Production of a Terpenoid-Based Aviation Biofuel, Bisabolane from Metabolically Engineered Escherichia Coli

Abstract

Growing concerns about global energy security, the limited availability of world petroleum reserves, and the significant effects of climate change have led to an increasing need for the development of sustainable and renewable biofuel resources. Here, we pioneer the fermentative production of bisabolane, a promising bio-based alternative to conventional aviation fuel, using metabolically engineered Escherichia coli. Central to our novel approach is the utilization of a natural sesquiterpene, γ-curcumene, as a precursor to produce bisabolane. We first identified a novel γ-curcumene synthase derived from guayule (Parthenium argentatum) and introduced it to E. coli expressing heterologous mevalonate pathway enzymes to produce γ-curcumene. The engineered E. coli strain yielded significant production of γ-curcumene, achieving up to 1.1 g/L. We then chemically hydrogenated the biosynthetic γ-curcumene into bisabolane. By unlocking the synthetic capabilities of microbial systems, this study contributes a significant leap toward the viability of terpenoid-based biofuels, marking a milestone in the field of sustainable energy.

Keywords: terpenoids, Biofuel, γ-curcumene, γ-curcumene synthase, mevalonate pathway, bisabolene