other consumer goods. In the face of global climate change, the world is searching for alternative, sustainable means of producing energy carriers and chemical building blocks. The use of biofuels in engines predates modern refinery optimization and today represents a small but significant fraction of liquid transportation fuels burnt each year. Similarly, white biotechnology has been used to produce many natural products through fermentation. The evolution of recombinant DNA technology into modern synthetic biology has expanded the scope of biofuels and bioproducts that can be made by biocatalysts. This opinion examines the current trends in this research space, highlighting the substantial growth in computational tools and the growing influence of renewable electricity in the design of metabolic engineering strategies. In short, advanced biofuel and bioproduct synthesis remains a vibrant and critically important field of study whose focus is shifting away from the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass toward a broader consideration of how to reduce carbon dioxide to fuels and chemical products.
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14
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Shen ZY, Wang YF, Wang LJ, Zhang B, Liu ZQ, Zheng YG. Construction of exogenous methanol, formate, and betaine modules for methyl donor supply in methionine biosynthesis. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1170491. [PMID: 37064240 PMCID: PMC10102461 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1170491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Methionine is an essential sulfur-containing amino acid that finds widespread applications in agriculture, medicine, and the food industry. However, the complex and multibranched biosynthetic pathway of methionine has posed significant challenges to its efficient fermentation production. In this study, we employed a modularized synthetic biology strategy to improve the weakest branched pathway of methionine biosynthesis. Three exogenous modules were constructed and assembled to provide methyl donors, which are the primary limiting factors in methionine biosynthesis. The first module utilized added methanol, which was converted into 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate for methionine production but was hindered by the toxicity of methanol. To circumvent this issue, a non-toxic formate module was constructed, resulting in a visible improvement in the methionine titer. Finally, an exogenous betaine module was constructed, which could directly deliver methyl to methionine. The final strain produced 2.87 g/L of methionine in a flask, representing a 20% increase over the starting strain. This study presents a novel strategy for improving and balancing other metabolites that are synthesized through complex multibranched pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Yang Shen
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Feng Wang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Juan Wang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Liu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhi-Qiang Liu,
| | - Yu-Guo Zheng
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomanufacturing of Chiral Chemicals, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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15
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Asin-Garcia E, Batianis C, Li Y, Fawcett JD, de Jong I, Dos Santos VAPM. Phosphite synthetic auxotrophy as an effective biocontainment strategy for the industrial chassis Pseudomonas putida. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:156. [PMID: 35934698 PMCID: PMC9358898 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01883-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The inclusion of biosafety strategies into strain engineering pipelines is crucial for safe-by-design biobased processes. This in turn might enable a more rapid regulatory acceptance of bioengineered organisms in both industrial and environmental applications. For this reason, we equipped the industrially relevant microbial chassis Pseudomonas putida KT2440 with an effective biocontainment strategy based on a synthetic dependency on phosphite, which is generally not readily available in the environment. The produced PSAG-9 strain was first engineered to assimilate phosphite through the genome-integration of a phosphite dehydrogenase and a phosphite-specific transport complex. Subsequently, to deter the strain from growing on naturally assimilated phosphate, all native genes related to its transport were identified and deleted generating a strain unable to grow on media containing any phosphorous source other than phosphite. PSAG-9 exhibited fitness levels with phosphite similar to those of the wild type with phosphate, and low levels of escape frequency. Beyond biosafety, this strategy endowed P. putida with the capacity to be cultured under non-sterile conditions using phosphite as the sole phosphorous source with a reduced risk of contamination by other microbes, while displaying enhanced NADH regenerative capacity. These industrially beneficial features complement the metabolic advantages for which this species is known for, thereby strengthening it as a synthetic biology chassis with potential uses in industry, with suitability towards environmental release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Asin-Garcia
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6708 WE, The Netherlands
| | - Christos Batianis
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6708 WE, The Netherlands
| | - Yunsong Li
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6708 WE, The Netherlands
| | - James D Fawcett
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6708 WE, The Netherlands
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW72BX, UK
| | - Ivar de Jong
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6708 WE, The Netherlands
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Vitor A P Martins Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6708 WE, The Netherlands.
- LifeGlimmer GmbH, 12163, Berlin, Germany.
- Bioprocess Engineering Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, 6700 AA, The Netherlands.
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