As an important industrial chemical, isoprene is mainly used as a precursor for synthetic rubbers. In addition, it also has wide applications in the field of pharmaceutical and chemical intermediates, food, adhesives and aviation fuel. Compared with conventional petrochemical routes, production of isoprene in microbial systems has been the research focus considering environment friendly and sustainable development features. This article summarizes the metabolic pathways and key enzymes of isoprene biosynthesis, reviews current methods and strategies in improving isoprene production of Escherichia coli, and also gives some basic ideas and expectation.
异戊二烯作为一种重要的化工原料，主要用于合成橡胶。此外，还广泛应用于医药或化工中间体、食品、粘合剂及航空燃料等领域。利用微生物法生产异戊二烯因具有环境友好、利用廉价的可再生原料、可持续发展等优势而成为当今研究的热点。这里介绍了大肠杆菌生产异戊二烯的代谢途径及关键酶，从代谢工程的角度出发综述了目前为提高大肠杆菌异戊二烯产量所应用到的方法和策略，并对今后的发展方向进行了展望。.
Keywords: Escherichia coli; isoprene; metabolic engineering; synthetic rubber.