Development of Biorefinery concepts via coumaric acid conversion into high-value compounds

• Grant number: 21/04254-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2021
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Márcio Squina
• Grantee: Robson Tramontina
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação, Pesquisa, Extensão e Inovação. Universidade de Sorocaba (UNISO). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/05731-2 - BEYOND: establishing a fungal cell factory for recombinant protein production, AP.TEM

Abstract

The 'biorefinery' concept emerges as an alternative for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals from abundant plant biomass resources. These initiatives are beneficial not only to address global warming reduction, but also because they can promote economic opportunities and stimulate job growth. There are well-established methods for biomass pre-treatment and fractionation into cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin streams, and bio-conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose. Still, the lignin fraction is currently burnt as a fuel or used for low-value applications. Hence, there is considerable interest in lignin valorization to high-value chemicals, which is one of the major unsolved problems in the biorefinery concept. The hydroxycinnamic acids (i.e., p-coumaric acid - CA) extracted from lignocellulosic biomass represent potential aromatic building blocks that can be converted into several high-value products, with applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical fields. This project proposal will develop a biosynthetic route to produce Raspberry Ketone (RPK), a high-value molecule ($20,000/kg) used in the flavor industry, directly from CA from sugarcane bagasse. Adopting a fine-regulated biocatalytic strategy, this project will rely on biosynthetic principles by developing three genetic circuits (or "stacks") designed for E. coli chassis with the following objectives: (1) the lignocellulosic degradation module, consisting of arabinofuranosidase and esterase targeted for extracellular secretion, that enables the release of arabinose and CA from sugarcane bagasse; (2) the Sensing/Regulatory module, consisting of bacterial transcription factors and operons (i.e., araBAD and/or FerC), that activates metabolic pathways for efficient CA conversion by sensing the presence of arabinose (or CA) in the media; (3) biotransformation module, the pathway capable of converting CA into RPK, that mimics the raspberry's intrinsic route. Besides, to expand the possibilities of plant biomass valorization in the context of biorefineries, the current project will also contribute to developing an innovative strategy related to the development of these auto-regulated biotechnological stacks. These biotechnological stacks rely on molecular tools, such as plasmids, enzymes, bio-bricks, and cell strains, designed for direct one-pot conversion of other natural hydroxycinnamic acids into several high-value chemicals such as quercetin, vanillin, naringenin, and 4-vinyl-phenol. Accordingly, this study is of economic interest to the fine chemical industry that is constantly looking for innovation, sustainability, and natural ingredients. (AU)

Scientific publications

(9)

(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)

TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; CIANCAGLINI, IARA; ROMAN, ELLEN K. B.; CHACON, MICAELA G.; CORREA, THAMY L. R.; DIXON, NEIL; BUGG, TIMOTHY D. H.; SQUINA, FABIO MARCIO. Sustainable biosynthetic pathways to value-added bioproducts from hydroxycinnamic acids. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, v. 107, n. 13, p. 21-pg., 2023-05-22. (15/50590-4, 21/04254-3)

ANDRADE, VIVIANE BRITO; TOMAZETTO, GEIZECLER; ALMEIDA, DNANE VIEIRA; TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; SQUINA, FABIO MARCIO; GARCIA, WANIUS. Enzymatic and biophysical characterization of a novel modular cellulosomal GH5 endoglucanase multifunctional from the anaerobic gut fungus Piromyces finnis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS, v. 1872, n. 1, p. 11-pg., 2024-01-01. (20/15595-3, 20/05784-3, 21/04254-3, 15/23279-6, 22/08958-8, 15/50590-4)

VILELA, NATHALIA; GORKOVSKIY, ANTON; HERRERA-MALAVER, BEATRIZ; TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; CAIRO, JOAO PAULO L. FRANCO; MANDELLI, FERNANDA; GONCALVES, THIAGO; SODRE, VICTORIA; STEENSELS, JAN; DAMASIO, ANDRE; et al. From residues to clove: Harnessing novel phenolic acid decarboxylase for 4-Vinyl guaiacol production in industrial Yeast. FOOD AND BIOPRODUCTS PROCESSING, v. 151, p. 8-pg., 2025-03-06. (20/05784-3, 22/05731-2, 22/08958-8, 15/50590-4, 20/10593-2, 17/08166-6, 21/04254-3)

SANTANA JR, MARCEL B.; GAMA, FELIPE AVILA; PEREIRA, ISABELA O.; TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; SQUINA, FABIO MARCIO; AMBROSI, ALAN; ZIELINSKI, ACACIO; POLETTO, PATRICIA; IENCZAK, JACIANE L.. Harnessing tobacco stem biomass for eco-friendly xylo-oligomers production via hydrothermal treatment and succinic acid via fermentation. JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, v. 456, p. 12-pg., 2024-05-02. (20/05784-3, 22/08958-8, 21/04254-3)

ROMAN, ELLEN KAREN BARRETO; RAMOS, MURILO ANTONIO; TOMAZETTO, GEIZECLER; FOLTRAN, BRUNO BOTEGA; GALVAO, MATHEUS HENRIQUE; CIANCAGLINI, IARA; TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; RODRIGUES, FELIPE DE ALMEIDA; DA SILVA, LARISSA SOARES; SANDANO, ANA LUIZA HERNANDES; et al. Plastic-degrading microbial communities reveal novel microorganisms, pathways, and biocatalysts for polymer degradation and bioplastic production. Science of The Total Environment, v. 949, p. 14-pg., 2024-08-02. (19/19360-3, 23/04941-6, 20/05784-3, 23/04828-5, 15/23279-6, 23/08832-7, 20/11019-8, 23/04782-5, 21/04254-3, 22/08958-8, 23/12398-0, 22/05731-2, 22/14112-4)

PROCOPIO, DIELLE PIEROTTI; LEE, JAE WON; SHIN, JONGHYEOK; TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; AVILA, PATRICIA FELIX; BRENELLI, LIVIA BEATRIZ; SQUINA, FABIO MARCIO; DAMASIO, ANDRE; RABELO, SARITA CANDIDA; GOLDBECK, ROSANA; et al. Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for second-generation ethanol production from xylo-oligosaccharides and acetate. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 13, n. 1, p. 14-pg., 2023-11-06. (17/15477-8, 20/05784-3, 15/50612-8, 18/17172-2, 18/01759-4, 22/08958-8, 21/04254-3, 15/50590-4, 22/05731-2, 19/18075-3)

TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; SCOPEL, EUPIDIO; BRENELLI, LIVIA; NOGUEIRA, GUILHERME P.; FRANCO, TELMA T.; REZENDE, CAMILA A.; GOLDBECK, ROSANA; SQUINA, FABIO M.. Applying biorefinery concepts for sugarcane straw upcycling using alkaline and enzymatic treatments to produce value-added compounds and bioenergy. BIOMASS & BIOENERGY, v. 178, p. 9-pg., 2023-10-12. (19/19360-3, 17/15477-8, 15/50612-8, 20/05784-3, 18/23769-1, 22/08958-8, 21/04254-3, 15/50590-4)

TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; SCOPEL, EUPIDIO; CARDOSO, VICTOR GUSTAVO KELIS; MARTINS, MANOELA; DA SILVA, MARCOS FELLIPE; FLAIBAM, BARBARA; SALVADOR, MARCOS J.; GOLDBECK, ROSANA; DAMASIO, ANDRE; SQUINA, FABIO MARCIO. Hydroxycinnamic Acid Extraction from Multiple Lignocellulosic Sources: Correlations with Substrate Composition and Taxonomy for Flavoring and Antioxidant Applications. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, v. 72, n. 50, p. 12-pg., 2024-12-05. (20/02871-2, 22/08958-8, 19/19360-3, 21/04254-3, 22/05731-2, 21/09693-5, 15/50590-4)

TRAMONTINA, ROBSON; ORDONEZ, DIEGO ANDRES RUEDA; SILVELLO, MARIA AUGUSTA DE CARVALHO; SODRE, VICTORIA; DE MELO, ALLAN HENRIQUE FELIX; GOLDBECK, ROSANA; SQUINA, FABIO MARCIO. Intensification and techno-economic analysis of a biocatalytic process for coniferol production from ferulic acid: An innovative strategy for lignin valorization. JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, v. 427, p. 11-pg., 2023-10-13. (22/08958-8, 21/04254-3)