One-Pot Biocatalytic Route from Alkanes to α,ω-Diamines by Whole-Cell Consortia of Engineered Yarrowia lipolytica and Escherichia coli

Metabolically engineered microbial consortia can contribute as a promising production platform for the supply of polyamide monomers. To date, the biosynthesis of long-chain α,ω-diamines from n -alkanes is challenging because of the inert nature of n -alkanes and the complexity of the overall synthesis pathway. We combined an engineered Yarrowia lipolytica module with Escherichia coli modules to obtain a mixed strain microbial consortium that could catalyze an efficient biotransformation of n -alkanes into corresponding α,ω-diamines. The engineered Y. lipolytica strain was constructed (YALI10) wherein the two genes responsible for β-oxidation and the five genes responsible for the overoxidation of fatty aldehydes were deleted. This newly constructed YALI10 strain expressing transaminase (TA) could produce 0.2 mM 1,12-dodecanediamine (40.1 mg/L) from 10 mM n -dodecane. The microbial consor…