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Pathway engineering strategies for production of beneficial carotenoids in microbial hosts

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Abstract

Carotenoids, such as lycopene, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin and astaxanthin have many benefits for human health. In addition to the functional role of carotenoids as vitamin A precursors, adequate consumption of carotenoids prevents the development of a variety of serious diseases. Biosynthesis of carotenoids is a complex process and it starts with the common isoprene precursors. Condensation of these precursors and subsequent modifications, by introducing hydroxyl- and keto-groups, leads to the generation of diversified carotenoid structures. To improve carotenoid production, metabolic engineering has been explored in bacteria, yeast, and algae. The success of the pathway engineering effort depends on the host metabolism, specific enzymes used, the enzyme expression levels, and the strategies employed. Despite the difficulty of pathway engineering for carotenoid production, great progress has been made over the past decade. We review metabolic engineering approaches used in a variety of microbial hosts for carotenoid biosynthesis. These advances will greatly expedite our efforts to bring the health benefits of carotenoids and other nutritional compounds to our diet.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the faculty and students of the University of Southern California’s Institute for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Research, and the faculty and students of the Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, for their support of innovative engineering approaches. The authors also thank Peter J. Gillies, Ernst J. Schaefer, and Jack Vanden Heuvel for helpful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA

    Victor M. Ye

  2. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

    Sujata K. Bhatia

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  1. Victor M. Ye
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  2. Sujata K. Bhatia
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Correspondence to Sujata K. Bhatia.

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Ye, V.M., Bhatia, S.K. Pathway engineering strategies for production of beneficial carotenoids in microbial hosts. Biotechnol Lett 34, 1405–1414 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-0921-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-0921-8

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