Metabolic engineering of Zymomonas mobilis for anaerobic isobutanol production

Abstract

This study demonstrated that overexpression of <i>kdcA</i> in combination with a synthetic heterologous operon, <i>als</i>-<i>ilvC</i>-<i>ilvD</i>, is crucial for diverting pyruvate from ethanol production for enhanced isobutanol biosynthesis. Moreover, this study also provides a strategy for harnessing the valine metabolic pathway for future production of other pyruvate-derived biochemicals in <i>Z. mobilis</i>.