Systems and synthetic metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for GLYCINE bioproduction by fermentation – G-BIOFERM

same as above

The project has generated a large number of results which, on the one hand, will be used to consolidate IP and are therefore currently submitted for patent deposition. Thus , specific results from this project cannot be disclosed at this stage.

On the other hand, these results have demonstrated the feasibility of the process and therefore the possibility of industrial development.

Given the promising results of this project, the industrial partner has decided to continue the project, with a first objective to consolidate with the collaboration of INSA/ TWB its IP rights for the fementation process of glycine.

Then according to these adavnces and results, the manufacturer will eventually seek to involve other public and industrial partners who can contribute their technical expertise in the hope of bringing the process to industrial scale by 2030-2032.

GLYCINE is one of the twenty-two genetically encoded amino acids required for protein synthesis in all living systems. Although not considered as an essential amino acid, it is of increasing interest in the nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry with a production > 22000 tons in 2018 and a estimated compound annual growth rate (CGAR) of 6,8% between 2020 and 2030. Commercialized glycine is currently exclusively produced by chemical means from fossil precursors. The aim of the G-BIOFERM project is to establish the foreground of a glycine production by microbial fermentation from renewable carbon sources, as a green and economically viable alternative. While we recently established the proof of concept of glycine bioproduction routes, we identified three major bottlenecks that must be unlocked in order to make this biotechnological process of glycine industrially attractive and economically viable. These bottlenecks which will be addressed in this G-BIOFERM are (i) the low catalytic efficiency of a key enzyme whose is critically important to reach optimal yield from sugars, (II) the apparent lack of glycine exporter and (iii) the high toxicity of glycine to the microbial cells. These bottlenecks will be addressed by combining systems and synthetic approaches, involving expertise in enzyme modelling, metabolic and strains engineering and fermentation process, with the full commitment of young French SME whose business model is to sell exclusively bio-based food supplements to its customers. The G-BIOFERM is therefore strategic and in full adequacy with the axis H.7 of the AAPG22 call: “Bioéconomie, de la biomasse aux usages” and will also perfectly meet society's expectations in terms of carbon neutrality, with a clean green product in the spirit of the French industrial revival supporting its small and medium-sized enterprises..