SusChEM: Biomolecular and cellular engineering for hydrocarbon biofuel production

PI：Marsh，E.Neil提议编号：1336636机构：密歇根大学Ann Arborle标题：SusChEM：碳氢生物燃料生产的生物分子和细胞工程这项提议将为高效生产先进的？通过整合酶、代谢途径和细胞工程，从可再生资源中提取碳氢燃料。今天，乙醇和生物柴油是唯一大规模生产和利用的生物燃料。然而，由于与目前的基础设施不兼容和/或合适的原料供应非常有限，每一种都有严重的缺点。因此，开发新一代生物燃料具有迫切的需求和越来越大的空间。该项目的目标是生产由脂肪酸衍生的中短链烷烃和烯烃(C8-C20)，作为石油燃料的直接替代品。为了利用重组大肠杆菌菌株生产这些先进的生物燃料，PI将研究和优化产烃酶、脂肪酸生物合成途径和全细胞机械，通过(1)两条生烃途径中关键酶的机理研究和工程，(2)增加脂肪酸作为碳氢化合物前体的代谢途径工程，以及(3)从纤维素生物中生产碳氢化合物的途径整合和细胞工程。该项目的成功完成将带来几个潜在的变革性成果。首先，该项目将开发一种跨多个规模的创新战略，以创建高效的全细胞生物催化剂。其次，PIs将产生能够从可再生资源中生产高级碳氢化合物生物燃料的大肠杆菌菌株。第三，PI将促进对产烃酶的机制、脂肪酸合成的调节和全细胞代谢的基本了解。基因组工程和超高通量筛选方法代表了微生物工程的一项重大创新，其变异/扩展可用于改进各种复杂的表型。更广泛地说，通过这些活动产生的科学知识将被证明对其他生物工程应用具有价值。该项目产生的科学发现将对最终开发具有成本效益和可持续的碳氢生物燃料生产做出重大贡献，这有助于解决我们社会目前面临的最紧迫的挑战之一。教育和外展活动将侧重于促进相关研究生和博士后的学术和专业发展，支持本科生研究，并促进代表性不足的群体。在扩大以前和正在进行的活动的基础上，PI还计划让初中生/高中生在与本科生组成的团队中参与暑期研究。

PI: Marsh, E. NeilProposal Number: 1336636Institution: University of Michigan Ann ArborTitle: SusChEM: Biomolecular and cellular engineering for hydrocarbon biofuel productionThe proposal will develop a new biological route for efficient production of advanced ?drop-in? hydrocarbon fuels from renewable resources, by integrating enzyme, metabolic pathway and cellular engineering. Today ethanol and biodiesel are the only biofuels produced and utilized at a large scale. However, each has severe drawbacks due to incompatibility with current infrastructures and/or very limited supply of suitable feedstocks. Therefore, there is both a pressing need and increasing scope for developing a new generation of biofuels.Target of this project is to produce short- and medium-chain alkanes and alkenes (C8-C20) derived from fatty acids, which can be used as direct substitute of petroleum based fuels. To enable the production of these advanced biofuels using recombinant E. coli strains, the PI will investigate and optimize hydrocarbon-producing enzymes, fatty acid biosynthetic pathways, and whole-cell machinery, via (1) Mechanistic studies and engineering of key enzymes in two hydrocarbon-producing pathways, (2) Metabolic pathway engineering for increasing fatty acids as hydrocarbon precursors, and (3) Pathway integration and cellular engineering for hydrocarbon production from cellulosic biomass.The successful completion of this project will lead to several potentially transformative outcomes. First, this project will develop an innovative strategy across multiple scales for creating efficient whole-cell biocatalysts. Second, the PIs will generate E. coli strains capable of producing high-grade hydrocarbon biofuels from renewable resources. Third, the PIs will advance fundamental understanding of mechanisms of hydrocarbon-producing enzymes, regulation of fatty acids synthesis, and whole-cell metabolism. The genome engineering and ultrahigh-throughput screening approach represents a major innovation in microbial engineering and its variation/extension can be employed for improving a wide variety of complex phenotypes. More generally, the scientific knowledge generated through these activities will prove valuable for other bio-engineering applications.The scientific findings resulted from this project will make significant contributions to the ultimate development of cost-effective and sustainable production of hydrocarbon biofuels, which helps solve one of the most pressing challenges currently faced by our society. The education and outreach activities will focus on fostering academic and professional development of involved graduate student and postdoc, supporting undergraduate research, and promoting underrepresented groups. Expanding previous and ongoing activities, the PIs also plan to engage middle/high school students in summer research within a team setting with undergraduates.