The production of small chemicals using precision fermentation has been growing significantly in recent years, while the vision to virtually replace all chemical production from fossil precursors is still very far to be implemented.
Computational methods, including those powered by AI, can greatly accelerate this transition, combining rational and precise designs with new experimental tools for implementation.
Relevant examples include the utilization of retrosynthesis and enumeration methods for identifying new pathways for target compounds, making use of enzyme promiscuity. Those methods, combined with advanced enzyme engineering tools, have been aiding the design of novel ways of producing existing compounds, but have also been aiding in the identification of natural pathways. Additionally, metabolic models, especially in their dynamic version and AI-based optimization algorithms are essential to guide metabolism to the target pathways and enhance the production of the target compounds. In our groups, a combination of these tools has been used to guide the construction of enhanced cell factories for the production of aromatic food ingredients, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical compounds derived from the shikimate pathway. Other applications include cell factories for plastic degradation.
SCANs are weekly seminars that happen every Wednesday at noon by in-house researchers and invited speakers at ITQB NOVA.
For more information, please contact Sandra Viegas (sviegas@itqb.unl.pt).
