Diverse hydrocarbon biosynthetic enzymes can substitute for olefin synthase in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002

Knoot, Cory J.; Pakrasi, Himadri B.

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-38124-y

Title: Diverse hydrocarbon biosynthetic enzymes can substitute for olefin synthase in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002

Journal Article · 03 February 2019 · Scientific Reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-38124-y · OSTI ID:1611939

Knoot, Cory J. ^[1]; Pakrasi, Himadri B. ^[2]

Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States); DOE/OSTI
Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)

Cyanobacteria are among only a few organisms that naturally synthesize long-chain alkane and alkene hydrocarbons. Cyanobacteria use one of two pathways to synthesize alka/enes, either acyl-ACP reductase (Aar) and aldehyde deformylating oxygenase (Ado) or olefin synthase (Ols). The genomes of cyanobacteria encode one of these pathways but never both, suggesting a mutual exclusivity. We studied hydrocarbon pathway compatibility using the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 (S7002) by co-expressing Ado/Aar and Ols and by entirely replacing Ols with three other types of hydrocarbon biosynthetic pathways. We find that Ado/Aar and Ols can co-exist and that slower growth occurs only when Ado/Aar are overexpressed at 38 °C. Furthermore, Ado/Aar and the non-cyanobacterial enzymes UndA and fatty acid photodecarboxylase are able to substitute for Ols in a knockout strain and conditionally rescue slow growth. Production of hydrocarbons by UndA in S7002 required a rational mutation to increase substrate range. Expression of the non-native enzymes in S7002 afforded unique hydrocarbon profiles and alka/enes not naturally produced by cyanobacteria. This suggests that the biosynthetic enzyme and the resulting types of hydrocarbons are not critical to supporting growth. Exchanging or mixing hydrocarbon pathways could enable production of novel types of CO₂-derived hydrocarbons in cyanobacteria.

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Research Organization:: Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012722

OSTI ID:: 1611939

Journal Information:: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 9; ISSN 2045-2322

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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