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Updated: Mar 13, 2026
07:59
A Customizable Approach for the Enzymatic Production and Purification of Diterpenoid Natural Products
Published on: October 4, 2019
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Microbial Biosynthesis of Monoterpenoic Acid from Glycerol
Dianqi Yang1, Mengyao Yuan1, Zewei Lu1
1Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Biotechnology Journal
|March 12, 2026
Summary
This study engineered an Escherichia coli host for sustainable geranic acid production from glycerol. The optimized microbial platform achieved high yield and isomeric purity, offering a green alternative to plant extraction.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Synthetic Biology
- Metabolic Engineering
Background:
- Geranic acid is a valuable monoterpenoid with limited supply due to traditional plant extraction methods.
- Developing sustainable and efficient production routes is crucial for meeting market demand.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a microbial platform for the sustainable biosynthesis of geranic acid.
- To optimize geranic acid production in Escherichia coli using heterologous pathways.
Main Methods:
- Engineered Escherichia coli with the mevalonate pathway and dehydrogenases (CdGaDH, CdGeDH) from Castellaniella defragrans.
- Utilized endogenous EcAdhP alongside CdGeDH for enhanced production.
- Deleted tnaA and pta genes to minimize byproducts and improve purity.
Main Results:
- Achieved 1.29 g/L of geranic acid with 98.85% isomeric purity.
- Reduced acetic acid and indole byproducts.
- Successfully scaled production to a 1-L bioreactor and purified the product.
- Extended the platform for nerolic acid production and geranic acid methylation.
Conclusions:
- Established a green and stereoselective biosynthetic method for geranic acid.
- Demonstrated the potential of engineered microbes for producing high-value monoterpenoids.
- Provided a sustainable alternative to plant-based extraction for geranic acid supply.
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