title: An engineered pathway for the biosynthesis of renewable propane.
abstract: The deployment of next-generation renewable biofuels can be enhanced by improving their compatibility with the current infrastructure for transportation, storage and utilization. Propane, the bulk component of liquid petroleum gas, is an appealing target as it already has a global market. In addition, it is a gas under standard conditions, but can easily be liquefied. This allows the fuel to immediately separate from the biocatalytic process after synthesis, yet does not preclude energy-dense storage as a liquid. Here we report, for the first time, a synthetic metabolic pathway for producing renewable propane. The pathway is based on a thioesterase specific for butyryl-acyl carrier protein (ACP), which allows native fatty acid biosynthesis of the Escherichia coli host to be redirected towards a synthetic alkane pathway. Propane biosynthesis is markedly stimulated by the introduction of an electron-donating module, optimizing the balance of O2 supply and removal of native aldehyde reductases.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6B 4krs, 20520 Turku, Finland [2].
authors.forename: Pauli
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kallio
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6B 4krs, 20520 Turku, Finland [2].
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pásztor
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6B 4krs, 20520 Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6B 4krs, 20520 Turku, Finland [2].
authors.forename: M Kalim
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, Tykistökatu 6B 4krs, 20520 Turku, Finland [2] Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Patrik R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000378:metabolism; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D056804:Biofuels; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004579:Electron Transport; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D060847:Metabolic Engineering; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D019910:Mycobacterium marinum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010170:Palmitoyl-CoA Hydrolase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011407:Propane / Q000378:metabolism*; D046939:Synechocystis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D056804:Biofuels; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D000449:Aldehyde Reductase; D002374:Catalase; C019825:carboxylic acid reductase; D010170:Palmitoyl-CoA Hydrolase; C018475:butyraldehyde; D010100:Oxygen; D011407:Propane