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Updated: May 6, 2026

HKUST-1 as a Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Synthesis of Vanillin
Published on: July 23, 2016
Optimization of vanillin biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K12 MG1655 through metabolic engineering
Renga Wu1, Dong Li2, Qihang Chen2
1National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
Abstract:
Vanillin is an important flavouring agent applied in food, spices, pharmaceutical industries and other fields. Microbial biosynthesis of vanillin is considered a sustainable and economically feasible alternative to traditional chemical synthesis. In this study, Escherichia coli K12 MG1655 was used for the de novo synthesis of VAN by screening highly active carboxylic acid reductases and catechol O-methyltransferases, optimising the protocatechuic acid pathway, and regulating competitive metabolic pathways. Additionally, major alcohol by-products were identified and decreased by deleting three endogenous aldo-keto reductases and three alcohol dehydrogenases. Finally, a highest VAN titer was achieved to 481.2 mg/L in a 5 L fermenter from glucose. This work provides a valuable example of pathway engineering and screens several enzyme variants for the first time in E. coli.
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