Pathway engineering and synthetic biology using acetogens

Acetogenic anaerobic bacteria are defined as organisms employing the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway to synthesize acetyl-CoA from CO2 or CO. Their autotrophic mode of metabolism offers the biotechnological chance to combine use of abundantly available substrates with reduction of greenhouse gases. Several companies have already established pilot and demonstration plants for converting waste gases into ethanol, an important biofuel and a natural product of many acetogens. Recombinant DNA approaches now opened the door to construct acetogens, synthesizing important industrial bulk chemicals and biofuels such as acetone and butanol. Thus, novel microbial production platforms are available that no longer compete with nutritional feedstocks. (C) 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.