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Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Characterization of Membrane Transporters by Heterologous Expression in E. coli and Production of Membrane Vesicles
Published on: December 31, 2019
Engineering and characterization of small-molecule transporters for cell factories
Yuesheng Zhang1, Douglas B Kell2, Irina Borodina1
1The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 220, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
Abstract:
Membrane transporters play crucial roles in metabolite exchange, cellular communication, and metabolic homeostasis and are attractive targets in metabolic engineering for the development of microbial cell factories. While transporter engineering has proven effective in enhancing nutrient uptake, improving product secretion, and optimizing metabolic flux, its broader application is limited by incomplete knowledge of membrane transport systems and the sometimes high promiscuity of transporters, often resulting in unpredictable outcomes. This review provides an overview of recent progress in transporter engineering and characterization methods, highlighting their potential to enhance the production of bio-based chemicals.
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