Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lian Wang, Huijing Wang, Jianbin Chen, Zhijie Qin, Shiqin Yu, Jingwen Zhou
Summary: A new biosynthetic pathway was constructed by introducing caffeic acid synthesis modules into Escherichia coli, leading to an increased titer of rosmarinic acid and reduced synthesis of analogues. L-amino acid deaminase was introduced to balance metabolic flux, and the stability of caffeoyl-CoA was improved by knocking out the menI gene. The final strain achieved the highest reported production of rosmarinic acid in fed-batch fermentation. The strategies applied in this study provide a foundation for the synthesis of other caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid derivatives.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Marcia Valeria Silva do Couto, Natalino da Costa Sousa, Peterson Emmanuel Guimaraes Paixao, Estela dos Santos Medeiros, Higo Andrade Abe, Juliana Oliveira Meneses, Fernanda Santos Cunha, Ricardo Marques Nogueira Filho, Ricardo Coelho de Sousa, Alexandre Nizio Maria, Paulo Cesar Falanghe Carneiro, Carlos Alberto Martins Cordeiro, Rodrigo Yudi Fujimoto
Summary: This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of virgin coconut oil (VCO) and lauric acid (LA) against three fish pathogens. The results showed that lauric acid had a stronger effect in controlling the pathogen development.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Daniela Pionorio Vilaronga Castro, Paulo Roberto Silveira Pimentel, Neiri Jean Alves dos Santos, Jarbas Miguel da Silva Junior, Gercino Ferreira Virginio Junior, Ederson Americo de Andrade, Analivia Martins Barbosa, Elzania Sales Pereira, Claudio Vaz Di Mambro Ribeiro, Leilson Rocha Bezerra, Ronaldo Lopes Oliveira
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of palm kernel oil (PKO) in the diet of lambs on carcass characteristics, quality, and fatty acid profile of the meat. The results showed that the inclusion of PKO in the lamb diet did not have any significant impact on meat quality, indicating that it is not beneficial for lamb meat production and fatty acid profile.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christian C. E. Luebbert, Rola Mansa, Raisa Rahman, Zygmunt J. Jakubek, Grant E. Frahm, Shan Zou, Michael J. W. Johnston
Summary: This study investigates the factors influencing the properties of cross-linked albumin nanoparticles fabricated with an ethanol desolvation method, and demonstrates the stability and transferability of the reconstitution process. The results indicate that the modulation of charge-charge interactions at specific binding locations contributes to the stability, and the reconstitution process can be readily transferred between technicians and laboratories. Additionally, the findings are further confirmed with dynamic light scattering analysis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mengxun Shi, Mengdi Li, Anran Yang, Xue Miao, Liu Yang, Jagroop Pandhal, Huibin Zou
Summary: This study investigated the use of different enzymes and genetic engineering methods for the production of polylactic acid (PLA). The results showed that PhaC(Cs) enzyme outperformed PhaC1(Ps6-19) enzyme in PLA production. Morphological engineering was also found to increase PLA production.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xinyue Zhang, Hao Zhang, Shanshan Guan, Zhijian Luo, E. Jingwen, Zhijie Yang, Juan Du, Song Wang
Summary: In this study, the binding mode, key residues, and catalytic mechanisms of E. coli thioesterase 'TesA and its mutants were investigated using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and MM/PBSA calculations. The results revealed that key residues and the length of the binding pocket are crucial factors influencing substrate selectivity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shiv K. Sah-Teli, Matyas Pinkas, Mikko J. Hynonen, Sarah J. Butcher, Rik K. Wierenga, Jiri Novacek, Rajaram Venkatesan
Summary: This study investigated the structure of two enzymes (TFE) in facultative anaerobic bacteria Escherichia coli, which are closely related to the human mitochondrial TFE. The study found that the membrane-binding properties of the two enzymes differ, with the anaerobic TFE having stronger membrane interaction. These findings provide important insights into bacterial oxidation cycle and fatty acid metabolism.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhen Q. Wang, Heng Song, Edward J. Koleski, Noritaka Hara, Dae Sung Park, Gaurav Kumar, Yejin Min, Paul J. Dauenhauer, Michelle C. Y. Chang
Summary: The study demonstrates a dual cellular-heterogeneous catalytic strategy for producing olefins from glucose, utilizing a selective hydrolase to generate an activated intermediate and genetically engineered thiolase enzymes to produce fatty acids from glucose efficiently.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yaoqing Wang, Xiao Zhang, Haoya Yao, Xiaocui Chen, Lin Shang, Ping Li, Xiaojuan Cui, Jia Zeng
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism behind lipid and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in diabetic kidneys and proposes a role for succinate in inducing these accumulations. Specifically targeting peroxisomal beta-oxidation can improve diabetic nephropathy by reducing succinate generation and attenuating lipid and ROS accumulation.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Andrea H. Westlie, Sarah A. Hesse, Xiaoyan Tang, Ethan C. Quinn, Celine R. Parker, Christopher J. Takacs, Christopher J. Tassone, Eugene Y. -X. Chen
Summary: This study presents a stereoselective-chemocatalytic route for the production of discrete hard-soft-hard all-PHA tri-block copolymers. These copolymers exhibit high molar mass, low dispersity, and tunable mechanical properties. This research is of great significance for the preparation of biodegradable polymers.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mangala Lakshmi Ragavan, Hemalatha Srinivasan
Summary: The study shows that dodecanoic acid extracted from Drynaria quercifolia exhibits great pharmaceutical properties and can interact with intestinal proteins to maintain gut health and improve gut-brain function.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Woo Sang Park, Kwang Soo Shin, Hyun Wook Jung, Yongjoo Lee, Chandran Sathesh-Prabu, Sung Kuk Lee
Summary: This study systematically evaluated the effects of metabolic engineering strategies to enhance free fatty acid production in Escherichia coli, resulting in a significant increase in FFA yield. Combinatorial metabolic engineering approaches showed potential for large-scale production of FA-derived chemicals and fuels.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sylwia Szrok-Jurga, Aleksandra Czumaj, Jacek Turyn, Areta Hebanowska, Julian Swierczynski, Tomasz Sledzinski, Ewa Stelmanska
Summary: Fatty acid metabolism, especially beta-oxidation, plays a crucial role in human physiology and pathology. Beta-oxidation is not only involved in energy metabolism but also contributes to the synthesis of various important compounds. This review provides an overview of the importance of mitochondrial and peroxisomal beta-oxidation in different organs and cells and discusses the diseases associated with fatty acid oxidation disturbances. The review also highlights the abnormalities of fatty acid oxidation in cancer cells and diseases caused by mutations in enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yayati Naresh Palai, Abhijit Shrotri, Atsushi Fukuoka
Summary: Selective production of succinic acid from furfural with H2O2 over a pure Lewis acid catalyst, Sn-Beta, was reported. The optimized reaction conditions resulted in a 53% yield of succinic acid, and the catalyst was recyclable. The Sn-Beta catalyst activates furfural by coordinating to the carbonyl group, and does not activate H2O2.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiang Yan, William T. Cordell, Michael A. Jindra, Dylan K. Courtney, Madeline K. Kuckuk, Xuanqi Chen, Brian F. Pfleger
Summary: The study introduces a novel strategy of acyl transferase by heterologous expression of PhaG enzyme, enabling the transfer of acyl chains from ACP to CoA thioesters, thus improving the efficiency of microbial lipid metabolism for producing oleochemicals.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vladimir Vinnik, Fan Zhang, Hyunjun Park, Taylor B. Cook, Kurt Throckmorton, Brian F. Pfleger, Tim S. Bugni, Michael G. Thomas
Summary: Siderophores are iron-chelating molecules produced by microorganisms and plants to acquire iron from the environment. A study on siderophore analogs from Agrobacterium fabrum strain C58 reveals unique molecular structures and substrate specificities, suggesting elaborate biosynthetic pathways in siderophore production. The presence of a distinct moiety in the analogs provides evidence for a potential mechanism involving L-DOPA in the formation of siderophores. Additionally, bioinformatic analyses indicate a wide distribution of siderophore-related molecules in various bacterial groups.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Christopher M. Jones, Travis C. Korosh, David R. Nielsen, Brian F. Pfleger
Summary: The developed T7-RNA polymerase gene expression system is effective for controlling and achieving high-level expression of heterologous genes in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, but may come at the cost of reductions in both biomass and pigmentation levels.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Taylor B. Cook, Tyler B. Jacobson, Maya V. Venkataraman, Heike Hofstetter, Daniel Amador-Noguez, Michael G. Thomas, Brian F. Pfleger
Summary: This article highlights the use of Pseudomonas putida as a heterologous host for producing natural products, with genetic modifications and synthetic biology tools improving production yields. By introducing biosynthetic gene clusters encoding the synthesis of bioactive compounds, engineered strains showed robust production. Various strategies, including genome editing and increasing auxiliary protein availability, were utilized to increase titers of prodigiosin and glidobactin A.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hugh M. Purdy, Brian F. Pfleger, Jennifer L. Reed
Summary: The study uses a genome-scale metabolic model to predict and design novel cyanobacterial strains for improved production of biofuel alcohols.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Berkley M. Ellis, Piyoosh K. Babele, Jody C. May, Carl H. Johnson, Brian F. Pfleger, Jamey D. Young, John A. McLean
Summary: The study introduces a screening method using desorption electrospray ionization-imaging mass spectrometry to accelerate synthetic biology workflows rapidly, non-targeted, and multiplexedly.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bradley W. Biggs, Hal S. Alper, Brian F. Pfleger, Keith E. J. Tyo, Christine N. S. Santos, Parayil Kumaran Ajikumar, Gregory Stephanopoulos
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jonathan C. Greenhalgh, Sarah A. Fahlberg, Brian F. Pfleger, Philip A. Romero
Summary: This study utilized a machine learning-driven approach to engineer fatty acyl reductases (FARs) with enhanced activity on acyl-ACP substrates for increased production of fatty alcohols. Through iterative design and testing, the engineered enzymes produced over twofold more fatty alcohols than the starting natural sequences. The top sequence identified had an enhanced catalytic rate on palmitoyl-ACP, demonstrating the power of machine learning in protein engineering for challenging proteins.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiang Yan, William T. Cordell, Michael A. Jindra, Dylan K. Courtney, Madeline K. Kuckuk, Xuanqi Chen, Brian F. Pfleger
Summary: The study introduces a novel strategy of acyl transferase by heterologous expression of PhaG enzyme, enabling the transfer of acyl chains from ACP to CoA thioesters, thus improving the efficiency of microbial lipid metabolism for producing oleochemicals.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Francesca Gambacorta, Ellen R. Wagner, Tyler B. Jacobson, Mary Tremaine, Laura K. Muehlbauer, Mick A. McGee, Justin J. Baerwald, Russell L. Wrobel, John F. Wolters, Mike Place, Joshua J. Dietrich, Dan Xie, Jose Serate, Shabda Gajbhiye, Lisa Liu, Maikayeng Vang-Smith, Joshua J. Coon, Yaoping Zhang, Audrey P. Gasch, Daniel Amador-Noguez, Chris Todd Hittinger, Trey K. Sato, Brian F. Pfleger
Summary: Metabolic engineering strategies have been used to enhance isobutanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with pathway localization and redox cofactor balancing significantly affecting isobutanol titers. Mitochondrial localization and redox-imbalanced pathways were found to be more favorable for isobutanol production.
SYNTHETIC AND SYSTEMS BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Francesca V. Gambacorta, Joshua J. Dietrich, Justin J. Baerwald, Stephanie J. Brown, Yun Su, Brian F. Pfleger
Summary: This study aimed to identify an isobutanol pathway cassette that can support the growth of a non-ethanol producing S. cerevisiae. By screening a combinatorial library of pathway enzymes, the researchers isolated a cassette that was able to produce 364 mg/L isobutanol under aerobic conditions. This approach shows promise for rewiring the metabolism of S. cerevisiae to produce other fermentation products.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Brian F. Pfleger, Ralf Takors
Summary: Energy is a complex field that has a significant impact on modern life. The combustion of fossil fuels, especially in the transportation sector, has been the dominant form of energy release. Biofuels, although a small fraction of liquid transportation fuels consumed each year, have gained importance.
CURRENT OPINION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Michael A. Jindra, Kisurb Choe, Ratul Chowdhury, Ryan Kong, Soodabeh Ghaffari, Jonathan Sweedler, Brian F. Pfleger
Summary: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) was an effective library screening technique for identifying thioesterase variants with favorable shifts in chain-length specificity. Four thioesterase variants were isolated and demonstrated more selective production of medium-chain free fatty acids in E. coli. Fusion with maltose binding protein (MBP) improved enzyme solubility and achieved a high yield of twelve-carbon fatty acids.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Min Soo Kim, Hochan Chang, Lei Zheng, Qiang Yan, Brian F. Pfleger, John Klier, Kevin Nelson, Erica L. -W. Majumder, George W. Huber
Summary: Environmental concerns have led to the development of biodegradable plastics, which can be degraded by microorganisms into small molecules. However, there are misconceptions surrounding the term "biodegradable" and this can lead to excessive consumption and increased littering. This review provides an overview of biodegradable plastics, clarifies definitions and terms, and discusses analytical techniques and applications.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Deepro Banerjee, Michael A. Jindra, Alec J. Linot, Brian F. Pfleger, Costas D. Maranas
Summary: In this study, the researchers proposed a machine learning-based enzyme classification method called EnZymClass, which aims to address the difficulties and challenges in predicting the function of plant acyl-ACP thioesterases (TEs). By applying EnZymClass, the researchers successfully classified TEs into different substrate specificity categories and identified two enzymes with previously uncharacterized activity in experimental testing.
CURRENT RESEARCH IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniel J. McClelland, Bo-Xun Wang, William T. Cordell, Yoel R. Cortes-Pena, Elise B. Gilcher, Lifeng Zhang, Jeremy S. Guest, Brian F. Pfleger, George W. Huber, James A. Dumesic
Summary: Base catalysts were utilized for the dehydration of fatty alcohols to linear alpha olefins, with 15% Cs/SiO2 showing high selectivity. Additionally, biologically derived alcohols were successfully dehydrated to linear alpha olefins over 15% Cs/SiO2, demonstrating the potential for economically viable production.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Nicolas Huber, Edgar Alberto Alcala-Orozco, Thomas Rexer, Udo Reichl, Steffen Klamt
Summary: Cell-free production systems are commonly used for synthesizing industrial chemicals and biopharmaceuticals. This study presents a model-based optimization framework for cell-free enzyme cascades, taking into account parameter uncertainties. The approach was exemplified using the synthesis of GDP-fucose, resulting in significant improvements in the process.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2024)