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Enhancement of Lycopene Biosynthesis Using Self-Assembled Multi-Enzymic Protein Cages.
Yulong Zhou1,2, Yonghua Yao1,2, Furong Zhang2
1Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Chemical Engineering of Xinjiang Bingtuan, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China.
Microorganisms
|April 26, 2025
Summary
Engineered protein nanocages enhance lycopene production by immobilizing isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) biosynthetic enzymes in bacteria. This approach boosts metabolic flux, leading to a significant increase in lycopene yield.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Metabolic Engineering
- Synthetic Biology
Background:
- Protein nanocages offer promising platforms for enzyme immobilization and cargo transport in biotechnology.
- Efficient biosynthesis of natural products like lycopene can be advanced through engineered enzymatic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a synthetic protein nanocage for immobilizing isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) biosynthetic enzymes.
- To enhance lycopene production in bacteria by co-expressing the engineered nanocage with lycopene biosynthetic enzymes.
Main Methods:
- Engineered an isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) synthetic nanocage based on an α-carboxysome scaffold.
- Assembled specific IPP biosynthetic enzymes (ScCK, AtIPK, MxanIDI) onto the exterior of the protein cage.
- Co-expressed the IPP synthetic nanocage with lycopene biosynthetic enzymes (CrtE/CrtB/CrtI) in Escherichia coli.
Main Results:
- The engineered IPP synthetic nanocage successfully immobilized the target enzymes.
- Co-expression of the nanocage with lycopene pathway enzymes increased metabolic flux.
- Achieved a 1.7-fold increase in lycopene production in engineered E. coli compared to the control.
Conclusions:
- Immobilizing IPP biosynthetic enzymes within protein nanocages is an effective strategy for enhancing lycopene synthesis.
- Protein nanocages serve as a powerful tool for optimizing metabolic pathways and improving natural product biosynthesis.
- This work provides valuable insights for the design of enzymatic systems for efficient microbial production.
