Methyl Ester Shielded Biosynthesis of Odd-Chain Difunctional Molecules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods struggle to efficiently produce difunctional products with an odd number of carbon atoms (C5-C19 building blocks) using biocatalysis, as they contradict the optimality principle and often fall short in production performance compared to native producers.
Innovation Solution
The development of biochemical pathways and genetically modified hosts that utilize polypeptides with specific enzymatic activities, such as methyltransferases and β-ketoacyl-[acp] synthases, to biosynthesize aliphatic carbon backbones with odd carbon lengths, followed by the formation of terminal functional groups like carboxyl, formyl, and hydroxyl groups, maintaining a methyl ester shield during carbon chain elongation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If biocatalysis methods are used to produce difunctional products with odd carbon atoms, then alternative to petrochemical feedstocks is achieved, but production performance falls short compared to native producers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by introducing a methyl ester shield before carbon chain elongation begins. This shield protects the carboxyl group during subsequent enzymatic reactions, enabling non-native producers to successfully synthesize odd-chain difunctional products. The shield is added in advance to prevent unwanted side reactions and maintain product stability throughout the biosynthetic pathway.
Solution Approach 2:
The methyl ester group serves as an intermediary protective group that mediates between the carboxyl functionality and the carbon chain elongation enzymes. This intermediary structure allows the carboxyl group to remain intact during elongation while still permitting enzyme access to the carbon chain, thereby bridging the gap between native and non-native producer capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If carbon flux is directed towards C5-C19 building blocks, then alternative feedstock utilization is achieved, but biomass growth is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating spatial and functional separation within the cell: the methyl ester shielded pathway operates in a dedicated metabolic niche that does not compete with central carbon metabolism for biomass production. This localized pathway allows selective channeling of carbon flux to C5-C19 building blocks while preserving overall cellular growth by leaving general metabolic pathways intact.
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 difunctional products with odd carbon chain lengths, overcoming the limitations of native producers and achieving higher yields by optimizing carbon flux and enzyme activity.
Implementation Method 1
using one or more polypeptides having the activity of one or more enzymes such as methyltransferases
Implementation Method 2
β-ketoacyl-[acp] synthases
Implementation Method 3
dehydrogenases
Implementation Method 4
reductases
Implementation Method 5
hydratases
Implementation Method 6
thioesterases
Data Source
AI summary
This document describes biochemical pathways for producing a difunctional product having an odd number of carbon atoms in vitro or in a recombinant host, or salts or derivatives thereof, by forming two terminal functional groups selected from carboxyl, amine, formyl, and hydroxyl groups in an aliphatic carbon chain backbone having an odd number of carbon atoms synthesized from (i) acetyl-CoA and propanedioyl-CoA via one or more cycles of methyl ester shielded carbon chain elongation or (ii) propanedioyl-[acp] via one or more cycles of methyl ester shielded carbon chain elongation. The biochemical pathways and metabolic engineering and cultivation strategies described herein rely on enzymes or homologs accepting methyl ester shielded aliphatic carbon chain backbones and maintaining the methyl ester shield for at least one further enzymatic step following one or more cycles of methyl ester shielded carbon chain elongation.