Abstract

Metabolic Engineering of Escherichia coli for Terpene Production

Jay D. Keasling

University of California, Berkeley

Objective:

•To engineer E. coli to produce plant terpenes

Approach:

	•Reconstitute mevalonate pathway from yeast
	•Balance expression of mevalonate pathway genes to maximize flux through the pathway
	•Synthesize plant genes with E. coli codon usage
	•Engineer native metabolism to maximize flux into pathway

Accomplishments:

	•Mevalonate pathway from yeast reconstituted and functional in E. coli
	•Several plant terpene genes synthesized with E. coli codon usage and functional when expressed in E. coli
	•105-107—fold improvement in terpene production by engineered E. coli: production currently at ~0.5 g/L.

Impact:

	•Inexpensive drugs, particularly the anti-malarial drug artemisinin, and flavors/fragrances
	•Novel terpenes not currently accessible in natural systems