Achievements and Perspectives in 1,4-Butanediol Production from Engineered Microorganisms

1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BDO), a significant commodity chemical, is currently manufactured exclusively from a host of energy-intensive processes, accompanied by severe environmental issues, such as the greenhouse effect and air pollution. As a result of the ever-increasing global market demands and increasing applications of 1,4-BDO, attention has turned to the sustainable bioproduction of 1,4-BDO, and several bio-based approaches for 1,4-BDO production have been successfully established in engineered Escherichia coli, including de novo biosynthesis and biocatalysis. Recent achievements in enhancing the accumulation of 1,4-BDO have been achieved by metabolic engineering strategies, such as improving precursor supply, enhancing activities of critical enzymes, and fewer byproduct synthesis. Here, we summarize the primary advances of the biological pathway for 1,4-BDO synthesis and put forward the future development prospect of bio-based 1,4-BDO production.