Cell Reports (Sep 2023)

Maximizing microbial bioproduction from sustainable carbon sources using iterative systems engineering

  • Thomas Eng,
  • Deepanwita Banerjee,
  • Javier Menasalvas,
  • Yan Chen,
  • Jennifer Gin,
  • Hemant Choudhary,
  • Edward Baidoo,
  • Jian Hua Chen,
  • Axel Ekman,
  • Ramu Kakumanu,
  • Yuzhong Liu Diercks,
  • Alex Codik,
  • Carolyn Larabell,
  • John Gladden,
  • Blake A. Simmons,
  • Jay D. Keasling,
  • Christopher J. Petzold,
  • Aindrila Mukhopadhyay

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 42, no. 9
p. 113087

Abstract

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Summary: Maximizing the production of heterologous biomolecules is a complex problem that can be addressed with a systems-level understanding of cellular metabolism and regulation. Specifically, growth-coupling approaches can increase product titers and yields and also enhance production rates. However, implementing these methods for non-canonical carbon streams is challenging due to gaps in metabolic models. Over four design-build-test-learn cycles, we rewire Pseudomonas putida KT2440 for growth-coupled production of indigoidine from para-coumarate. We explore 4,114 potential growth-coupling solutions and refine one design through laboratory evolution and ensemble data-driven methods. The final growth-coupled strain produces 7.3 g/L indigoidine at 77% maximum theoretical yield in para-coumarate minimal medium. The iterative use of growth-coupling designs and functional genomics with experimental validation was highly effective and agnostic to specific hosts, carbon streams, and final products and thus generalizable across many systems.

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