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Enzymes

Breakthrough in Biosynthesis of b-Arbutin Paves Way for Industrial Production

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Scientists at Jiangnan University have made a significant breakthrough in the biosynthesis of b-arbutin, a plant-derived glycoside with various biological activities. The research team, led by Dongming Liu, has developed a systematic strategy that enables the efficient de novo biosynthesis of b-arbutin in Escherichia coli. The engineered strain produced 81.9 g/L of b-arbutin from a fed-batch fermentation in a 5 L fermenter, with a yield from glucose of 0.29 g/g.

Key Takeaways:

  • The research team identified the substrate access channel of the arbutin synthase active site as a key factor in increasing b-arbutin production by 16.7% compared to wild type (WT).
  • The team used a luxR-based quorum sensing (QS) system to regulate the allocation of metabolic fluxes between cell growth and product synthesis, achieving self-induced regulation without requiring exogenous inducers.
  • The engineered strain produced a significantly higher amount of b-arbutin (81.9 g/L) compared to previous reports.
  • The researchers also combined modifications to the phosphoketolase pathway and the acetic acid pathway to redirect the carbon flux to the shikimic acid pathway.
  • The R241H mutant of the arbutin synthase enzyme was engineered to increase b-arbutin production by optimizing the substrate access channel.
  • The team's approach provides a reference for the construction of b-arbutin microbial cell factories, enabling the potential for industrial production.

Statistics:

  • The engineered strain produced 81.9 g/L of b-arbutin from a fed-batch fermentation in a 5 L fermenter.
  • The yield from glucose was 0.29 g/g.
  • The production of b-arbutin was increased by 16.7% using the R241H mutant compared to WT.
  • The team's approach enables the efficient de novo biosynthesis of b-arbutin in Escherichia coli.

Sources:

  • Combination of enzyme engineering and quorum sensing system for efficient de novo biosynthesis of b-arbutin in Escherichia coli. Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, 2025;11:1-9.
  • Keai Publishing Ltd, 16 Donghuangchenggen North St, Building 5, Room 411, Beijing, Dongcheng District 100009, Peoples R China.
  • Dongming Liu, Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, People's Republic of China.
  • Zhuoyuan Liu, Lihao Deng, Kai LingHu, Xiaoyu Shan, Jingwen Zhou, and Weizhu Zeng, Jiangnan University.

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