In-situ muconic acid extraction reveals sugar consumption bottleneck in a xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain

The current shift from a fossil-resource based economy to a more sustainable, bio-based economy requires development of alternative production routes based on utilization of biomass for the many chemicals that are currently produced from petroleum. Muconic acid is an attractive platform chemical for the bio-based economy because it can be converted in chemicals with wide industrial applicability, such as adipic and terephthalic acid, and because its two double bonds offer great versatility for chemical modification.We have constructed a yeast cell factory converting glucose and xylose into muconic acid without formation of ethanol. We consecutively eliminated feedback inhibition in the shikimate pathway, inserted the heterologous pathway for muconic acid biosynthesis from 3-dehydroshikimate (DHS) by co-expression of DHS dehydratase from P. anserina, protocatechuic acid (PCA) decarboxylase (PCAD) from K. pneumoniae and oxygen-consuming catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (CDO) from C. albicans, eliminated ethanol production by deletion of the three PDC genes and stimulated conversion of PCA by further enhancing PCAD overexpression and production of its co-factor. The medium was buffered to counteract acidification and the yeast pitching rate was increased to lower high biomass formation caused by the compulsory aerobic conditions. Maximal titers of 4 g/L, 4.5 g/L and 3.8 g/L muconic acid were reached with glucose, xylose, and a mixture, respectively, with minimal PCA production. Highest yields of muconic acid were recorded with lower initial glucose concentrations, reaching almost 60 mg/g. The use of an elevated initial sugar level, resulting in muconic acid titers above 2.5 g/L, caused stuck fermentations with incomplete utilization of the sugar. Application of polypropylene glycol 4000 (PPG) as solvent for in situ product removal during the fermentation shows that this is not due to toxicity by the muconic acid produced.This work has developed an industrial second-generation yeast strain able to produce muconic acid from glucose and xylose. However, use of an elevated sugar level causes incomplete utilization of the sugar, which is not due to product inhibition but appears to be due to an unknown bottleneck arising during the muconic acid fermentation.