Design and exploitation of cadaverine metabolic pathway for simple N-heterocyclic chemical production.

Anyanwu, Valentine E. (2019) Design and exploitation of cadaverine metabolic pathway for simple N-heterocyclic chemical production. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

Nitrogen-heterocycles are widely found in nature as subunits of compounds from secondary metabolism (vitamins, alkaloids, hormones etc.) and are valuable building blocks to manufacture a wide range of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, flavours and fragrances. Currently, N-heterocycles are produced through unsustainable chemical processes that rely on petrochemical feedstocks and high-energy consumption. The six-membered simple N-heterocycle Δ¹-piperideine (2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine), is a key building block for biosynthesis of some alkaloids, for example, the piperidine, quinolizidine, indolizidine and lycopodium alkaloids. Δ¹-piperideine also has considerable promise as a platform compound for chemical synthesis of functionalized or complex compounds with economic importance. Although the bioproduction of complex, functionalised N-heterocycles have been reported, bioproduction of unsubstituted simple N-heterocycles have not yet been achieved. Advances in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology offers an approach to develop bioprocesses for sustainable production of simple N-heterocycles from renewable sugar feedstocks.

Δ¹-Piperideine can be obtained by oxidation of cadaverine using amine oxidases or transaminases, to yield 5-aminopentanal. This product is known to cyclise spontaneously into Δ¹-piperideine. However, Δ¹-piperideine reacts spontaneously in aqueous solution to form the multimeric products (tetrahydroanabasine, α-tripiperideine and isotripiperideine). Therefore, the suitability of putrescine oxidase from Rhodococcus erythropolis (PuORh) for cell-free and whole-cell bioproduction of Δ¹-piperideine was studied. PuORh was characterised for the first time by monitoring oxygen concentration in a direct substrate consumption assay. Using purified PuORh and PuORh induced whole cells; the conversion of cadaverine to Δ¹-piperideine was demonstrated qualitatively and quantitatively. This study indicates that PuORh is suitable for the bioproduction of Δ¹-piperideine. Finally, a metabolic route has been designed and proposed for whole cell bioproduction of Δ¹-Piperideine from renewable feedstocks.

Item Type: Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors: Pordea, Anca
Stephens, Gill
Hall, Stephen J.
Keywords: Biotechnology, sustainability, metabolic engineering, cadaverine, Δ¹-piperideine, N-heterocycles, putrescine oxidase, biocatalysis, bioproduction
Subjects: Q Science > QD Chemistry > QD241 Organic chemistry > QD415 Biochemistry
Faculties/Schools: UK Campuses > Faculty of Engineering
Item ID: 56093
Depositing User: Anyanwu, Valentine
Date Deposited: 18 Jul 2019 04:40
Last Modified: 07 May 2020 12:02
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/56093

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