Inducible cell lysis systems in microbial production of bio-based chemicals

The release of products from microbial cells is an essential process for industrial scale production of bio-based chemicals. However, traditional methods of cell lysis, e.g., mechanical disruption, chemical solvent extraction, and immobilized enzyme degradation, account for a large share of the total production cost. Thus, an efficient cell lysis system is required to lower the cost. This review has focused on our current knowledge of two cell lysis systems, bacteriophage holin-endolysin system, and lipid enzyme hydrolysis system. These systems are controlled by conditionally inducible regulatory apparatus and applied in microbial production of fatty acids and polyhydroxyalkanoates. Moreover, toxin-antitoxin system is also suggested as alternative for its potential applications in cell lysis. Compared with traditional methods of cell disruption, the inducible cell lysis systems are more economically feasible and easier to control and show a promising perspective in industrial production of bio-based chemicals.