Journal
NEW BIOTECHNOLOGY
Volume 60, Issue -, Pages 200-206Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2020.10.009
Keywords
Whole-cell biocatalysis; Acidovorax strain; omega-hydroxycarboxylic acids; cyclohexane oxidation
Funding
- European Regional Development Funds (EFRE, Europe funds Saxony)
- Helmholtz Association
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study investigates the use of an Acidovorax mutant as a whole-cell biocatalyst for converting cycloalkanes to omega-hydroxycarboxylic acids, showcasing high metabolic efficiency with an efficient enzyme cascade. The deletion of a specific enzyme in the metabolic pathway led to the production of short-chain omega-hydroxycarboxylic acids, demonstrating a high molar conversion rate above 98% within 6 hours.
Omega hydroxycarboxylic acids (omega-HAs) possess two functional groups, a hydroxyl group and a carboxyl group, and are essential precursors for the production of biodegradable polyester polymers. In this work, an Acidovorax mutant was investigated as a whole-cell biocatalyst for the conversion of cycloalkanes to their respective omega-hydroxycarboxylic acids. This Acidovorax sp. strain CHX100 originated from a wastewater treatment plant and uses cyclohexane as the sole source of carbon and energy with excellent growth rates (0.199 h(-1)). The metabolic efficiency of Acidovorax CHX100 is based on a highly efficient enzyme cascade used for the mineralization of cyclohexane. A deletion of 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase in the native cycloalkane pathway resulted in the Acidovorax sp. strain CHX100 Delta 6HX mutant, which accumulated short omega-hydroxycarboxylic acids (C5 to C10) from cycloalkanes. This mutant transformed cyclopentane and cyclohexane (5 mM) to 5-hydroxypentanoic acid and 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid, respectively, with a molar conversion above 98% in 6 h. An elementary environmental and economical assessment based on E-factor and biocatalyst yield suggests the use of inexpensive electron donor and carbon sources, with subsequent efforts to minimize waste generation. Such an early-stage analysis highlights the main bottlenecks that need to be solved in developing a sustainable bioprocess.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available