Engineering robust fermentation hosts remains a barrier to scalable biomanufacturing. In this work we replace canonical mixed-acid fermentation in
Escherichia coli
with a redox‑balanced reverse β‑oxidation (rBOX) pathway that produces medium‑chain fatty alcohols and is bioenergetically equivalent to ethanol fermentation. This synthetic fermentation restores anaerobic growth, tightly coupling fitness to product formation and enabling adaptive laboratory evolution that selects for mutations increasing rBOX flux. Evolved strains increase maximum productivity fourfold (110 ± 0.15 mg/L/hr) and titer more than threefold up to 4.0 ± 0.28 g/L compared to the unevolved strain. Proteomic analyses of evolved strains indicate differential expression of enzymes at key metabolic nodes and activation of latent genes with functions overlapping those of rBOX enzymes. These results establish redox-balanced growth coupling as a powerful tool for strain improvement and demonstrate rBOX as a practical synthetic fermentation pathway.
Biotechnologies for producing medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) by chain elongating bacteria (CEB) promise to shift the oleochemical industry away from existing land use practices, vulnerable supply chains, and significant environmental costs. Realizing this potential requires a broader understanding of CEB physiol...
B. Lindner, Dinesh Kumar Nallasamy, Liam Roberts et al.· bioRxiv· 1 citation
Results establish ALECO2 as a promising evolved anaerobic non-photosynthetic (ANP) mixotrophy platform that links CO2 reassimilation and external CO2 assimilation with chain elongation, enabling carbon-neutral and carbon-negative production of value-added C6 products from glucose.
Ji Myeong Kim, Taekwan Moon, Jung Ho Ahn et al.· Bioresource Technology· 0 citations
This review presents a comprehensive analysis of recent advances in microbial BCAAs production through a Mechanism-Module-Process framework, providing a holistic roadmap for constructing superior BCAAs cell factories and extending their metabolic potential toward derivative biosynthesis.
Gui-Hong Zhao, Si-Yu Tian, Jiong-Ran Li et al.· Biotechnology Advances· 0 citations
Ethanol production from biomass-derived and gaseous substrates (CO, H
2
and CO
2
) is essential for achieving a carbon-neutral society. The thermophilic acetogen
Neomoorella thermoacetica
offers notable industrial advantages for converting such diverse feedstocks; however, its physiology and metabolic eng...
Junya Kato, Y. Kuwada, D. Morimoto et al.· Microbial Cell Factories· 0 citations
The development of scalable and economically viable biobutanol production remains challenging because conventional acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation depends on strict anaerobic conditions for Clostridium strains. Traditional anaerobiosis control requires continuous nitrogen sparging and chemical reducing agent...
Jessica Chávez-Cobián, F. Méndez, Ana G. Reyes et al.· Biomass· 0 citations
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