The effectiveness of coenzyme A cofactor engineering on useful materials

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K05761
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38020:Applied microbiology-related
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: CHOHNAN Shigeru 茨城大学, 農学部, 教授 (70312775)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: コエンザイムA / アセチル-CoA / マロニル-CoA / ポリヒドロキシ酪酸 / 脂肪酸 / パントテン酸キナーゼ / アセチル-CoAカルボキシラーゼ / 大腸菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Acyl-CoAs are used as a source of acyl groups in various metabolic pathway. Especially among the acyl-CoAs, acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA are the major constituents of the intracellular CoA pools. In this study, we demonstrated the effectiveness of CoA cofactor engineering (i.e., techniques for increasing intracellular acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA levels) in the production of useful substances. The increase of intracellular acetyl-CoA level was effective in the production of polyhydroxybutyrate, a biodegradable plastic. In addition, the enhancement of malonyl-CoA supply was effective in increasing cellular fatty acids, which are used as biofuels. Thus, the techniques for increasing the acetyl-CoA or malonyl-CoA have been established in Escherichia coli cells and have been proven to be useful tools in the production of substances.

Free Research Field

農学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究において、コエンザイムA（CoA）生合成経路を強化することによる細胞内アセチル-CoAおよびマロニル-CoA濃度を上昇させる技術を確立した。これらの技術は有用物質生産に有効であり、既存の微生物による発酵生産法と組み合わせれば、さらに効率良く発酵生産が進むことが期待される。本申請では大腸菌を題材に研究を進めたが、CoAは全生物に存在する補酵素であり、全酵素の4%がCoAを利用すると考えられているので、他の微生物でも利用可能な、極めて汎用性が高い要素技術になると考えている。