CH391L/S13/Metabolic Engineering and Thermophiles: Difference between revisions
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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_engineering Metabolic Engineering] is the changing and optimization of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_pathway metabolic pathways] in an organism for the increased production of a chemical product. This can include the addition of enzymatic steps catalyzed from enzymes encoded by exogenous genes. With economically viable feedstocks metabolic engineering has become a relevant process by which companies can create sustainable chemicals and pharmaceuticals. | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_engineering Metabolic Engineering] is the changing and optimization of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_pathway metabolic pathways] in an organism for the increased production of a chemical product. This can include the addition of enzymatic steps catalyzed from enzymes encoded by exogenous genes. With economically viable feedstocks metabolic engineering has become a relevant process by which companies can create sustainable chemicals and pharmaceuticals. | ||
Examples of Metabolic Engineering | Examples of Metabolic Engineering | ||
*Pharmaceuticals - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisinin#Synthesis_in_engineered_organisms Arteminisin] | *Pharmaceuticals - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisinin#Synthesis_in_engineered_organisms Arteminisin] | ||
*Petrochemical Replacements - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,4-Butanediol BDO] | *Petrochemical Replacements - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,4-Butanediol BDO] | ||
*Biofuels - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofuel] | *Biofuels - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofuel] | ||
== '''History of Metabolic Engineering''' == | |||
Metabolic engineering was first done by chemical mutagenesis of organisms and screening for organisms with increased production of the desired metabolite. Eventually, with increased knowledge of metabolic pathways and genetic engineering techniques in the 1990s the constraints on a metabolic pathway and production of a desired metabolite could be more easily relieved[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_engineering]. Modern techniques combine genetic engineering, systems biology, and directed evolution to improve yields in metabolic engineering. A particularly valuable systems biology technique called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flux_balance_analysis flux balance analysis], which is "a mathematical method for simulating metabolism in genome scale reconstructions of metabolic networks," has been particularly useful. | |||
Revision as of 06:59, 15 April 2013
Metabolic Engineering
Metabolic Engineering is the changing and optimization of metabolic pathways in an organism for the increased production of a chemical product. This can include the addition of enzymatic steps catalyzed from enzymes encoded by exogenous genes. With economically viable feedstocks metabolic engineering has become a relevant process by which companies can create sustainable chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Examples of Metabolic Engineering
- Pharmaceuticals - Arteminisin
- Petrochemical Replacements - BDO
- Biofuels - [1]
History of Metabolic Engineering
Metabolic engineering was first done by chemical mutagenesis of organisms and screening for organisms with increased production of the desired metabolite. Eventually, with increased knowledge of metabolic pathways and genetic engineering techniques in the 1990s the constraints on a metabolic pathway and production of a desired metabolite could be more easily relieved[2]. Modern techniques combine genetic engineering, systems biology, and directed evolution to improve yields in metabolic engineering. A particularly valuable systems biology technique called flux balance analysis, which is "a mathematical method for simulating metabolism in genome scale reconstructions of metabolic networks," has been particularly useful.
