earticle

영어

Shikimic acid (SA) is a hydroaromatic intermediate in the commom pathway of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. Due to its highly functionalized chiral characteristics, it has been recognized as an essential starting material for synthesizing neuramidase in hibitors (marketed as Tamiflu) which are effective in the treatment of influenza. The current state-of-the art for isolation of shikimic acid from the fruit of Illicium plants is cumbersome and costly, which eventually motivates the microbial production shikimic acid from renewable resource. (1) In this study, effects of various industrially important carbon sources (glucose, sucrose, xylose, gluconate and glycerol) on the SA biosynthesis in Escherichia coli were investigated to gain new insight into the metabolic capability for producing SA (2). Constraints-based flux analysis using the genome-scale in silico model of E. coli allows us to quantify the threoretical maximum SA yield. The corresponding flux distributions fueled by different carbon sources under investigation were compared with respect to theoretical yields and energy utilization. For the experimental observation, E coli in which the accumulation of SA can be facilitated by blocking the aromatic amino acid pathway were developed, and production of SA in this strain under various carbon sources was investigated through 5L fermentation.