Engineered Microbial Organisms for Methacrylic Acid Production

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for producing methacrylic acid and its esters, such as methyl methacrylate, are costly and generate hazardous byproducts, particularly due to the use of hydrogen cyanide in the acetone cyanohydrin route, and there is a need for cleaner and more economical processes.

Innovation Solution

Development of non-naturally occurring microbial organisms with engineered metabolic pathways that enable the biosynthesis of methacrylic acid, methacrylate esters, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, and 2-hydroxyisobutyrate by expressing exogenous nucleic acids encoding enzymes involved in these pathways, which enhance carbon fixation and reduce equivalents from gaseous carbon sources like CO, CO2, and H2.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the acetone cyanohydrin route is used to produce methacrylic acid, then production efficiency is improved, but hazardous byproducts are generated and handling costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidhazardous byproducts

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful acetone cyanohydrin intermediate into a beneficial pathway by using engineered microorganisms to metabolize acetone and cyanide separately, transforming the toxic cyanohydrin formation step into a controlled biological process that produces methacrylic acid while minimizing hazardous byproduct accumulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces engineered microorganisms as biological intermediaries that facilitate the conversion of acetone and cyanide into methacrylic acid, replacing the direct chemical conversion that generates harmful byproducts with a controlled biological mediation process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the acetone cyanohydrin route is used to produce methacrylic acid, then production capacity is improved, but disposal costs increase due to ammonium bisulfate byproduct

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction capacityVSAvoiddisposal costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent recovers and utilizes the cyanide component that would otherwise be lost as ammonium bisulfate waste, converting it into useful methacrylic acid product through engineered microbial metabolism, thereby eliminating disposal costs and improving material efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Speed

If conventional chemical processes are used to produce methacrylic acid, then production speed is improved, but environmental impact increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction speedVSAvoidenvironmental impact

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional chemical catalysis and high-temperature processing with biological catalysis using engineered microorganisms, substituting harsh chemical mechanisms with milder biological processes that maintain production speed while reducing environmental impact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a controlled biological environment within engineered microorganisms that isolates the reaction process from the external environment, containing potential harmful intermediates within the cellular system and preventing their release, thereby reducing environmental impact while maintaining production efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for the efficient production of methacrylic acid and its derivatives with reduced environmental impact and lower production costs by utilizing microbial organisms that can convert carbon sources into desired products through engineered metabolic pathways.

Implementation Method 1

enhance carbon fixation via the reductive TCA cycle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCarbon fixation: Photosynthesis

Implementation Method 2

enhance carbon fixation via the reductive TCA cycle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReductive TCA cycle:

Implementation Method 3

expressing exogenous nucleic acids encoding enzymes involved in these pathways

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzyme catalysis: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS9133487B2Microorganisms for producing methacrylic acid and methacrylate esters and methods related thereto

Publication Date: 2015.09.15 GENOMATICA INC

AI summary

The invention provides a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having a methacrylic acid, methacrylate ester, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate and/or 2-hydroxyisobutyrate pathway. The microbial organism contains at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an enzyme in a methacrylic acid pathway. The invention additionally provides a method for producing methacrylic acid, methacrylate ester, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate and/or 2-hydroxyisobutyrate. The method can include culturing methacrylic acid, methacrylate ester, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate and/or 2-hydroxyisobutyrate producing microbial organism, where the microbial organism expresses at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a methacrylic acid pathway enzyme in a sufficient amount to produce methacrylic acid, methacrylate ester, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate and/or 2-hydroxyisobutyrate, under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce methacrylic acid, methacrylate ester, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate and/or 2-hydroxyisobutyrate.