Project Info

Using Artificial Enzymes to Expand the Range of Biosynthesized Chemicals

Dylan Domaille | ddomaille@mines.edu
Graduate Student: Kelsey Stewart | kelseystewart@mymail.mines.edu

Microbial production of high-volume chemicals and liquid biofuels are critical components of renewable energy portfolios, but current technology for their production is not cost-competitive with fossil fuel-based processes. Despite major advances in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, it remains challenging to rapidly re-wire microbial metabolism to deliver high levels of target products. We are designing bio-hybrid systems that combine synthetic catalysts, which act as artificial enzymes, and living microbes in single-flask systems to expand the types of chemicals that can be made through biosynthetic processes. A recent publication, which was co-authored by a MURF student, provides a solid foundation to build upon.

The goal of this project is to use an engineered strain of E. coli in combination with chemical catalysts to convert glucose to an industrially relevant product in a single flask. The student will screen different catalysts in a simulated system, and then explore the catalyst efficiency in the presence of engineered E. coli. Product yields and titers will be measured as a function of catalyst, time, and media composition. Optimized conditions will be scaled to 1 L reactions. E. coli health will be assayed through plate assays.

Relevant publications:
1) https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06663
2) https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5b01590

Grand Challenge: Develop carbon sequestration methods