Korean researchers ferment C5 platform chemicals

In Korea, a research team led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology applied systems metabolic engineering approach to develop recombinant Escherichia coli for the production of 5-aminovaleric acid and glutaric acid, the promising C5 platform chemicals, by fermentation.

A recombinant E. coli expressing DavB and DavA produced 5AVA using L-lysine as a direct precursor, and another recombinant E. coli expressing DavB, DavA, GabT, and GabD produced glutaric acid from L-lysine. Finally, the L-lysine biosynthetic pathway of E. coli was systematically engineered to produce 5AVA from glucose.

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