【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】The Tianjin Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, achieves a technological breakthrough in the efficient synthesis of microbial oils and proteins using lignin as a raw material

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Recently, news came from the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team specializing in biosynthesis of nutritional resources at this institute has achieved a technological breakthrough in the efficient synthesis of microbial oils and proteins using lignin as a raw material, which is of great significance for advancing the green biomanufacturing of agricultural by-products such as straw. 　　It is reported that by innovatively combining genome base-editing technology with droplet microfluidics-based high-throughput screening strategies, the research team developed engineered strains capable of efficiently degrading lignin while simultaneously synthesizing oils and proteins, thus opening up new pathways for the value-added utilization of lignin resources and green biomanufacturing. 　　Lignin possesses a complex three-dimensional network structure and chemical stability, making its efficient biodegradation and transformation a major challenge in the field of industrial biotechnology. Current technologies face multiple bottlenecks, including low efficiency of degradation enzyme systems, long development cycles for optimal strains, and difficulties in directing carbon flow within cells. To address this challenge, the research team used the lignin-degrading Curvularia rodiformis as the host strain to develop a copper-ion-induced MCM5-AID base editing system, which significantly increased the genetic diversity of the strain. On this basis, the team used droplet microfluidic high-throughput screening technology to successfully develop mutant M6 with significantly enhanced laccase activity. The laccase activity of this strain has increased significantly, demonstrating excellent stability and potential for industrial application.