{"title":"Alpha ketoacid decarboxylases: Diversity, structures, reaction mechanisms, and applications for biomanufacturing of platform chemicals and fuels.","authors":"Khanh Ha, Seunghyun Ryu, Cong T Trinh","doi":"10.1016/j.biotechadv.2025.108531","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In living cells, alpha ketoacid decarboxylases (KDCs, EC 4.1.1.-) are a class of enzymes that convert alpha ketoacids into aldehydes through decarboxylation. These aldehydes serve as either drop-in chemicals or precursors for the biosynthesis of alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, and alkanes. These compounds play crucial roles in cellular metabolism and fitness and the bioeconomy, facilitating the sustainable and renewable biomanufacturing of platform chemicals and fuels. This review explores the diversity and classification of KDCs, detailing their structures, mechanisms, and functions. We highlight recent advancements in repurposing KDCs to enhance their efficiency and robustness for biomanufacturing. Additionally, we present modular KDC-dependent metabolic pathways for the microbial biosynthesis of aldehydes, alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, and alkanes. Finally, we discuss recent development in the modular cell engineering technology that can be potentially applied to harness the diversity of KDC-dependent pathways for biomanufacturing platform chemicals and fuels.</p>","PeriodicalId":8946,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology advances","volume":" ","pages":"108531"},"PeriodicalIF":12.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Biotechnology advances","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2025.108531","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOTECHNOLOGY & APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In living cells, alpha ketoacid decarboxylases (KDCs, EC 4.1.1.-) are a class of enzymes that convert alpha ketoacids into aldehydes through decarboxylation. These aldehydes serve as either drop-in chemicals or precursors for the biosynthesis of alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, and alkanes. These compounds play crucial roles in cellular metabolism and fitness and the bioeconomy, facilitating the sustainable and renewable biomanufacturing of platform chemicals and fuels. This review explores the diversity and classification of KDCs, detailing their structures, mechanisms, and functions. We highlight recent advancements in repurposing KDCs to enhance their efficiency and robustness for biomanufacturing. Additionally, we present modular KDC-dependent metabolic pathways for the microbial biosynthesis of aldehydes, alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, and alkanes. Finally, we discuss recent development in the modular cell engineering technology that can be potentially applied to harness the diversity of KDC-dependent pathways for biomanufacturing platform chemicals and fuels.
期刊介绍:
Biotechnology Advances is a comprehensive review journal that covers all aspects of the multidisciplinary field of biotechnology. The journal focuses on biotechnology principles and their applications in various industries, agriculture, medicine, environmental concerns, and regulatory issues. It publishes authoritative articles that highlight current developments and future trends in the field of biotechnology. The journal invites submissions of manuscripts that are relevant and appropriate. It targets a wide audience, including scientists, engineers, students, instructors, researchers, practitioners, managers, governments, and other stakeholders in the field. Additionally, special issues are published based on selected presentations from recent relevant conferences in collaboration with the organizations hosting those conferences.