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Microbial production of chemical building blocks from lignin

Bertilsson, Kevin LU (2024) KMBM05 20232
Applied Microbiology
Abstract
Plastics, derived from fossil fuels, have raised considerable environmental concerns. This has
prompted the search for sustainable and safer plastic precursors alternatives. One alternative
explored in the present study is vanillin, a phenolic compound derived from lignin, an
abundant and renewable natural polymer. Vanillin and its derivatives have shown promise as
eco-friendly substitutes for conventional industrial chemicals. The present study focused on the microbial production of chemical building blocks from vanillyl amine and vanillic acid using recombinant yeast, with a specific focus on the evaluation of amide-forming enzymes. The study also involved the screening of various co-substrates to optimize the production of vanillyl... (More)
Plastics, derived from fossil fuels, have raised considerable environmental concerns. This has
prompted the search for sustainable and safer plastic precursors alternatives. One alternative
explored in the present study is vanillin, a phenolic compound derived from lignin, an
abundant and renewable natural polymer. Vanillin and its derivatives have shown promise as
eco-friendly substitutes for conventional industrial chemicals. The present study focused on the microbial production of chemical building blocks from vanillyl amine and vanillic acid using recombinant yeast, with a specific focus on the evaluation of amide-forming enzymes. The study also involved the screening of various co-substrates to optimize the production of vanillyl amine and vanillic acid. Our findings revealed that the choice of co-substrate significantly influenced the production of vanilloids, with specific co-substrates favoring the production of specific vanilloids. (Less)
Popular Abstract
Plastics, derived from fossil fuels, pose significant environmental challenges, fueling a quest for sustainable alternatives. In this study, vanillin, a phenolic compound derived from lignin which is an abundant and renewable natural polymer, was explored as a potential eco-friendly substitute for traditional industrial chemicals. The focus was on microbial production of chemical building blocks from vanillin using recombinant yeast, with a specific emphasis on evaluating amide-forming enzymes. The study also investigated the influence of different co-substrates on optimizing the production of vanilloids, compounds derived from vanillin.

Despite promising prospects, the study encountered challenges in the biosynthesis of chemical... (More)
Plastics, derived from fossil fuels, pose significant environmental challenges, fueling a quest for sustainable alternatives. In this study, vanillin, a phenolic compound derived from lignin which is an abundant and renewable natural polymer, was explored as a potential eco-friendly substitute for traditional industrial chemicals. The focus was on microbial production of chemical building blocks from vanillin using recombinant yeast, with a specific emphasis on evaluating amide-forming enzymes. The study also investigated the influence of different co-substrates on optimizing the production of vanilloids, compounds derived from vanillin.

Despite promising prospects, the study encountered challenges in the biosynthesis of chemical building blocks from vanillyl amine and vanillic acid. Specifically, the strains showed no detectable product in the analysis, raising questions about their capability or the methodology used. The study suggested that the inert nature of vanillyl amine and vanillic acid within yeast indicated the absence of discernible side reactions, making yeast a potential platform for future amide-forming reactions.

In the investigation of co-substrates effects on vanilloid production however, we saw that the choice of co-substrate played a crucial role in determining the main product formed during the bioconversion of vanillin. Different co-substrates affected the redox balance within cells, influencing the type and quantity of vanilloids produced. Notably, monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides led to vanillyl alcohol production, while glycerol, ribose, and lactate led to a more balanced production of vanilloids. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Bertilsson, Kevin LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Mikrobiell produktion av kemiska byggstenar från lignin
course
KMBM05 20232
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Lignin, Green plastic, Vanillin, Microbial production, Applied microbiology
language
English
id
9148392
date added to LUP
2024-02-14 09:00:44
date last changed
2024-02-14 09:00:44
@misc{9148392,
  abstract     = {{Plastics, derived from fossil fuels, have raised considerable environmental concerns. This has
prompted the search for sustainable and safer plastic precursors alternatives. One alternative
explored in the present study is vanillin, a phenolic compound derived from lignin, an
abundant and renewable natural polymer. Vanillin and its derivatives have shown promise as
eco-friendly substitutes for conventional industrial chemicals. The present study focused on the microbial production of chemical building blocks from vanillyl amine and vanillic acid using recombinant yeast, with a specific focus on the evaluation of amide-forming enzymes. The study also involved the screening of various co-substrates to optimize the production of vanillyl amine and vanillic acid. Our findings revealed that the choice of co-substrate significantly influenced the production of vanilloids, with specific co-substrates favoring the production of specific vanilloids.}},
  author       = {{Bertilsson, Kevin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Microbial production of chemical building blocks from lignin}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}