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Niehoff PJ, Müller W, Pastoors J, Miebach K, Ernst P, Hemmerich J, Noack S, Wierckx N, Büchs J. Development of an itaconic acid production process with Ustilaginaceae on alternative feedstocks. BMC Biotechnol 2023; 23:34. [PMID: 37661280 PMCID: PMC10476437 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-023-00802-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, Aspergillus terreus is used for the industrial production of itaconic acid. Although, alternative feedstock use in fermentations is crucial for cost-efficient and sustainable itaconic acid production, their utilisation with A. terreus most often requires expensive pretreatment. Ustilaginacea are robust alternatives for itaconic acid production, evading the challenges, including the pretreatment of crude feedstocks regarding reduction of manganese concentration, that A. terreus poses. RESULTS In this study, five different Ustilago strains were screened for their growth and production of itaconic acid on defined media. The most promising strains were then used to find a suitable alternative feedstock, based on the local food industry. U. cynodontis ITA Max pH, a highly engineered production strain, was selected to determine the biologically available nitrogen concentration in thick juice and molasses. Based on these findings, thick juice was chosen as feedstock to ensure the necessary nitrogen limitation for itaconic acid production. U. cynodontis ITA Max pH was further characterised regarding osmotolerance and product inhibition and a successful scale-up to a 2 L stirred tank reactor was accomplished. A titer of 106.4 gitaconic acid/L with a theoretical yield of 0.50 gitaconic acid/gsucrose and a space-time yield of 0.72 gitaconic acid/L/h was reached. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the utilisation of alternative feedstocks to produce ITA with Ustilaginaceae, without drawbacks in either titer or yield, compared to glucose fermentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul-Joachim Niehoff
- AVT - Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Waldemar Müller
- AVT - Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Johannes Pastoors
- AVT - Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Katharina Miebach
- AVT - Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Philipp Ernst
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Johannes Hemmerich
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Stephan Noack
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nick Wierckx
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428, Jülich, Germany
| | - Jochen Büchs
- AVT - Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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2
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Saur KM, Kiefel R, Niehoff PJ, Hofstede J, Ernst P, Brockkötter J, Gätgens J, Viell J, Noack S, Wierckx N, Büchs J, Jupke A. Holistic Approach to Process Design and Scale-Up for Itaconic Acid Production from Crude Substrates. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:723. [PMID: 37370654 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10060723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bio-based bulk chemicals such as carboxylic acids continue to struggle to compete with their fossil counterparts on an economic basis. One possibility to improve the economic feasibility is the use of crude substrates in biorefineries. However, impurities in these substrates pose challenges in fermentation and purification, requiring interdisciplinary research. This work demonstrates a holistic approach to biorefinery process development, using itaconic acid production on thick juice based on sugar beets with Ustilago sp. as an example. A conceptual process design with data from artificially prepared solutions and literature data from fermentation on glucose guides the simultaneous development of the upstream and downstream processes up to a 100 L scale. Techno-economic analysis reveals substrate consumption as the main constituent of production costs and therefore, the product yield is the driver of process economics. Aligning pH-adjusting agents in the fermentation and the downstream process is a central lever for product recovery. Experiments show that fermentation can be transferred from glucose to thick juice by changing the feeding profile. In downstream processing, an additional decolorization step is necessary to remove impurities accompanying the crude substrate. Moreover, we observe an increased use of pH-adjusting agents compared to process simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Maria Saur
- Fluid Process Engineering (AVT.FVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Robert Kiefel
- Fluid Process Engineering (AVT.FVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Paul-Joachim Niehoff
- Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jordy Hofstede
- Process Systems Engineering (AVT.SVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Philipp Ernst
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Johannes Brockkötter
- Fluid Process Engineering (AVT.FVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jochem Gätgens
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Jörn Viell
- Process Systems Engineering (AVT.SVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Stephan Noack
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Nick Wierckx
- Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Bio- and Geosciences IBG-1, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Jochen Büchs
- Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Andreas Jupke
- Fluid Process Engineering (AVT.FVT), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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3
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Villagrán Z, Martínez-Reyes M, Gómez-Rodríguez H, Ríos-García U, Montalvo-González E, Ortiz-Basurto RI, Anaya-Esparza LM, Pérez-Moreno J. Huitlacoche ( Ustilago maydis), an Iconic Mexican Fungal Resource: Biocultural Importance, Nutritional Content, Bioactive Compounds, and Potential Biotechnological Applications. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28114415. [PMID: 37298890 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28114415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, the fungus known as huitlacoche (Ustilago maydis (DC.) Corda) is a phytopathogen of maize plants that causes important economic losses in different countries. Conversely, it is an iconic edible fungus of Mexican culture and cuisine, and it has high commercial value in the domestic market, though recently there has been a growing interest in the international market. Huitlacoche is an excellent source of nutritional compounds such as protein, dietary fiber, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. It is also an important source of bioactive compounds with health-enhancing properties. Furthermore, scientific evidence shows that extracts or compounds isolated from huitlacoche have antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antiplatelet, and dopaminergic properties. Additionally, the technological uses of huitlacoche include stabilizing and capping agents for inorganic nanoparticle synthesis, removing heavy metals from aqueous media, having biocontrol properties for wine production, and containing biosurfactant compounds and enzymes with potential industrial applications. Furthermore, huitlacoche has been used as a functional ingredient to develop foods with potential health-promoting benefits. The present review focuses on the biocultural importance, nutritional content, and phytochemical profile of huitlacoche and its related biological properties as a strategy to contribute to global food security through food diversification; moreover, the biotechnological uses of huitlacoche are also discussed with the aim of contributing to the use, propagation, and conservation of this valuable but overlooked fungal resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuamí Villagrán
- Centro Universitario de los Altos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tepatitlán de Morelos 47620, Mexico
| | | | - Horacio Gómez-Rodríguez
- Centro Universitario de los Altos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tepatitlán de Morelos 47620, Mexico
| | - Uzziel Ríos-García
- Edafología, Campus Montecillo, Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco 56230, Mexico
| | - Efigenia Montalvo-González
- Laboratorio Integral de Investigación en Alimentos, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Tepic, Tepic 63175, Mexico
| | - Rosa Isela Ortiz-Basurto
- Laboratorio Integral de Investigación en Alimentos, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Tepic, Tepic 63175, Mexico
| | | | - Jesús Pérez-Moreno
- Edafología, Campus Montecillo, Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco 56230, Mexico
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4
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Heucken N, Tang K, Hüsemann L, Heßler N, Müntjes K, Feldbrügge M, Göhre V, Zurbriggen MD. Engineering and Implementation of Synthetic Molecular Tools in the Basidiomycete Fungus Ustilago maydis. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9040480. [PMID: 37108934 PMCID: PMC10140897 DOI: 10.3390/jof9040480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The basidiomycete Ustilago maydis is a well-characterized model organism for studying pathogen-host interactions and of great interest for a broad spectrum of biotechnological applications. To facilitate research and enable applications, in this study, three luminescence-based and one enzymatic quantitative reporter were implemented and characterized. Several dual-reporter constructs were generated for ratiometric normalization that can be used as a fast-screening platform for reporter gene expression, applicable to in vitro and in vivo detection. Furthermore, synthetic bidirectional promoters that enable bicisitronic expression for gene expression studies and engineering strategies were constructed and implemented. These noninvasive, quantitative reporters and expression tools will significantly widen the application range of biotechnology in U. maydis and enable the in planta detection of fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Heucken
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kun Tang
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lisa Hüsemann
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Natascha Heßler
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kira Müntjes
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Feldbrügge
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Vera Göhre
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- CEPLAS-Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Matias D Zurbriggen
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- CEPLAS-Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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5
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Becker J, Liebal UW, Phan AN, Ullmann L, Blank LM. Renewable carbon sources to biochemicals and -fuels: contributions of the smut fungi Ustilaginaceae. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 79:102849. [PMID: 36446145 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The global demand for food, fuels, and chemicals increases annually. Using renewable C-sources (i.e. biomass, CO2, and organic waste) is a prerequisite for a future free of fossil carbon. The smut fungi Ustilaginaceae naturally produce a versatile spectrum of valuable products, such as organic acids, polyols, and glycolipids, applicable in the food, energy, chemistry, and pharmaceutical sector. Combined with the use of alternative (co-)substrates (e.g. acetate, butanediol, formate, and glycerol), these microorganisms offer excellent potential for industrial biotechnology, thereby overcoming central challenges humankind faces, including CO2 release and land use. Here, we provide insight into fundamental production capacities, present genetic modifications that improve the biotechnical application, and review recent high-performance engineering of Ustilaginaceae toward relevant platform chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Becker
- iAMB - Institute of Applied Microbiology, ABBt - Aachen Biology and Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ulf W Liebal
- iAMB - Institute of Applied Microbiology, ABBt - Aachen Biology and Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - An Nt Phan
- iAMB - Institute of Applied Microbiology, ABBt - Aachen Biology and Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Lena Ullmann
- iAMB - Institute of Applied Microbiology, ABBt - Aachen Biology and Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Lars M Blank
- iAMB - Institute of Applied Microbiology, ABBt - Aachen Biology and Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
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6
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Import and Export of Mannosylerythritol Lipids by Ustilago maydis. mBio 2022; 13:e0212322. [PMID: 36069442 PMCID: PMC9600162 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02123-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Upon nitrogen starvation, the basidiomycete Ustilago maydis, which causes smut disease on corn, secretes amphipathic glycolipids, including mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs). MELs consist of a carbohydrate core whose mannosyl moiety is both acylated with fatty acids of different lengths and acetylated. Here, we report the transport of MELs into and out of the cell depending on the transport protein Mmf1, which belongs to the major facilitator superfamily. Analysis of mmf1 mutants and mutants lacking the acetyltransferase Mat1 revealed that Mmf1 is necessary for the export of acetylated MELs, while MELs without an acetyl group are secreted independently of this transporter. Upon deletion of mmf1, we detected novel MEL species lacking the acyl side chain at C-3′. With the help of feeding experiments, we demonstrate that MELs are taken up by U. maydis in an mmf1-independent manner. This leads to catabolism or rearrangement of acetyl and acyl side groups and subsequent secretion. The catabolism of MELs involves the presence of Mac2, an enzyme required for MEL biosynthesis. In cocultivation experiments, mutual exchange of MELs between different mutants was observed. Thus, we propose a novel function for fungal glycolipids as an external carbon storage.
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7
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Philipp M, Hussnaetter KP, Reindl M, Müntjes K, Feldbrügge M, Schipper K. A Novel Potent Carrier for Unconventional Protein Export in Ustilago maydis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:816335. [PMID: 35083222 PMCID: PMC8784666 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.816335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are ubiquitously applied in fields like research, pharma, diagnostics or the chemical industry. To provide the full range of useful proteins, novel expression hosts need to be established for proteins that are not sufficiently produced by the standard platform organisms. Unconventional secretion in the fungal model Ustilago maydis is an attractive novel option for export of heterologous proteins without N-glycosylation using chitinase Cts1 as a carrier. Recently, a novel factor essential for unconventional Cts1 secretion termed Jps1 was identified. Here, we show that Jps1 is unconventionally secreted using a fusion to bacterial β-glucuronidase as an established reporter. Interestingly, the experiment also demonstrates that the protein functions as an alternative carrier for heterologous proteins, showing about 2-fold higher reporter activity than the Cts1 fusion in the supernatant. In addition, Jps1-mediated secretion even allowed for efficient export of functional firefly luciferase as a novel secretion target which could not be achieved with Cts1. As an application for a relevant pharmaceutical target, export of functional bi-specific synthetic nanobodies directed against the SARS-CoV2 spike protein was demonstrated. The establishment of an alternative efficient carrier thus constitutes an excellent expansion of the existing secretion platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus Philipp
- Institute for Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kai P Hussnaetter
- Institute for Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michèle Reindl
- Institute for Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kira Müntjes
- Institute for Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Feldbrügge
- Institute for Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schipper
- Institute for Microbiology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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Microbial cell factories: a biotechnology journey across species. Essays Biochem 2021. [DOI: 10.1042/ebc20210037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
An increasingly large number of microbial species with potential for synthetic biology and metabolic engineering has been introduced over the last few years, adding huge variety to the opportunities of biotechnology. Historically, however, only a handful of microbes have attained the acceptance and widespread use that are needed to fulfil the needs of industrial bioproduction. Synthetic biology is setting out to standardise the methods, parts and platform organisms for bioproduction. These platform organisms, or chassis cells, derive from what has been termed microbial cell factories since the 1990s. In this collection of reviews, 18 microbial cell factories are featured, which belong to one of these three groups: (i) microbes already used before modern biotechnology was introduced; (ii) the first generation of engineered microbes; and (iii) promising new host organisms. The reviews are intended to provide readers with an overview of the current state of methodology and application of these cell factories, and with guidelines of how to use them for bioproduction.
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