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High-Efficiency Biocatalytic Conversion of Thebaine to Codeine
Xu Li1,2, Konrad Krysiak-Baltyn1,2, Luke Richards1,2
1Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
ACS Omega
|May 5, 2020
Summary
Scientists engineered bacteria to produce codeine, a widely used medicinal opiate, through enzymatic biosynthesis. This sustainable method offers industrial-scale yields and could revolutionize opiate production.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Synthetic Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Codeine is a widely used medicinal opiate, typically produced via chemical conversion.
- Current chemical methods for opiate production can be environmentally unsustainable.
- There is a need for more sustainable and efficient methods for producing medicinal compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an enzymatic biosynthesis approach for codeine production.
- To engineer Escherichia coli for the sustainable production of codeine from thebaine.
- To optimize codeine yield and productivity using a whole-cell biotransformation process.
Main Methods:
- Engineered Escherichia coli strains to express key enzymes from poppy, including neopinone isomerase.
- Utilized a compartmentalization strategy, expressing enzymes in different cells for spatial and temporal control.
- Developed an aqueous whole-cell biotransformation process for codeine synthesis.
Main Results:
- Achieved codeine production with a yield of 64% and volumetric productivity of 0.19 g/(L·h).
- Demonstrated that enzyme compartmentalization effectively increased yield and reduced byproduct generation.
- Established an industrially applicable biotransformation process for codeine synthesis.
Conclusions:
- Enzymatic biosynthesis provides a sustainable alternative to chemical conversion for codeine production.
- The engineered E. coli system offers yields and productivity compatible with industrial demands.
- This approach has potential applications in total biosynthesis and for producing other medicinal plant compounds.
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