Current state of coenzyme Q(10) production and its applications

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2010 Feb;85(6):1653-63. doi: 10.1007/s00253-009-2380-2. Epub 2009 Dec 10.

Abstract

Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)), an obligatory cofactor in the aerobic respiratory electron transfer for energy generation, is formed from the conjugation of a benzoquinone ring with a hydrophobic isoprenoid chain. CoQ(10) is now used as a nutritional supplement because of its antioxidant properties and is beneficial in the treatment of several human diseases when administered orally. Bioprocesses have been developed for the commercial production of CoQ(10) because of its increased demand, and these bioprocesses depend on microbes that produce high levels of CoQ(10) naturally. However, as knowledge of the biosynthetic enzymes and the regulatory mechanisms modulating CoQ(10) production increases, approaches arise for the genetic engineering of CoQ(10) production in Escherichia coli and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This review focused on approaches for CoQ(10) production, strategies used to engineer CoQ(10) production in microbes, and potential applications of CoQ(10).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Agrobacterium tumefaciens / genetics
  • Agrobacterium tumefaciens / metabolism*
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Bioreactors
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism*
  • Fermentation
  • Genetic Engineering*
  • Humans
  • Industrial Microbiology
  • Ubiquinone / administration & dosage
  • Ubiquinone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ubiquinone / biosynthesis
  • Ubiquinone / chemistry

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Ubiquinone
  • coenzyme Q10