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Just passing through: Deploying aquaporins in microbial cell factories
Liam Richard Jenkins Sánchez1, Lobke Maria Sips1, Inge Noëlle Adriënne Van Bogaert1
1BioPort Group, Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bio-science Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Biotechnology Progress
|July 25, 2024
Summary
Engineering aquaporins (AQPs) enhances microbial cell factories by improving nutrient uptake and product export. These transporter proteins are key to boosting bioconversions for industrial biotechnology applications.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Engineering
Background:
- Microbial membranes limit biomolecule transport, necessitating transporter proteins for cell function.
- Aquaporins (AQPs) facilitate the transport of small polar molecules crucial for industrial biotechnology.
- Targeting transporters is a key strategy for engineering improved cell factories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review engineering strategies targeting aquaporins (AQPs) in cell factories.
- To highlight how AQP modifications enhance bioconversion processes.
- To discuss future potential and challenges of AQP-based engineering.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on aquaporin engineering in microbial systems.
- Analysis of AQP roles in feedstock uptake, product export, and cell viability.
- Examination of AQP diversity and protein engineering advancements.
Main Results:
- AQP modifications improve carbon flux redirection and bioconversion efficiency.
- Enhanced feedstock uptake, intermediate retention, and product export were observed.
- Improved cell viability against stressors was achieved in bacterial and yeast platforms.
Conclusions:
- Aquaporin engineering offers a promising strategy to enhance industrial biotechnology processes.
- Leveraging natural AQP diversity and engineering breakthroughs can optimize cell factories.
- Further research into AQP targeting will unlock broader biotechnological applications.
