title: Assembly of lipase and P450 fatty acid decarboxylase to constitute a novel biosynthetic pathway for production of 1-alkenes from renewable triacylglycerols and oils.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biogenic hydrocarbons (biohydrocarbons) are broadly accepted to be the ideal 'drop-in' biofuel alternative to petroleum-based fuels due to their highly similar chemical composition and physical characteristics. The biological production of aliphatic hydrocarbons is largely dependent on engineering of the complicated enzymatic network surrounding fatty acid biosynthesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this work, we developed a novel system for bioproduction of terminal fatty alkenes (1-alkenes) from renewable and low-cost triacylglycerols (TAGs) based on the lipase hydrolysis coupled to the P450 catalyzed decarboxylation. This artificial biosynthetic pathway was constituted using both cell-free systems including purified enzymes or cell-free extracts, and cell-based systems including mixed resting cells or growing cells. The issues of high cost of fatty acid feedstock and complicated biosynthesis network were addressed by replacement of the de novo biosynthesized fatty acids with the fed cheap TAGs. This recombinant tandem enzymatic pathway consisting of the Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (Tll) and the P450 fatty acid decarboxylase OleTJE resulted in the production of 1-alkenes from purified TAGs or natural oils with 6.7 to 46.0% yields.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since this novel hydrocarbon-producing pathway only requires two catalytically efficient enzymatic steps, it may hold great potential for industrial application by fulfilling the large-scale and cost-effective conversion of renewable TAGs into biohydrocarbons. This work highlights the power of designing and implementing an artificial pathway for production of advanced biofuels.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biofuels, and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 189 Songling Road, 266101 Qingdao, Shandong China.
authors.forename: Jinyong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biofuels, and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 189 Songling Road, 266101 Qingdao, Shandong China ; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, 100049 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biofuels, and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 189 Songling Road, 266101 Qingdao, Shandong China.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Marine Drugs, Department of Pharmacy, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 145 Shandongzhong Road, 200127 Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Bingnan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biofuels, and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 189 Songling Road, 266101 Qingdao, Shandong China.
authors.forename: Shengying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Alkenes; Cell-free catalysis; Lipase; P450 fatty acid decarboxylase; Whole cell catalysis