Metabolic engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum: Unlocking its potential as a key cell factory platform for organic acid production

• Published in: Biotechnology advances 2024-12, Vol.77, p.108475, Article 108475
• Main Authors: Li, Ming-Hou, Li, Han, Zhang, Xue, Liang, Yu-Chen, Li, Cheng, Sun, Meng-Lin, Li, Kai, Liu, Chen-Guang, Sinskey, Anthony J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino acids; Amino Acids - metabolism; Biosynthesis; Corynebacterium glutamicum; Corynebacterium glutamicum - genetics; Corynebacterium glutamicum - metabolism; Metabolic engineering; Metabolic Engineering - methods; Metabolic Networks and Pathways - genetics; Organic acids
• ISSN: 0734-9750; 1873-1899; 1873-1899
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108475

Corynebacterium glutamicum, a well-studied industrial model microorganism, has garnered widespread attention due to its ability for producing amino acids with a long history. In recent years, research efforts have been increasingly focused on exploring its potential for producing various organic acids beyond amino acids. Organic acids, which are characterized by their acidic functional groups, have diverse applications across industries such as food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and biobased materials. Leveraging advancements in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, the metabolic pathways of C. glutamicum have been broadened to facilitate the production of numerous high-value organic acids. This review summarizes the recent progress in metabolic engineering for the production of both amino acids and other organic acids by C. glutamicum. Notably, these acids include, amino acids (lysine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine), TCA cycle-derived organic acids (succinic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid), aromatic organic acids (protocatechuate, 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid, anthranilate, and para-coumaric acid), and other organic acids (itaconic acid and cis, cis-muconic acid). •Systematic overview of recent advancements in the production of organic acids using C. glutamicum.•Comprehensive summary of the metabolic pathways involved in the biosynthesis of various organic acids in C. glutamicum.•Evaluation of the prospects and challenges associated with using C. glutamicum as a cell factory for organic acid production.