Metabolic engineering for the production and diversification of multi-methyl branched lipids in Escherichia coli

GRAMAJO HUGO

Congreso; The 13th International Symposium on the Genetics of Industrial Microorganisms; 2016

Genetics of Industrial Microorganisms

Since the escalating cost of crude oil and the increasing concerns about its finite supply, there is an emerging strategic need to develop additional renewable products from plant, algae or microorganisms. In this context, there are considerable environmental and economic drivers to develop new and improved bio-based chemicals. Particularly for the lubricant industry, vegetable oils are considered a good source of natural lubricants; however their main disadvantages are their poor low temperature fluidity behavior and sensitivity to oxidation at high temperatures. These properties are intrinsic to their molecular structure; in this sense, the presence of double bonds in the alkyl side chains and the central β?CH group on the glycerol moiety of the triacylglycerol molecule turn these molecules very unstable to oxidation. In this sense, the inclusion of branched fatty acids, instead of unsaturated fatty acids, in the oil would improve the physicochemical properties of the oils. For example, the irregularity imparted by branched-chain fatty acids would disrupt the lipid packing ability of the hydrocarbon chains, thereby reducing the melting temperature of the oil and will avoid the thermal oxiSome bacteria, especially those belonging to the actinomycetes group, produce very complex lipids. By using the metabolic pathways involved in the biosynthesis of these lipids and taking advantage of the exquisite metabolic flexibility of Escherichia coli we have designed and reconstructed a heterologous system capable of producing novel lipids compounds with improved lubricant properties. This new organism could serve as a novel platform for the production of bio-lubricants.