Microbes, such as E. coli, P. putida and yeast, can be redesigned to be miniature chemical reactors that transform sugars and other carbon sources into biofuels and bioproducts. Researchers in the Metabolic Engineering Group identify and introduce biosynthetic pathways from one organism into a host microbe, such as E. coli, P. putida and yeast, and then engineer metabolic pathways using genetic manipulation to optimize the production of target chemicals that the host microbe does not naturally generate in large quantity. We also explore chemical conversion of biomass-derived molecules to bioproducts and biofuels using heterogeneous catalysis to expand the scope of products and our capability of biomass conversion.
Our goal is to leverage metabolic diversity in nature, and create highly efficient, microbial factories for green, cost-effective and sustainable production of advanced biofuels and other valuable bioproducts. Potential biofuels and bioproducts candidates such as isoprenoids.
Projects
- Optimization of hydrocarbon biosynthetic pathways in selected hosts
- Engineering of isoprenoid pathway for production of biofuels and bioproducts
- Multi-Omics guided metabolic engineering towards high titers, rates, and yields
- Development of chemical catalysis to both expand the range of reachable bioderived compounds and help prioritize bioconversion targets
Featured Media
Produce a new aviation biofuel precursor from cellulosic biomass
JBEI Invention Leads to More Efficient Biofuel Production for Industrial Application
Brent Shanks testifies to the Senate Agricultural Committee on rural development and energy programs
Featured Publications
- Engineering Saccharomyces cerevisiae for isoprenol production, Metabol. Eng. (2021)
- Efficient production of oxidized terpenoids via engineering fusion proteins of terpene synthase and cytochrome P450, Metabol. Eng. (2021)
- “Optimization of the IPP-bypass mevalonate pathway and fed-batch fermentation for the production of isoprenol in Escherichia coli”, Metabol. Eng. (2019)
- “Redirecting metabolic flux via combinatorial multiplex CRISPRi-mediated repression for isopentenol production in E. coli” ACS Synth Biol. (2019)
- “Renewable production of high density jet fuel precursor sesquiterpenes from Escherichia coli”, Biotechnology for Biofuels (2018)
- “Integrated Analysis of Isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) Toxicity in Isoprenoid-producing Escherichia coli”, Metabol. Eng. (2018)
- “Insights into the Mechanism of Phenylacetate Decarboxylase (PhdB), a Toluene-Producing Glycyl Radical Enzyme” Chembiochem (2019)