Bio-valorization of C1 gaseous substrates into bioalcohols: Potentials and challenges in reducing carbon emissions

Lizhen Hu; Shuqi Guo; Bo Wang; Rongzhan Fu; Daidi Fan; Min Jiang; Qiang Fei; Ramon Gonzalez

doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107954

Bio-valorization of C1 gaseous substrates into bioalcohols: Potentials and challenges in reducing carbon emissions

Biotechnol Adv. 2022 Oct:59:107954. doi: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107954. Epub 2022 Apr 10.

Authors

Lizhen Hu¹, Shuqi Guo², Bo Wang³, Rongzhan Fu⁴, Daidi Fan⁵, Min Jiang⁶, Qiang Fei⁷, Ramon Gonzalez⁸

Affiliations

¹ Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China. Electronic address: shenaiyouzi520@stu.xjtu.edu.cn.
² Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China. Electronic address: shuqguo@xjtu.edu.cn.
³ Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. Electronic address: bo.wang.2@vanderbilt.edu.
⁴ Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China. Electronic address: rongzhanfu@nwu.edu.cn.
⁵ Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Degradable Biomedical Materials, School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China. Electronic address: fandaidi@nwu.edu.cn.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: jiangmin@njtech.edu.cn.
⁷ Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China. Electronic address: feiqiang@xjtu.edu.cn.
⁸ Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. Electronic address: ramongonzale@usf.edu.

PMID: 35417775
DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.107954

Abstract

C1 gaseous substrates (CH₄, CO_2, and CO) derived from natural gas, biogas, and syngas, are of interest due to their threats to the environment or inefficient utilization. Benefiting from advanced genetic editing tools and bioconversion strategies, metabolically engineered C1-gas-utilizing microorganisms (CGUM), such as methanotrophs, cyanobacteria, and acetogens, are capable of utilizing C1 gaseous feedstocks as the sole substrates for cell growth and synthesis of chemicals and biofuels. In this paper, we critically review metabolic pathways related to the assimilation of C1 gaseous substrates for alcohol biosynthesis in several model CGUM. Metabolic engineering approaches utilized to enhance the carbon conversion efficiency, microbial growth and biosynthesis of desired alcohols are summarized, including the regulation of C1 gaseous substrates activation and electron and energy supply, the accumulation of key intermediates, and the manipulation of target gene expression to optimize carbon flux to bioalcohols. In addition, challenges in the efficient microbial conversion of C1 gaseous substrates are explored and discussed. The strategies of bioalcohol biosynthesis presented here could guide the development of a variety of efficient biological routes for CH₄, CO_2, and CO utilization in the future.

Keywords: Alcohol biosynthesis; Bioconversion; C1 gaseous substrates; Metabolic engineering; Process development.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Biofuels
Carbon*
Gases*
Metabolic Engineering
Metabolic Networks and Pathways

Substances

Biofuels
Gases
Carbon