Chassis engineering for microbial production of chemicals: from natural microbes to synthetic organisms

Jingyi Liu; Xia Wu; Mingdong Yao; Wenhai Xiao; Jian Zha

doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2020.06.013

Chassis engineering for microbial production of chemicals: from natural microbes to synthetic organisms

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2020 Dec:66:105-112. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.06.013. Epub 2020 Jul 29.

Authors

Jingyi Liu¹, Xia Wu¹, Mingdong Yao², Wenhai Xiao³, Jian Zha⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China.
² Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontier Technology Research Institute, Tianjin University, Tianjin 301700, China.
³ Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China. Electronic address: wenhai.xiao@tju.edu.cn.
⁴ School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, China. Electronic address: zhajian1985@sust.edu.cn.

PMID: 32738762
DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.06.013

Abstract

Chassis provides a setting for the expression of heterologous pathway genes, which often requires extensive engineering to achieve complete functions. Traditionally, chassis engineering relies on gene deletion/overexpression for the regulation of precursor/cofactor supply and product transportation, which has generated thousands of high-performance strains. With the development of synthetic biology, chassis modifications have expanded to the synthesis of artificial cellular machineries, creating synthetic cells for the biosynthesis of bioproducts. In this review, we will discuss the development of chassis engineering technologies, termed the first-generation and second-generation technologies, and their applications in the creation of chassis for the production of valued-added chemicals, with an emphasis on synthetic chassis and their applications and potential. The development of chassis engineering technologies will advance rational design and construction of customized chassis for the manufacturing of target bioproducts.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Metabolic Engineering*
Synthetic Biology*