Award details

Microbial conversion of lignin to monomers for bio-based plastics using synthetic biology (MILIMO)

Reference	BB/T010622/1
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Timothy Bugg
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Warwick
Department	Chemistry
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	369,298
Status	Current
Type	Research Grant
Start date	02/03/2020
End date	01/06/2023
Duration	39 months

Abstract

This project will seek to enhance the yields of 2,4- and 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acids (PDCA) from lignin, to the point where a commercially feasible method of production could be developed. The project will use synthetic biology methods to enhance the rate of lignin oxidation in two lignin-degrading bacteria: Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 and Pseudomonas putidaKT2440. Enhancements in PDCA yield will also be sought via conversion of hydroxycinnamic acids or the cellulose fraction of pretreated lignocellulose into PDCA monomers. Synthetic biology will also be used to redesign the metabolic pathways of Pseudomonas putidaKT2440 in order to optimise flux from G- or S-type lignin along specialised pathways to PDCA monomers. Microbial consortia will also be investigated for the conversion of lignin into PDCA monomers, mimicking the situation in soil where consortia of lignin-degrading specialists and cellulose-degrading specialists co-operate in order to break down lignocellulosic biomass. Hence the engineered G- and S-specialist degraders will be co-cultured with lignin-degrading L-specialists, or with other lignin-degrading micro-organisms. Specialist cellulose degraders will also be co-cultured in order to release glucose that could also be channelled to PDCA monomers by our engineered microbes. Having developed high-yielding processes on a small scale under laboratory conditions, the biocatalytic process will be scaled up to yield an efficient fermentation-based method for conversion of lignin or lignocellulose feedstocks to PDCA monomers, that could be commercialised by Biome Bioplastics.

Summary

There is a societal need in EU countries to develop new types of bio-plastics that could be used to replace current petroleum-based plastics for a range of packaging applications. The industrial partner in this Project, Biome Bioplastics Ltd (UK), has been developing new polyester plastics containing replacements for terephthalic acid used in petroleum-based plastics such as PET or PBAT. Professor Bugg and Biome Bioplastics have developed a biocatalytic route from the biopolymer lignin, found in plant cell walls, to 2,4- and 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, which can be used as biobased replacements for terephthalic acid. This project will seek to enhance the yields of 2,4-PDCA and 2,5-PDCA from lignin, to the point where a commercially feasible method of production could be developed. The project will use synthetic biology methods to enhance the rate of lignin oxidation in two lignin-degrading bacteria: Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 and Pseudomonas putida KT2440. We will also aim to convert hydroxycinnamic acids or the cellulose fraction of lignocellulose into PDCA monomers. Synthetic biology will also be used to redesign the metabolic pathways of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 in order to optimise the production of PDCA monomers from different plant feedstocks. We will also investigate the use of consortia of different lignocelluose-degrading bacteria for the conversion of lignin into PDCA monomers, mimicking the situation in soil where consortia of lignin-degrading specialists and cellulose-degrading specialists co-operate in order to break down lignocellulosic biomass. Having developed a high-yield process for production of PDCAs on a small scale under laboratory conditions, the biocatalytic process will be scaled up to yield an efficient fermentation-based method for conversion of lignin or lignocellulose feedstocks to PDCA monomers, that could be commercialised by Biome Bioplastics.

Impact Summary

The Project has an industrial partner (not eligible for funding under this Call), Biome Bioplastics Ltd, who are seeking to develop new bio-based plastics based upon PDCA monomers. The aim of this study is to develop a biocatalytic process for production of PDCAs from lignin or lignocellulose, that will then be commercialised by Biome Bioplastics Ltd. We therefore have a clear route to commercialisation for this work.

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Industrial Biotechnology, Microbiology, Synthetic Biology
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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