esearchers from the University of Warwick's Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre and Imperial College London's Department of Bioengineering have devised innovative methods to improve microbial ‘cell factories' for producing high-value chemicals that are essential in everyday items like household products, textiles, and food.
Traditionally, cell-based systems have lagged behind petrochemical processes due to biological constraints. However, by employing advanced computational modeling, the research team has pinpointed simple modifications that can nearly double production efficiency.
Engineering living cells, such as bacteria and yeasts, to synthesize chemicals offers a sustainable alternative to conventional, carbon-heavy petrochemical methods. This strategy leverages bio-based cell factories to transform inexpensive, sustainably sourced feedstocks into valuable chemical products.
Dr. Alexander Darlington, a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow and Assistant Professor at the University of Warwick, remarked, “Our research provides strategies for designing bacteria that are more straightforward to implement than those currently deemed state-of-the-art. We evaluated around 500 different control mechanisms and discovered two that were novel to research, paving the way for more efficient bio-based chemical synthesis. This will facilitate the sustainable production of everything from pharmaceuticals to plastics, which are integral to our daily lives.”
The study found that reprogramming cells to focus on chemical production rather than growth leads to the highest production capabilities. Specifically, designs that postpone growth inhibition—allowing cells to develop large populations before shifting their focus to product synthesis—achieved better production levels in shorter periods. Additionally, enhancing nutrient uptake further boosted these outputs.
The study found that reprogramming cells to focus on chemical production rather than growth leads to the highest production capabilities. Specifically, designs that postpone growth inhibition—allowing cells to build up large populations before shifting their focus to product synthesis—achieved better production levels in shorter timeframes. Improving nutrient uptake further boosted these outputs.
Economic modeling in the study indicates that manufacturers can adjust their systems to optimize either productivity (faster production) or yield (maximizing product output relative to input). This adaptability allows for adjustments based on feedstock costs and market demand for specific chemicals.
Dr. Ahmad Mannan, a postdoctoral research associate at Imperial College London, stated, “As an engineer, I aim to reduce the negative impact our activities have on others and the environment while achieving sustainable and renewable chemical production—and bacteria can help with that. With expertise at the intersection of mathematics, molecular biology, and synthetic biology, we are discovering straightforward principles that should enable us to leverage nature's capabilities and achieve economically viable chemical production.”
The research team is currently testing these design principles in laboratory environments to give industry partners the confidence to incorporate these methods into their research and development efforts. Enhancing bacterial chemical production marks a significant step toward scaling bio-based chemical manufacturing. Given that 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from fossil fuel-based chemical synthesis, cell factories present a promising alternative that could help the UK government meet its net-zero emissions target by 2050.
The full study is published in Nature Communications, Volume 16, Article number: 279 (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55347-y.
