Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carlos Alberto Garcia Mogollon, Juan Carlos Quintero Diaz, Jorge Omar Gil Posada
Summary: This manuscript examines the impact of modifying the extracellular redox potential on the production of acetone, butanol, and ethanol in a microbial fuel cell. The addition of NADH enhances acetone production, while adjusting the cathode potential favors butanol production. The findings highlight the potential of bio-electrochemical systems to improve conventional fermentation processes.
BIOELECTROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Feng Gao, Guangyu Liu, Aobo Chen, Yangguang Hu, Huihui Wang, Jiangyuan Pan, Jinglei Feng, Hongwei Zhang, Yujie Wang, Yuanzeng Min, Chao Gao, Yujie Xiong
Summary: Researchers have designed a programmable artificial photosynthetic cell that combines biological and non-biological components to enhance the regeneration of key cofactors. This approach provides a more versatile platform for customizing artificial photosynthetic cells to meet various demands for CO2 conversion.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Serhii Chornyi, Claudio F. Costa, Lodewijk IJlst, Marc Fransen, Ronald J. A. Wanders, Carlo W. T. van Roermund, Hans R. Waterham
Summary: This study developed a method to measure intraperoxisomal NADH levels in human cells and found that the NAD+/NADH ratio in cytosol and peroxisomes are closely connected, mediated by intraperoxisomal lactate and malate dehydrogenases. This study provides evidence for the existence of two independent redox shuttle systems in human peroxisomes that regulate peroxisomal NAD+/NADH homeostasis. It also demonstrates the specific metabolic function of protein isoforms generated by translational stop codon readthrough in humans.
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Karel Olavarria, Alexandre Carnet, Joachim van Renselaar, Caspar Quakkelaar, Ricardo Cabrera, Leonor Guedes da Silva, Aron L. Smids, Pablo Andres Villalobos, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, S. Aljoscha Wahl
Summary: The study demonstrates the possibility of producing PHB as a fermentation product in E. coli with higher efficiency. The importance of an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase with a preference for NADH in PHB production is highlighted through structural and kinetic analyses. The assembly of an operon combining phaCA genes with the gene encoding the NADH-preferring acetoacetyl-CoA reductase results in continuous accumulation of PHB in E. coli cells under oxygen limiting conditions, indicating opportunities for further protein/metabolic engineering strategies.
JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Peiwen Wu, Lianhua Li, Yangyan Zhou, Wen Wang, Yongming Sun, Yufang Guo, Xihui Kang
Summary: Poplar, a crucial player in lignocellulosic biofuel production worldwide, can be divided into five types. This study compared the conversion efficiency of different types of poplar residues to ethanol and biogas and found that the co-production process of cascading ethanol fermentation and anaerobic digestion outperformed ethanol fermentation and anaerobic digestion in terms of energy conversion efficiency.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Sofokleous, A. Christofi, D. Malamis, S. Mai, E. M. Barampouti
Summary: This paper explores the utilization of green waste for the production of biofuels, specifically bioethanol and biogas. The experiment involves anaerobic digestion for biogas production and alcoholic fermentation for bioethanol production. Results show moderate efficiencies and the need to consider other techno-economic factors for sustainable valorisation of green waste.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Leonardo Castaneda-Losada, David Adam, Nicole Paczia, Darren Buesen, Fabian Steffler, Volker Sieber, Tobias J. Erb, Michael Richter, Nicolas Plumere
Summary: This study demonstrates the electricity-driven regio- and stereoselective incorporation of CO2 into valuable products through bioelectrocatalysis, providing a promising approach for the conversion of CO2 into higher value-added molecules. The co-immobilization of enzymes for the regenerative conversion of CO2 into (2S)-ethylmalonyl-CoA with high faradaic efficiency and rate opens up new possibilities for more complex bioelectrocatalytic reactions in the future.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Minfeng Ying, Xun Hu
Summary: Cancer cells exhibit higher oxidation-reduction reactions compared to normal cells, necessitating proper electron distribution to maintain redox balance. Targeting the redox regulation network could present new therapeutic opportunities for cancer treatment.
SEMINARS IN CANCER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martin Heidelman, Bibek Dhakal, Millicent Gikunda, Kalinga Pavan Thushara Silva, Laxmi Risal, Andrew I. Rodriguez, Fumiyoshi Abe, Paul Urayama
Summary: This study utilizes autofluorescence spectroscopy to sense cellular conformation of NADH and NADPH, providing real-time monitoring of metabolism. It explores the effects of pressure on energy metabolism and antioxidant defense, offering new insights for agriculture and food technologies. Experimental results show that the response of ethanol and cyanide on autofluorescence differs under pressure, indicating a change in cellular redox state induced by pressure.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ira Lauer, Gabriele Philipps, Stefan Jennewein
Summary: This study successfully achieved hexanol biosynthesis in the syngas-fermenting species C. ljungdahlii for the first time by transferring a gene cluster containing butanol and hexanol biosynthesis genes into it using a metabolic engineering approach. The integration of the gene cluster improved hexanol production significantly. The selection marker was successfully removed using CRISPR/Cas9 tool. The fermentation at a 2L scale resulted in higher butanol and hexanol titers.
MICROBIAL CELL FACTORIES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Simon Boecker, Sebastian Espinel-Rios, Katja Bettenbrock, Steffen Klamt
Summary: A novel strategy for fermentative growth of Escherichia coli on glycerol in defined minimal medium was proposed and validated through model-based calculations. The strategy involved the uptake of small amounts of acetate with subsequent reduction to ethanol, which enabled redox balance in the anaerobic conditions. The study also generated an E. coli strain that exhibited robust growth, high glycerol uptake rate, and near-maximum ethanol yield, offering new perspectives for sustainable production processes based on glycerol.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Boyang Chen, Parveen Fatemeh Rupani, Samet Azman, Raf Dewil, Lise Appels
Summary: This study investigated the selective production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) during anaerobic mixed-culture fermentation. The experiment successfully produced propionic acid and butyric acid using chicken manure as a substrate under an alkaline environment. Amino acid addition and redox balance control were used to regulate the final VFA profile.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Agnieszka Janeczko, Michal Przywara, Roman Maslanka, Barbara Ras, Klaudia Ziaja, Magdalena Kwolek-Mirek, Renata Zadrag-Tecza, Sabina Bednarska
Summary: Cellular redox homeostasis is regulated by glutathione and protein thiols as redox buffers. However, the mechanisms of cellular network influencing glutathione homeostasis still remain unclear. In this study, an experimental system using a S. cerevisiae yeast mutant lacking glutathione reductase enzyme was employed to investigate cellular processes affecting glutathione homeostasis. The absence of Glr1p slowed down cell growth rate, especially in the presence of allyl alcohol, but did not completely inhibit cell reproductive capacity. It also affected the GSH/GSSG ratio and the balance of NADPH and NADP+ in the total NADP(H) pool. The results suggest that de novo synthesis of GSH and increased NADPH level are potential pathways involved in maintaining redox homeostasis.
FUNGAL GENETICS AND BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aafke C. A. van Aalst, Robert Mans, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: This study explores the metabolic engineering strategies for enhancing ethanol yields in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by studying the alcoholic fermentation of sorbitol. It demonstrates the potential for increasing the flexibility of redox-cofactor metabolism in anaerobic S. cerevisiae cultures.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Igor Vassilev, Nils J. H. Averesch, Pablo Ledezma, Marika Kokko
Summary: The translation mainly discusses the importance of redox balance and energy conservation of microorganisms in nature and industrial production, and the principle and advantages of achieving this balance through anodic electro-fermentation technology.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Anna K. Wronska, Meinske P. Haak, Ellen Geraats, Eva Bruins Slot, Marcel van den Broek, Jack T. Pronk, Jean-Marc Daran
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yaya Liu, Osman Esen, Jack T. Pronk, Walter M. van Gulik
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between biomass-specific succinic acid (SA) production rate and specific growth rate of an engineered industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, demonstrating that uncoupling of growth and SA production can be achieved. The linear relation between SA production rate and glucose consumption rate suggests the coupling of SA production rate and primary metabolism flux. The importance of improving low-pH tolerance in strain development for industrial SA production with S. cerevisiae was highlighted.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Thomas Perli, Daan N. A. van der Vorm, Mats Wassink, Marcel van den Broek, Jack T. Pronk, Jean-Marc Daran
Summary: This study identified and expressed Moco biosynthesis genes in a non-conventional yeast for broadening the biocatalytic repertoire of industrial yeast. Engineered S. cerevisiae strain successfully utilized nitrate as nitrogen source for growth, showing competitiveness in co-culture with spoilage yeast.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wijbrand J. C. Dekker, Raul A. Ortiz-Merino, Astrid Kaljouw, Julius Battjes, Frank W. Wiering, Christiaan Mooiman, Pilar de la Torre, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: The study compared the responses of K. marxianus and S. cerevisiae to different oxygen-limitation conditions, revealing that K. marxianus lacks an effective sterol-uptake mechanism, making it oxygen-dependent. By heterologous expression of a specific enzyme for synthesizing a sterol surrogate, tetrahymanol, K. marxianus was able to grow anaerobically under limited oxygen conditions. These findings open up new possibilities for the development of thermotolerant yeast strains for anaerobic industrial applications.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Anna K. Wronska, Marcel van den Broek, Thomas Perli, Erik de Hulster, Jack T. Pronk, Jean-Marc Daran
Summary: This study introduced the Escherichia coli biotin biosynthesis pathway into Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enabling the yeast strain to grow in biotin-free media under anaerobic conditions. Through adaptive laboratory evolution and genome sequencing, evolved isolates with altered gene dosages and enzyme abundance were obtained, allowing for nearly equal growth rates in biotin-supplemented and biotin-free media. This unique genetic engineering strategy demonstrated portability in industrial strain backgrounds.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jonna Bouwknegt, Sanne J. Wiersma, Raul A. Ortiz-Merino, Eline S. R. Doornenbal, Petrik Buitenhuis, Martin Giera, Christoph Mueller, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: The study confirms the exceptional anaerobic growth of Schizosaccharomyces japonicus in sterol-free media, possibly due to the production of hopanoids. Sch. japonicus synthesizes hopanoids through a SHC gene different from other yeast species, which act as sterol surrogates representing a previously unknown adaptation of eukaryotic cells to anaerobic growth.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Thomas Perli, Aurin M. Vos, Jonna Bouwknegt, Wijb J. C. Dekker, Sanne J. Wiersma, Christiaan Mooiman, Rail A. Ortiz-Merino, Jean-Marc Daran, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: Neocallimastigomycetes have developed oxygen-independent biosynthetic pathways for NAD+ and CoA, likely acquired through horizontal gene transfer from prokaryotic donors. Heterologous expression of these pathways' genes in yeast cells confirmed their functionality under anaerobic conditions.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aafke C. A. van Aalst, Sophie C. de Valk, Walter M. van Gulik, Mickel L. A. Jansen, Jack T. Pronk, Robert Mans
Summary: This paper reviews pathway engineering strategies for improving ethanol yield on glucose and/or sucrose in anaerobic cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It discusses the context dependency, theoretical impact, and potential for industrial application of different strategies.
SYNTHETIC AND SYSTEMS BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jonna Bouwknegt, Aurin M. Vos, Raul A. Ortiz Merino, Daphne C. van Cuylenburg, Marijke A. H. Luttik, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: Analysis of fungal proteomes revealed a family of sequences similar to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Class-I dihydroorotate dehydrogenase Ura1, but expression of these genes only supported growth when supplemented with dihydrouracil, indicating they encode dihydrouracil oxidases. These DHO genes could serve as counter-selectable markers for genetic modification of organisms lacking a native DHO enzyme. Further research is needed to explore the physiological significance of this widespread fungal enzyme.
ANTONIE VAN LEEUWENHOEK INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GENERAL AND MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aafke C. A. van Aalst, Igor S. van der Meulen, Mickel L. A. Jansen, Robert Mans, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: This study explores the potential advantages of co-cultivating engineered S. cerevisiae strains in anaerobic bioreactor batch cultures. Co-cultivating these strains can reduce byproduct formation and improve ethanol yields, and the co-cultures can completely remove acetate in the medium that mimics industrial feedstocks.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aafke C. A. van Aalst, Mickel L. A. Jansen, Robert Mans, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: In slow-growing anaerobic cultures, it was found that the introduction of Calvin-cycle enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain can improve ethanol production but also lead to the formation of excessive acetaldehyde and acetate. By reducing the expression level of RuBisCO and PRK and using a growth rate-dependent promoter, the production of acetaldehyde and acetate can be reduced and glycerol production efficiency can be increased.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aafke C. A. van Aalst, Robert Mans, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: This study explores the metabolic engineering strategies for enhancing ethanol yields in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by studying the alcoholic fermentation of sorbitol. It demonstrates the potential for increasing the flexibility of redox-cofactor metabolism in anaerobic S. cerevisiae cultures.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wijbrand J. C. Dekker, Hannes Jurgens, Raul A. Ortiz-Merino, Christiaan Mooiman, Remon van den Berg, Astrid Kaljouw, Robert Mans, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: The industrially relevant yeast O. parapolymorpha requires large amounts of oxygen in oxygen-limited cultures for mitochondrial respiration to reoxidize surplus NADH. This high oxygen demand is attributed to the absence of glycerol, a key redox-cofactor-balancing product, in oxygen-limited cultures. The dependence on respiration for NADH reoxidation contributes to the unexpectedly high oxygen requirements of O. parapolymorpha.
FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Else-Jasmijn Hassing, Joran Buijs, Nikki Blankerts, Marijke A. Luttik, Erik A. de Hulster, Jack T. Pronk, Jean-Marc Daran
Summary: Engineered strains of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are being studied for production of aromatic compounds, using heterologous pathways to avoid the undesirable by-products. Activity of the Ehrlich pathway in these strains requires specific enzymes, which can be replaced by bacterial decarboxylases to prevent the formation of aromatic fusel alcohols and acids.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Christiaan Mooiman, Jonna Bouwknegt, Wijb J. C. Dekker, Sanne J. Wiersma, Raul A. Ortiz-Merino, Erik de Hulster, Jack T. Pronk
Summary: This paper discusses critical points in the design of anaerobic yeast cultivation experiments, including serial transfer or continuous cultivation, systematic inclusion of control strains, and minimizing the impact of oxygen diffusion. Basic protocols for anaerobic-chamber and bioreactor experiments are also presented.
FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
(2021)