Metabolic engineering for valorization of macroalgae biomass

Yusuke Sasaki; Yasuo Yoshikuni

doi:10.1016/j.ymben.2022.01.005

Metabolic engineering for valorization of macroalgae biomass

Metab Eng. 2022 May:71:42-61. doi: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.01.005. Epub 2022 Jan 22.

Authors

Yusuke Sasaki¹, Yasuo Yoshikuni²

Affiliations

¹ US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
² US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, 060-8589, Japan. Electronic address: yyoshikuni@lbl.gov.

PMID: 35077903
DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.01.005

Abstract

Marine macroalgae have huge potential as feedstocks for production of a wide spectrum of chemicals used in biofuels, biomaterials, and bioactive compounds. Harnessing macroalgae in these ways could promote wellbeing for people while mitigating climate change and environmental destruction linked to use of fossil fuels. Microorganisms play pivotal roles in converting macroalgae into valuable products, and metabolic engineering technologies have been developed to extend their native capabilities. This review showcases current achievements in engineering the metabolisms of various microbial chassis to convert red, green, and brown macroalgae into bioproducts. Unique features of macroalgae, such as seasonal variation in carbohydrate content and salinity, provide the next challenges to advancing macroalgae-based biorefineries. Three emerging engineering strategies are discussed here: (1) designing dynamic control of metabolic pathways, (2) engineering strains of halophilic (salt-tolerant) microbes, and (3) developing microbial consortia for conversion. This review illuminates opportunities for future research communities by elucidating current approaches to engineering microbes so they can become cell factories for the utilization of macroalgae feedstocks.

Keywords: Agar; Alginate; Carrageenan; Domestication of non-model bacteria; Dynamic metabolic regulation; Fucoidan; Macroalgae; Metabolic engineering; Microbiome engineering; Seaweed; Ulvan; Valorization.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Biofuels
Biomass
Humans
Metabolic Engineering
Metabolic Networks and Pathways
Seaweed* / chemistry
Seaweed* / genetics
Seaweed* / metabolism

Substances

Biofuels