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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Sustainable Biofuels and Co-products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400821
Research Project: Commercial Products from Lipids and Fibers

Location: Sustainable Biofuels and Co-products Research

Title: Genetic and process engineering for select glycolipid biosynthesis from plant/algal oils or their derivatives

Author
item Msanne, Joseph
item Ashby, Richard - Rick

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2023
Publication Date: 12/22/2023
Citation: Msanne, J.N., Ashby, R.D. 2023. Genetic and process engineering for select glycolipid biosynthesis from plant/algal oils or their derivatives. In: Liu, Z. and Kraus, K., editors. Green Chemistry and Green Materials from Plant Oils and Natural Acids: Green Chemistry Series. United Kingdom: Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 213-251. https://doi.org/10.1039/BK9781837671595-00213.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/BK9781837671595-00213

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Microbial glycolipids, composed of fatty acid(s) linked to a carbohydrate moiety, are amphipathic surface-active molecules with numerous applications in food, textile, and cosmetic industries, as well as in medical and pharmaceutical industries. Glycolipids have important in vivo structural roles as components of the microbial cell surface or may be secreted extracellularly into the growth medium. Several microorganisms are emerging as suitable feedstocks for renewable production of these compounds. In addition, glycolipids can be produced in abundance using inexpensive substrates and low-value agricultural feedstocks, making their commercialization prospects more appealing. However, rational improvement to strain productivity of several glycolipid-producing microbes is limited by the scant knowledge on cellular metabolism, gene regulatory mechanisms, and the environmental factors influencing glycolipid accumulation. In this chapter, known genetic and metabolic regulations involved in the biosynthesis of low molecular weight glycolipids including rhamnolipid, sophorolipid, mannosylerythritol lipid, cellobiose lipid, and trehalose lipid produced by a variety of bacteria and yeasts are discussed. In addition, we will outline the knowledge available on the metabolic engineering strategies to enhance the quantity and quality of glycolipids produced from relevant microbial strains.