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Metabolic engineering

Two modules for biosynthesis from CO2

Nature Synthesis (2023)Cite this article

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The conversion of CO2 into complex molecules by genetically enhanced microorganisms is desirable but challenging. Now, a two-stage strategy featuring carbon sequestration, using the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus, and cellular catalysis, using Escherichia coli, is reported for the synthesis of value-added molecules from CO2.

The efficient valorization of the greenhouse gas CO2 is crucial to move towards carbon neutrality and transform the current fossil-fuel-based economy into a greener, circular economy. Therefore, the sustainable conversion of CO2 into value-added products by genetically engineered microorganisms is an important goal in metabolic engineering. One possible way to achieve this goal is through modification of the metabolism of microbes that naturally use CO2 for growth, such as photosynthetic cyanobacteria. Indeed, the conversion of CO2 to isobutanol or fatty acids by genetically modified cyanobacteria was demonstrated more than a decade ago1,2. However, this production method is not applicable for the synthesis of a wide range of molecules. Cyanobacteria require constant gas exchange and illumination for growth, causing the escape of volatile compounds from the medium or the decomposition of photosensitive molecules.

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Fig. 1: Conversion of CO2 into natural products using the modular strategy of integration of photosynthesis and resting cellular catalysis.

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  1. Twitter: @LennartSchada

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  1. Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Minrui Ren & Lennart Schada von Borzyskowski

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  1. Minrui Ren
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  2. Lennart Schada von Borzyskowski
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Correspondence to Lennart Schada von Borzyskowski.

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Ren, M., Schada von Borzyskowski, L. Two modules for biosynthesis from CO2. Nat. Synth (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44160-023-00323-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44160-023-00323-5

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