title: De novo biosynthetic pathways: rational design of microbial chemical factories.
abstract: Increasing interest in the production of organic compounds from non-petroleum-derived feedstocks, especially biomass, is a significant driver for the construction of new recombinant microorganisms for this purpose. As a discipline, Metabolic Engineering has provided a framework for the development of such systems. Efforts have traditionally been focused, first, on the optimization of natural producers, later progressing towards re-construction of natural pathways in heterologous hosts. To maximize the potential of microbes for biosynthetic purposes, new tools and methodologies within Metabolic Engineering are needed for the proposition and construction of de novo designed pathways. This review will focus on recent advances towards the design and assembly of biosynthetic pathways, and provide a Synthetic Biology perspective for the construction of microbial chemical factories.
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering, Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 66-458, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. kljp@mit.edu
authors: Kristala L Jones
authors: KL
authors: Prather
authors: Collin H
authors: CH
authors: Martin
mesh_terms: D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000639:trends; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000639:trends*; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000639:trends*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins