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Published on: July 8, 2015
Biosynthesis of synthons in two-liquid-phase media
M G Wubbolts1, O Favre-Bulle, B Witholt
1Institute of Biotechnology, ETH Hönggerberg, HPT, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|October 20, 1996
Summary
Engineered Escherichia coli strains efficiently produce valuable chemicals from hydrocarbons. These recombinant microbes overcome limitations of Pseudomonas strains, enabling high-yield bioconversions of octane to octanoic acid and styrene to styrene oxide.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Synthetic Biology
- Biocatalysis
Background:
- Pseudomonas strains possess versatile mono-oxygenases for hydrocarbon oxidation but can degrade products.
- Previous work utilized Pseudomonas for producing alkanols, epoxides, and aromatic compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer Escherichia coli recombinants for enhanced bioconversion of hydrocarbons.
- To overcome product degradation issues observed in Pseudomonas strains.
- To achieve high-cell-density, two-liquid-phase biocatalysis for efficient product accumulation.
Main Methods:
- Constructed E. coli HB101 recombinants containing alk genes (P. oleovorans) and xylMA genes (P. putida).
- Employed high-cell-density, two-liquid-phase biocatalysis for n-octane to octanoic acid conversion.
- Utilized similar conditions for styrene oxidation to styrene oxide.
Main Results:
- E. coli HB101 (pGEc47) produced octanoic acid from n-octane at 40 g/L cell dry mass.
- E. coli HB101 (pBG63) converted styrene to (S)-(+)-styrene oxide with 94% enantiomeric excess.
- Achieved high product concentrations: 50 mM octanoic acid and 90 mM styrene oxide.
Conclusions:
- Engineered E. coli strains provide a robust platform for industrial bioconversions.
- The developed system overcomes product degradation limitations of native hosts.
- High-cell-density, two-liquid-phase culture enables efficient production of valuable chemicals.
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