Engineering microbial consortia for biosynthesis: Construction, regulation, and applications

Area of Science:

• Synthetic biology
• Microbial ecology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Traditional microbial production relies on monocultures.
• Synthetic microbial consortia (SMCs) offer enhanced adaptation and bioproduction through ecological interactions.
• Engineering stable SMCs is crucial for harnessing their potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review engineering strategies for constructing stable synthetic microbial consortia (SMCs).
• To highlight the applications and future potential of SMCs in various fields.
• To identify challenges and opportunities in SMC development.

Main Methods:

• Focus on host selection based on obligate mutualism.
• Pathway modularization to resolve metabolic conflicts.
• Dynamic regulation using quorum sensing and optogenetics.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated efficacy of SMCs in high-value compound synthesis and lignocellulosic biomass conversion.
• SMCs enable division of labor for engineered living materials, environmental remediation, and biomedical innovation.
• Successful applications include consolidated bioprocessing and inhibitor mitigation.

Conclusions:

• SMCs bridge evolutionary ecology and biotechnology.
• They offer robust solutions for sustainable biomanufacturing.
• Challenges in scalability and real-time control need to be addressed for industrial application.