Biosynthesis of Monomers for Plastics from Renewable Oils

Abstract

Omega-hydroxyfatty acids are excellent monomers for synthesizing a unique family of polyethylene-like biobased plastics. However, ω-hydroxyfatty acids are difficult and expensive to prepare by traditional organic synthesis, precluding their use in commodity materials. Here we report the engineering of a strain of the diploid yeast Candida tropicalis to produce commercially viable yields of ω-hydroxyfatty acids. To develop the strain we identified and eliminated 16 genes encoding 6 cytochrome P450s, 4 fatty alcohol oxidases, and 6 alcohol dehydrogenases from the C. tropicalis genome. We also show that fatty acids with different chain lengths and degrees of unsaturation can be more efficiently oxidized by expressing different P450s within this strain background. Biocatalysis using engineered C. tropicalis is thus a potentially attractive biocatalytic platform for producing commodity chemicals from renewable resources.

Process limitations of a whole-cell P450 catalyzed reaction using a CYP153A-CPR fusion construct expressed in Escherichia coli

“…The utilization of n-alkanes or fatty acids by the yeast Candida tropicalis enables the transformation of this carbon source into the corresponding ω-OHFAs and α,ω-DCAs by CYP52 (Lu et al 2010). Significant strain engineering has been performed on the eukaryotic Candida and Yarrowia strains to reach high titers of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids from n-alkane and fatty acid by avoiding the channeling of substrate and product into the β-oxidation cycle (Craft et al 2003).…”

Aliphatic Long‐Chain C20 Polyesters from Olefin Metathesis

“…By modification of yeast strains, the C 14 v-hydroxy fatty acid can also be obtained selectively. [7] An entirely chemical route is represented by isomerizing alkoxycarbonylation [8] of unsaturated fatty acids. [9] Polymerization grade purity C 19 and C 23 a,v-dicarboxylic acid esters were generated from methyl oleate and ethyl erucate, respectively.…”

Recent Strategies for the Development of Biosourced-Monomers, Oligomers and Polymers-Based Materials: A Review with an Innovation and a Bigger Data Focus

“…Typically, raw castor oil is hydrolyzed to give ricinoleic acid, which in turn is converted to sebacic acid in a reaction with potassium or sodium hydroxide at high temperature [173]. The 1,12-dodecanedioic can be potentially obtained by an ω-oxidation process of lauric acid catalyzed by yeast strain [174]. Undecane-1,11-dicarboxylic acid and 11-aminoundecanoic acid appear to be potential monomers, too [175].…”