Engineered Microorganisms for Alkene Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing commercial quantities of alkenes, such as butadiene, styrene, and propylene, rely on fossil-based feedstocks, leading to environmental concerns, high costs, and energy inefficiencies, with a need for more sustainable and cost-effective production processes.
Innovation Solution
Development of non-naturally occurring microbial organisms with an alkene pathway that includes specific enzymes to convert alcohols into alkenes, eliminating the need for dehydration steps and reducing reliance on fossil-based sources by utilizing renewable feedstocks through fermentation processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional petrochemical methods are used to produce alkenes, then production capacity is established, but environmental impact and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of feedstock source from fossil-based to renewable biomass-based, transforming the production process from petrochemical to biological. This parameter change enables the conversion of renewable resources (sugars, starches, cellulosic materials) into alkenes through microbial fermentation, thereby reducing environmental impact while maintaining production capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal cracking process with a biological system. Instead of using high-temperature cracking and catalytic processes to convert fossil fuels into alkenes, the invention uses engineered microorganisms that biologically convert renewable feedstocks into alkenes through metabolic pathways, substituting mechanical energy with biological activity
2Productivity
If fossil-based feedstocks are used for alkene production, then established production processes can be utilized, but energy consumption and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The engineered microorganisms perform self-service by utilizing their own metabolic pathways to convert feedstocks into alkenes. The microbial cells autonomously carry out the conversion process without requiring external energy input for the transformation step itself, as the energy is derived from the catabolism of the feedstock molecules during growth
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy source parameter from fossil-fuel-based thermal energy to biological energy derived from renewable feedstocks. This parameter change reduces external energy consumption by leveraging the metabolic energy contained in the feedstock itself, transforming the process into a bioeconomic system rather than a purely energy-intensive industrial process
3Manufacturing precision
If multi-step production processes are used (including dehydration steps), then purification can be achieved, but process complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the dehydration step from the traditional multi-step production process. By using microbial fermentation that directly produces alkenes, the unnecessary intermediate dehydration step is removed, simplifying the overall process while maintaining product purity through direct biological synthesis
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple separate process steps (fermentation, purification, dehydration) into a single integrated biological conversion process. The engineered microorganism performs multiple functions simultaneously: converting feedstock, producing alkene, and managing purification, thereby reducing process complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision
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 enables the efficient production of alkenes, reducing environmental impact, energy consumption, and production costs while providing a sustainable alternative to traditional petrochemical methods.
Implementation Method 1
non-naturally occurring microbial organisms containing an alkene pathway having at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an alkene pathway enzyme expressed in a sufficient amount to convert an alcohol to an alkene
Implementation Method 2
Direct fermentative production of butadiene from renewable feedstocks would obviate the need for dehydration steps
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms containing an alkene pathway having at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an alkene pathway enzyme expressed in a sufficient amount to convert an alcohol to an alkene. The invention additionally provides methods of using such microbial organisms to produce an alkene, by culturing a non-naturally occurring microbial organism containing an alkene pathway as described herein under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce an alkene.