Scientists Engineer E.Coli to produce key precursor of spandex
Scientists from the company Genomica have genetically engineered E.Coli to produce 1,4-Butanediol (BDO), a key chemical in the production of Spandex, clothing of choice for superheroes, glam rockers and 80′s disco enthusiasts.
The work, published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, has the potential to drastically change the way BDO is produced. Currently one million metric tons are produced per year and all of this is derived from oil and natural gas. Almost half of the BDO produced globally is dehydrated to produce Tetrahydrofuran. This can then be polymerised to polytetramethylene oxide, the primary use of which is in fibres such as spandex.
The researchers faced several challenges whilst trying to produce their engineered bacteria. The first of which being identifying a synthesis mechanism, as there is no known naturally occurring biological synthesis pathway for BDO. Instead they had to compute all potential pathways from the typical E. coli metabolites to BDO. The computer algorithm they used identified over 10,000 four-six step pathways that could result in synthesis of BDO from common metabolites, including acetyl-CoA, succinyl-CoA and glutamate. (…)
Source: ht.lyAdded: 7 August 2012
