A novel strategy for anaerobic production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)

• Grant number: 17/50249-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2018
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Agreement: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
• Principal Investigator: Jonas Contiero
• Grantee: Jonas Contiero
• Principal researcher abroad: Mark M. C. van Loosdrecht
• Institution abroad: Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Netherlands
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisa em Bioenergia (IPBEN). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/00158-2 - Comparative analysis of the PHA production by Burkholderia spp and modified Escherichia coli, BP.IC; 20/04528-3 - A novel strategy for anaerobic production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), BP.PD; 20/02246-0 - Evolutionary engineering of Escherichia coli for anaerobic production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from sugarcane-derived sucrose, BP.DD; 19/07002-5 - A novel strategy for anaerobic production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), BP.PD

Abstract

Plastics play a central role in modern life. The current production has surpassed the barrier of 300 million tons per year generating problems with its deposition and penetration in the food-chain. The substitution of persistent plastics by bio-based and bio-degradable plastics (BB-plastics) is an excellent opportunity to reduce environmental contamination. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are attractive BB-plastics because (1) they can be abundantly produced by microbial hosts where (2) they accumulate as intracellular granules, facilitating downstream separation and purification. (3) PHAs monomers can be further modified and (4) the physical and chemical characteristics of the BHA polymer can be modulated by the amount and nature of its monomeric units. However, current production costs of these environmentally-friendly plastics are not yet competitive, especially at low fossil-fuels prices. Therefore, a radical technological change is required to make PHAs industrial production economically feasible. We propose a major genetic reengineering of Escherichia cof central carbon metabolism to enable an anaerobic PHA synthesis with minimized loss of electrons contained in the fermentation substrate (sucrose). Such an anaerobic PHAs formation might be possible by three major innovations: (1) The introduction of a sucrose phosphorolysis step to increase ATP yield during sugar catabolism; (2) The design of a redox balanced catabolism and product formation, with PHA as the sole electron sink; (3) The engineering of increased cellular volume to enhance PHA storage capacity. The proposal takes advantage of sucrose properties and abundance (Brazil is the largest world producer). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

OLAVARRIA, KAREL; PIJMAN, YARED O.; CABRERA, RICARDO; VAN LOOSDRECHT, MARK C. M.; WAHL, S. ALJOSCHA. Engineering an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase from Cupriavidus necator toward NADH preference under physiological conditions. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 12, n. 1, p. 10-pg., 2022-03-08. (17/50249-6)