Construction of Cupriavidus necator strain for 5-aminolevulinic acid production

• Grant number: 23/14080-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Danielle Biscaro Pedrolli
• Grantee: Livia Rossi Correa Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/19983-9 - Development of a Genome Editing Protocol for Cupriavidus necator, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Chemical synthesis of products often uses toxic reagents and solvents, and non-renewable raw material, resulting in the generation of environmentally harmful waste. In contrast, biosynthesis stands out for its sustainable production, use of raw materials from renewable sources, mild production conditions, and low waste generation that are generally non-toxic. This approach has gained increasing popularity and recognition in the context of efforts to neutralize global CO2 emissions, which significantly contribute to accelerating climate change. Accordingly, there is an increasing interest in using microorganisms capable of fixing CO2, such as the Gram-negative bacterium Cupriavidus necator H16, for the production of biomolecules. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) stands as a notable example of a bioproduct that can be obtained through biosynthesis due to its wide range of commercial applications, such as medicine, animal feed, and agriculture. Therefore, the goal of this work is to genetically engineer C. necator to overproduce 5-ALA. To achieve this, C. necator will be transformed with a plasmid containing a synthetic operon for 5-ALA biosynthesis. Subsequently, the engineered strains will be cultivated and the 5-ALA production will be quantified. Finally, the results will be compiled and analyzed to assess the potential of 5-ALA production by C. necator.