Creation of modular cell factory for the production of high value chemicals towards Null-pollution

Towards a better future with less pollution, better life quality for humans, animals and plants and more sustainable high-value chemicals under a modular biological system.

Microorganisms (Clostridium sp.) will be the driving force, and carbon dioxide (CO2) will be the fuel required to grow and produce the high-value chemicals. The modularity will allow the same organism to act as a multi-product factory, based on the benefit and requirements. We aim to select the Clostridium sp. based on their ability to capture CO2.

Enzymes involved in CO2 metabolism will be subjected to improvement; either the same enzymes will be mutated or substituted by a better biocatalyst from the natural inventory.

Once satisfactory CO2 utilization/organism growth levels are achieved, designed constructs targeting specific pathways will be transformed into the recombinant organism to validate their modularity. We have selected bioplastic and butanol as the target model products. Consequently, new genes will be assembled into a single plasmid and subsequently transformed into the microorganism.

The product levels and efficiency of the new system will be evaluated.