Cofactor engineering for more efficient production of chemicals and biofuels

Abstract

Cofactors are involved in numerous intracellular reactions and critically influence redox balance and cellular metabolism. Cofactor engineering can support and promote the biocatalysis process, even help driving thermodynamically unfavorable reactions forwards. To achieve efficient production of chemicals and biofuels, cofactor engineering strategies such as altering cofactor supply or modifying reactants' cofactor preference have been developed to maintain redox balance. This review focuses primarily on the effects of cofactor engineering on carbon and energy metabolism. Coupling carbon metabolism with cofactor engineering can promote large-scale production, and even offer possibilities for producing new products or converting new materials.

Keywords: Carbon metabolism; Cofactor preference; Cofactor regulation; Energy metabolism; Synthetic-cofactor.