Efficient production of 1,3-propanediol by psychrophile-based simple biocatalysts in Shewanella livingstonensis Ac10 and Shewanella frigidimarina DSM 12253.

Abstract 1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) is a valuable compound with a large potential market in many industries. This study aimed to evaluate the abilities of the Psychrophile-based Simple bioCatalyst (PSCat) reaction system to biosynthesize 1,3-PDO. This biocatalyst has a potential platform that replaces the chemical-based production counterparts. The two genes involved in the metabolic pathway were expressed both individually and together in the psychrophilic host bacterium. The intracellular metabolic flux was deactivated using heat treatment, at 45 °C for 15 min. After individual gene expression (25.0 mM), 1,3-PDO productivity of the cells increased by approximately 2.5 times, in comparison to when genes were expressed together (10.2 mM). Productivity was boosted (31.1 mM) when the cofactor regeneration system was activated in the biocatalyst. Hence, both the ability of individual gene expression and the cofactor regeneration system were verified in the PSCat approach. Nonetheless, further research is necessary to develop and optimize this process for industrial production.