Harnessing noncanonical redox cofactors to advance synthetic assimilation of one-carbon feedstocks

Review (2024)
Author(s)

Enrico Orsi (Technical University of Denmark (DTU))

Javier M. Hernández-Sancho (Technical University of Denmark (DTU))

Maaike S. Remeijer (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Aleksander J. Kruis (Acies Bio D.O.O.)

Daniel C. Volke (Technical University of Denmark (DTU))

Nico J. Claassens (Wageningen University & Research)

Caroline E. Paul (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)

Frank J. Bruggeman (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Ruud A. Weusthuis (Wageningen University & Research)

Pablo I. Nikel (Technical University of Denmark (DTU))

Research Group
BT/Biocatalysis
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103195 Final published version
More Info
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Publication Year
2024
Language
English
Research Group
BT/Biocatalysis
Journal title
Current Opinion in Biotechnology
Volume number
90
Article number
103195
Downloads counter
236
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Abstract

One-carbon (C1) feedstocks, such as carbon monoxide (CO), formate (HCO2H), methanol (CH3OH), and methane (CH4), can be obtained either through stepwise electrochemical reduction of CO2 with renewable electricity or via processing of organic side streams. These C1 substrates are increasingly investigated in biotechnology as they can contribute to a circular carbon economy. In recent years, noncanonical redox cofactors (NCRCs) emerged as a tool to generate synthetic electron circuits in cell factories to maximize electron transfer within a pathway of interest. Here, we argue that expanding the use of NCRCs in the context of C1-driven bioprocesses will boost product yields and facilitate challenging redox transactions that are typically out of the scope of natural cofactors due to inherent thermodynamic constraints.