Zhong Wei, Li Hailong, Wang Yajie
Westlake Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310000, PR China.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, PR China.
Biodes Res. 2023 Oct 31;5:0021. doi: 10.34133/bdr.0021. eCollection 2023.
The third-generation (3G) biorefinery aims to use microbial cell factories or enzymatic systems to synthesize value-added chemicals from one-carbon (C1) sources, such as CO, formate, and methanol, fueled by renewable energies like light and electricity. This promising technology represents an important step toward sustainable development, which can help address some of the most pressing environmental challenges faced by modern society. However, to establish processes competitive with the petroleum industry, it is crucial to determine the most viable pathways for C1 utilization and productivity and yield of the target products. In this review, we discuss the progresses that have been made in constructing artificial biological systems for 3G biorefineries in the last 10 years. Specifically, we highlight the representative works on the engineering of artificial autotrophic microorganisms, tandem enzymatic systems, and chemo-bio hybrid systems for C1 utilization. We also prospect the revolutionary impact of these developments on biotechnology. By harnessing the power of 3G biorefinery, scientists are establishing a new frontier that could potentially revolutionize our approach to industrial production and pave the way for a more sustainable future.
第三代（3G）生物炼制旨在利用微生物细胞工厂或酶系统，以光和电等可再生能源为动力，从一氧化碳、甲酸盐和甲醇等一碳（C1）源合成增值化学品。这项前景广阔的技术是迈向可持续发展的重要一步，有助于应对现代社会面临的一些最紧迫的环境挑战。然而，要建立与石油工业具有竞争力的工艺，确定C1利用的最可行途径以及目标产品的生产率和产量至关重要。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了过去10年在构建用于3G生物炼制的人工生物系统方面取得的进展。具体而言，我们重点介绍了关于人工自养微生物工程、串联酶系统和用于C1利用的化学-生物混合系统的代表性研究。我们还展望了这些进展对生物技术的革命性影响。通过利用3G生物炼制的力量，科学家们正在开拓一个新的前沿领域，这有可能彻底改变我们的工业生产方式，为更可持续的未来铺平道路。
