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Techniques for the Evolution of Robust Pentose-fermenting Yeast for Bioconversion of Lignocellulose to Ethanol
Published on: October 24, 2016
Advanced Strategies for Production of Natural Products in Yeast
Ruibing Chen1, Shan Yang2, Lei Zhang3
1Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China; Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Abstract:
Natural products account for more than 50% of all small-molecule pharmaceutical agents currently in clinical use. However, low availability often becomes problematic when a bioactive natural product is promising to become a pharmaceutical or leading compound. Advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering provide a feasible solution for sustainable supply of these compounds. In this review, we have summarized current progress in engineering yeast cell factories for production of natural products, including terpenoids, alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids. We then discuss advanced strategies in metabolic engineering at three different dimensions, including point, line, and plane (corresponding to the individual enzymes and cofactors, metabolic pathways, and the global cellular network). In particular, we comprehensively discuss how to engineer cofactor biosynthesis for enhancing the biosynthesis efficiency, other than the enzyme activity. Finally, current challenges and perspective are also discussed for future engineering direction.
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