辅因子在微生物细胞工厂中的代谢调控与应用*

生物体中大部分酶催化反应都需要辅因子参与,辅因子平衡对维持正常的细胞代谢至关重要,而辅因子失衡则会导致细胞生长和生产的紊乱。在微生物细胞工厂的构建中,通过调节辅因子代谢平衡来提高产物合成途径的效率,从而调控细胞生长与产物生产,使代谢流能够最大限度地流向目标产物,已经成为代谢调控的重要手段。目前常见的用于代谢调控的辅因子有NAD(P)H/NAD(P)⁺、辅酶、ATP/ADP等。围绕这几种辅因子的代谢途径及功能分类进行了综述,并总结了微生物中不同产物利用辅因子平衡策略进行合成调控的研究,以期为各类化合物的高效生物合成提供参考。     

工业微生物中NADH的代谢调控

NADH是微生物代谢网络中的一种关键辅因子。调节微生物胞内NADH的形式与浓度是定向改变和优化微生物细胞代谢功能, 实现代谢流最大化、快速化地导向目标代谢产物的重要手段之一。以下在详尽总结了NADH生理功能的基础上, 从生化工程(添加外源电子受体、不同氧化还原态底物及NAD合成前体物, 调节培养环境和氧化还原电势)和代谢工程(过量表达NADH代谢相关酶、缺失NADH竞争途径及引入NADH外源代谢途径)两方面分析、归纳了NADH代谢调控策略, 进而凝练出调控NADH/NAD+比率调节微生物细胞代谢功能研究方面亟待解决的3个科学问题及可能的解决途径。     

微生物辅因子工程研究进展

微生物细胞中的大部分酶促反应都需要各种辅因子的参与,辅因子平衡对维持细胞内的生化反应稳态非常重要,辅因子供应不足会导致细胞生长和化合物生产的紊乱。近年来,辅因子在生化反应过程中的关键作用备受关注,但由于其价格较昂贵、稳定性差,因此限制了辅因子工程的发展。合成生物学和代谢工程的发展为辅因子的可持续供应提供了可行的解决方案,多种加强辅因子供应的策略有效地推动了目标化合物的生物合成。其中,烟酰胺类辅因子NAD(P)⁺、NAD(P)H是微生物代谢过程中最常见的氧化还原辅因子,它们在所有生物体内作为重要的电子受体或供体推动合成与分解代谢反应,对维持胞内氧化还原动态平衡起着决定性作用。从NAD(P)H的主要来源和NAD(P)⁺/NAD(P)H的平衡对天然产物生物合成中的影响出发,重点从三个不同维度讨论辅因子工程策略,综述代谢途径调节、外源氧化还原酶的引入、蛋白质工程等多种辅因子再生策略的最新研究进展及应用,展望辅因子代谢工程在生物合成中的未来发展方向。     

微生物辅因子平衡的代谢调控

辅因子平衡对于酶制剂、药品和化学品的生产具有重要的作用。为了满足工业化生产的需求,维持辅因子长期有效的平衡是实现代谢流高效化导向目标代谢产物的必要手段。本文在总结辅因子生理功能的基础上,从生化工程和代谢工程两方面分析归纳了辅因子的代谢调控策略,并展望了辅因子进一步精深调控的发展方向。     

辅助能量物质强化环磷酸腺苷发酵合成机制 *

微生物代谢过程中,环磷酸腺苷(cAMP)由ATP直接环化形成,强化ATP合成有利于产物的积累。在分批发酵24h添加3g/L-broth丙酮酸钠(辅助能量物质),cAMP浓度达到4.13g/L,比对照批次提高了24.4%,发酵性能得到明显改善。对关键酶活性及能量代谢水平的测定结果表明,由于丙酮酸钠的添加,丙酮酸激酶的活性显著下降,而6-磷酸葡萄糖脱氢酶、琥珀腺苷酸合成酶和腺苷酸环化酶等产物合成途径中酶的活性均明显提高;异柠檬酸脱氢酶、琥珀酸脱氢酶和呼吸链脱氢酶等酶活性,以及辅因子NADH/NAD ⁺、ATP/AMP均明显提高。表明添加丙酮酸钠改变了糖酵解和磷酸戊糖途径间的碳流分配,使更多碳流向产物合成途径,同时提高了整体能量代谢水平,更利于ATP的生成,为产物的合成提供了物质和能量基础,进而促进了cAMP的合成与积累。     

辅助能量物质强化环磷酸腺苷发酵合成机制

微生物代谢过程中,环磷酸腺苷(cAMP)由ATP直接环化形成,强化ATP合成有利于产物的积累。在分批发酵24h添加3g/L-broth丙酮酸钠(辅助能量物质),cAMP浓度达到4. 13g/L,比对照批次提高了24. 4%,发酵性能得到明显改善。对关键酶活性及能量代谢水平的测定结果表明,由于丙酮酸钠的添加,丙酮酸激酶的活性显著下降,而6-磷酸葡萄糖脱氢酶、琥珀腺苷酸合成酶和腺苷酸环化酶等产物合成途径中酶的活性均明显提高;异柠檬酸脱氢酶、琥珀酸脱氢酶和呼吸链脱氢酶等酶活性,以及辅因子NADH/NAD+、ATP/AMP均明显提高。表明添加丙酮酸钠改变了糖酵解和磷酸戊糖途径间的碳流分配,使更多碳流向产物合成途径,同时提高了整体能量代谢水平,更利于ATP的生成,为产物的合成提供了物质和能量基础,进而促进了cAMP的合成与积累。     

代谢物生物传感器:微生物细胞工厂构建中的合成生物学工具

代谢物生物传感器作为重要的合成生物学工具,能够感应细胞内代谢物浓度的变化,转化为特定信号输出,在微生物细胞工厂的构建中显现出巨大的应用潜力。其主要组成部分通常包括生物识别元件和信号输出元件,前者来源于自然界中丰富的调控元件,如转录因子、核糖开关等,有着不同的响应机理,后者可以为荧光信号、生长优势、特定代谢通路的开闭等,取决于应用所需。着重介绍了近年来代谢物生物传感器在微生物细胞工厂构建中的应用实例,主要包括目标化合物菌株的高通量筛选、选择、胞内代谢动态调控和非遗传异质性选择,同时也着重讨论了代谢物生物传感器的性能对于应用的影响和在实际应用中可能面临的机遇与挑战。     

质膜钙离子ATP酶

钙离子(Ca2+)是重要的第二信使,通过与效应蛋白的结合和解离,以及在不同细胞器之间的穿梭运动而精确调控细胞活动,参与多种重要生命过程。细胞内具有精确调节Ca2+时空分布的调控系统。在静息状态下,细胞内的游离Ca2+浓度约为100 nmol/L;而当细胞受到信号刺激后,胞内的Ca2+浓度可上升至1000 nmol/L甚至更高。细胞中存在多种跨膜运送Ca2+的膜蛋白,以精确调节Ca2+浓度的时空动态变化,其中,细胞质膜上的多种Ca2+通道(包括电压门控通道、受体门控通道、储存控制通道等),以及内质网/肌质网和线粒体等胞内"钙库"膜上的雷诺丁受体、三磷酸肌醇受体等膜蛋白复合物,均可提升胞内Ca2+浓度,而细胞质膜上的钠钙交换体、质膜Ca2+-ATP酶、"钙库"膜上的内质网Ca2+-ATP酶、线粒体Ca2+单向转运体等,可将Ca2+浓度降低至静息态水平。质膜钙ATP酶是向细胞外运送Ca2+的关键膜蛋白,本文将对其结构、功能及其酶活性的调控机制做一简要综述。     

大肠杆菌NAD+合成关键酶的克隆表达及发酵优化

【目的】烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸(NAD~+)在细胞基因表达、氧化还原反应、能量代谢以及调控细胞生命周期中具有重要的作用,其细胞内含量是能量效率的关键因素。强化辅因子合成策略,获得高产NAD~+菌株,对于NAD~+依赖型氧化还原反应的速率和调节相关生化合成途径的代谢流具有重要意义。【方法】首先通过内源性调节,对代谢途径中的关键酶基因进行强化,过量表达和共表达NAD~+合成途径中的关键酶基因pncB、nadD和nadE;其次,通过外源调节增加NAD~+前体物,优化诱导条件提高发酵过程中关键酶的表达量,增加NAD~+的合成量;最后在单因素优化试验的基础上,以NAD~+含量为响应值,采用Box-Bohnken试验设计方法,研究3个显著性影响因素相互作用对NAD~+积累量的影响,确定最佳的优化条件。【结果】根据关键酶基因强化策略,构建了7株重组菌,其中重组菌E.coli BL21/p ET-21a-nad E-pncB胞内NAD~+含量相比初始菌株E.coli BL21/pET-21a提高了405.2%。通过对该菌株诱导条件和NAD~+合成前体的优化,使用Design Expert 8.0分析实验数据,得出该重组菌株的最佳发酵条件为:诱导温度控制在15–20 oC,OD_(600)为0.6–0.8时添加IPTG 0.63 mmol/L、烟酸15.8 mg/L、诱导时长控制在24 h。NAD~+含量在最优条件下实验验证值可达43.16μmol/g DCW,与优化前相比提高了123.6%,与初始菌株相比提高了1029.8%。【结论】在大肠杆菌中共表达关键酶基因pncB和nadE,胞内NAD~+合成量明显增加,前体物以及诱导条件的外源调节使NAD~+积累量达到最佳优化值。实现了提高NAD~+含量的目标,胞内辅因子浓度的增加为提高生物催化效率奠定了可行性基础。     

赖氨酸乙酰化调控细胞代谢的机制

赖氨酸乙酰化是一种重要的翻译后修饰。细胞内的蛋白质,特别是代谢酶,广泛受乙酰化修饰的调控。乙酰化修饰由乙酰化酶和去乙酰化酶调节,对细胞的物质代谢和能量稳态进行多层次、复杂而又精细的调控。乙酰化酶和去乙酰化酶活性的发挥依赖中间代谢产物,且多种代谢物能够调控乙酰化酶和去乙酰化酶的催化活力。因此,乙酰化修饰是调控细胞代谢的重要机制。此外,乙酰化修饰能够调节自噬和营养物质感受通路,从而调控细胞的物质和能量稳态;乙酰化修饰对组蛋白的调节则能根据细胞的营养状态在表观遗传水平改变基因的表达,使细胞高效地应对不同的营养和压力状态。乙酰化修饰与代谢相关疾病的发生发展具有重要联系,对乙酰化调控的研究将极大增进人们对细胞代谢、表观遗传等生命活动的认识。     

Progress and perspective on cyanobacterial glycogen metabolism engineering

As important oxygenic photoautotrophs, cyanobacteria are also generally considered as one of the most promising microbial chassis for photosynthetic biomanufacturing. Diverse synthetic biology and metabolic engineering approaches have been developed to enable the efficient harnessing of carbon and energy flow toward the synthesis of desired metabolites in cyanobacterial cell factories. Glycogen metabolism works as the most important natural carbon sink mechanism and reserve carbon source, storing a large portion of carbon and energy from the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle, and thus is traditionally recognized as a promising engineering target to optimize the efficacy of cyanobacterial cell factories. Multiple strategies and approaches have been designed and adopted to engineer glycogen metabolism in cyanobacteria, leading to the successful regulation of glycogen synthesis and storage contents in cyanobacteria cells. However, disturbed glycogen metabolism results in weakened cellular physiological functionalities, thereby diminishing the robustness of metabolism. In addition, the effects of glycogen removal as a metabolic engineering strategy to enhance photosynthetic biosynthesis are still controversial. This review focuses on the efforts and effects of glycogen metabolism engineering on the physiology and metabolism of cyanobacterial chassis strains and cell factories. The perspectives and prospects provided herein are expected to inspire novel strategies and tools to achieve ideal control over carbon and energy flow for biomanufacturing.     

Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli: increase of NADH availability by overexpressing an NAD(+)-dependent formate dehydrogenase

Metabolic engineering studies have generally focused on manipulating enzyme levels through either the amplification, addition, or deletion of a particular pathway. However, with cofactor-dependent production systems, once the enzyme levels are no longer limiting, cofactor availability and the ratio of the reduced to oxidized form of the cofactor can become limiting. Under these situations, cofactor manipulation may become crucial in order to further increase system productivity. Although it is generally known that cofactors play a major role in the production of different fermentation products, their role has not been thoroughly and systematically studied. However, cofactor manipulations can potentially become a powerful tool for metabolic engineering. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) functions as a cofactor in over 300 oxidation-reduction reactions and regulates various enzymes and genetic processes. The NADH/NAD+ cofactor pair plays a major role in microbial catabolism, in which a carbon source, such as glucose, is oxidized using NAD+ producing reducing equivalents in the form of NADH. It is crucially important for continued cell growth that NADH be oxidized to NAD+ and a redox balance be achieved. Under aerobic growth, oxygen is used as the final electron acceptor. While under anaerobic growth, and in the absence of an alternate oxidizing agent, the regeneration of NAD+ is achieved through fermentation by using NADH to reduce metabolic intermediates. Therefore, an increase in the availability of NADH is expected to have an effect on the metabolic distribution. This paper investigates a genetic means of manipulating the availability of intracellular NADH in vivo by regenerating NADH through the heterologous expression of an NAD(+)-dependent formate dehydrogenase. More specifically, it explores the effect on the metabolic patterns in Escherichia coli under anaerobic and aerobic conditions of substituting the native cofactor-independent formate dehydrogenase (FDH) by and NAD(+)-dependent FDH from Candida boidinii. The over-expression of the NAD(+)-dependent FDH doubled the maximum yield of NADH from 2 to 4 mol NADH/mol glucose consumed, increased the final cell density, and provoked a significant change in the final metabolite concentration pattern both anaerobically and aerobically. Under anaerobic conditions, the production of more reduced metabolites was favored, as evidenced by a dramatic increase in the ethanol-to-acetate ratio. Even more interesting is the observation that during aerobic growth, the increased availability of NADH induced a shift to fermentation even in the presence of oxygen by stimulating pathways that are normally inactive under these conditions.     

Improved production of 2,3-butanediol and isobutanol by engineering electron transport chain in Escherichia coli

The electron transport chain (ETC) is one of the major energy generation pathways in microorganisms under aerobic condition. Higher yield of ATP can be achieved through oxidative phosphorylation with consumption of NADH than with substrate level phosphorylation. However, most value-added metabolites are in an electrochemically reduced state, which requires reducing equivalent NADH as a cofactor. Therefore, optimal production of value-added metabolites should be balanced with ETC in terms of energy production. In this study, we attempted to reduce the activity of ETC to secure availability of NADH. The ETC mutants exhibited poor growth rate and production of fermentative metabolites compared to parental strain. Introduction of heterologous pathways for synthesis of 2,3-butanediol and isobutanol to ETC mutants resulted in increased titres and yields of the metabolites. ETC mutants yielded higher NADH/NAD⁺ ratio but similar ATP content than that by the parental strain. Furthermore, ETC mutants operated fermentative metabolism pathways independent of oxygen supply in large-scale fermenter, resulting in increased yield and titre of 2,3-butanediol. Thus, engineering of ETC is a useful metabolic engineering approach for production of reduced metabolites.     

Cofactor engineering for more efficient production of chemicals and biofuels

Cofactors are involved in numerous intracellular reactions and critically influence redox balance and cellular metabolism. Cofactor engineering can support and promote the biocatalysis process, even help driving thermodynamically unfavorable reactions forwards. To achieve efficient production of chemicals and biofuels, cofactor engineering strategies such as altering cofactor supply or modifying reactants' cofactor preference have been developed to maintain redox balance. This review focuses primarily on the effects of cofactor engineering on carbon and energy metabolism. Coupling carbon metabolism with cofactor engineering can promote large-scale production, and even offer possibilities for producing new products or converting new materials.     

Control of glycolytic flux in directed biosynthesis of uridine-phosphoryl compounds through the manipulation of ATP availability

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the most important energy source for metabolic reactions and pathways, plays a vital role in control of metabolic flux. Considering the importance of ATP in regulation of the glycolytic pathway, the use of ATP-oriented manipulation is a rational and efficient route to regulate metabolic flux. In this paper, a series of efficient ATP-oriented regulation methods, such as changing ambient temperature and altering reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), was developed. To satisfy the different demand for ATP at different phases in directed biosynthesis of uridine-phosphoryl compounds, a multiphase ATP supply regulation strategy was also used to enhance to yield of target metabolites.     

Inverse metabolic engineering with phosphagen kinase systems improves the cellular energy state

Inverse metabolic engineering attempts to identify or construct desired phenotypes of applied interest to endow them on appropriate host organisms. A particular desirable phenotype is the ATP homeostasis exhibited by animal cells with high and variable ATP turnover through temporal and spatial energy buffering. This buffering is achieved by phosphagen kinase systems that consist of a specific kinase and its cognate phosphagen, which functions as a large pool of 'high-energy phosphates' that are used to replenish ATP during periods of high energetic demand. This review discusses recent advances and potentials of inverse metabolic engineering of cell types that do not normally contain such systems--bacteria, yeast, plants, and liver--with creatine or arginine kinase systems. Examples are discussed that illustrate how microbial metabolism can be tailored for large-scale industrial processes with imperfect mixing and how the liver can be protected from metabolic insults or stimulated for better regeneration.     

形态工程在生物基化学品生产中的应用进展

合成生物学和代谢工程是构建微生物细胞工厂、实现化学品绿色生物制造的重要方法,目前主要集中在微生物代谢网络的改造及调控上,很少考虑到微生物细胞特性的影响.形态工程通过改造微生物细胞形态相关蛋白,有目的地对微生物细胞形态及分裂方式进行合理调控,从而优化微生物细胞的特性,是降低生物炼制成本的一种新兴生物工程技术.文中首先介绍...