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Title: Augmenting the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle by a synthetic malyl-CoA-glycerate carbon fixation pathway

Abstract

The Calvin–Benson–Bassham (CBB) cycle is presumably evolved for optimal synthesis of C3 sugars, but not for the production of C2 metabolite acetyl-CoA. The carbon loss in producing acetyl-CoA from decarboxylation of C3 sugar limits the maximum carbon yield of photosynthesis. Here we design a synthetic malyl-CoA-glycerate (MCG) pathway to augment the CBB cycle for efficient acetyl-CoA synthesis. This pathway converts a C3 metabolite to two acetyl-CoA by fixation of one additional CO2 equivalent, or assimilates glyoxylate, a photorespiration intermediate, to produce acetyl-CoA without net carbon loss. We first functionally demonstrate the design of the MCG pathway in vitro and in Escherichia coli. We then implement the pathway in a photosynthetic organism Synechococcus elongates PCC7942, and show that it increases the intracellular acetyl-CoA pool and enhances bicarbonate assimilation by roughly 2-fold. This work provides a strategy to improve carbon fixation efficiency in photosynthetic organisms.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
  2. Academia Sinica, Taipei (Taiwan)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
OSTI Identifier:
1500021
Grant/Contract Number:  
AR0000201; FC03-02ER63421
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 9; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Citation Formats

Yu, Hong, Li, Xiaoqian, Duchoud, Fabienne, Chuang, Derrick S., and Liao, James C. Augmenting the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle by a synthetic malyl-CoA-glycerate carbon fixation pathway. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1038/s41467-018-04417-z.
Yu, Hong, Li, Xiaoqian, Duchoud, Fabienne, Chuang, Derrick S., & Liao, James C. Augmenting the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle by a synthetic malyl-CoA-glycerate carbon fixation pathway. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-04417-z
Yu, Hong, Li, Xiaoqian, Duchoud, Fabienne, Chuang, Derrick S., and Liao, James C. Tue . "Augmenting the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle by a synthetic malyl-CoA-glycerate carbon fixation pathway". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-04417-z. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1500021.
@article{osti_1500021,
title = {Augmenting the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle by a synthetic malyl-CoA-glycerate carbon fixation pathway},
author = {Yu, Hong and Li, Xiaoqian and Duchoud, Fabienne and Chuang, Derrick S. and Liao, James C.},
abstractNote = {The Calvin–Benson–Bassham (CBB) cycle is presumably evolved for optimal synthesis of C3 sugars, but not for the production of C2 metabolite acetyl-CoA. The carbon loss in producing acetyl-CoA from decarboxylation of C3 sugar limits the maximum carbon yield of photosynthesis. Here we design a synthetic malyl-CoA-glycerate (MCG) pathway to augment the CBB cycle for efficient acetyl-CoA synthesis. This pathway converts a C3 metabolite to two acetyl-CoA by fixation of one additional CO2 equivalent, or assimilates glyoxylate, a photorespiration intermediate, to produce acetyl-CoA without net carbon loss. We first functionally demonstrate the design of the MCG pathway in vitro and in Escherichia coli. We then implement the pathway in a photosynthetic organism Synechococcus elongates PCC7942, and show that it increases the intracellular acetyl-CoA pool and enhances bicarbonate assimilation by roughly 2-fold. This work provides a strategy to improve carbon fixation efficiency in photosynthetic organisms.},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-018-04417-z},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = 1,
volume = 9,
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {5}
}

Journal Article:
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Cited by: 58 works
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Figures / Tables:

Table 1 Table 1: Comparison of different pathway combinations for synthesizing each acetyl-CoA from CO2 equivalents

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Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.