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Modular Engineering of a Synthetic Biology-Based Platform for Sustainable Bioremediation of Residual Antibiotics in Aquatic Environments

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Modular Engineering of a Synthetic Biology-Based Platform for Sustainable Bioremediation of Residual Antibiotics in Aquatic Environments
Authors: Hao Ren, Meilin Qin, Lin Zhang, Zemiao Li, Yuze Li, Qian He, Jiahao Zhong, Donghao Zhao, Xinlei Lian, Hongxia Jiang, Xiaoping Liao, Jian Sun
Source: Engineering, Vol 53, Iss , Pp 231-244 (2025)
Publisher Information: Elsevier, 2025.
Publication Year: 2025
Collection: LCC:Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Subject Terms: Antibiotic residues, Tetracycline biodegradation, Modular enzyme assembly, Living-organism-inspired system, Environmental remediation, Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General), TA1-2040
Description: Tetracycline (TC) residues from anthropogenic activities undesirably present in nature as an emerging sustainability challenge and thereby require innovations in remediation technologies. Herein, as inspired by the microcompartment structure in living organisms, we adopt a synthetic biology approach to engineer the FerTiG, a modular enzyme assembly, to robustly scavenge TC residues with improved performance. The FerTiG consists of three functional modules, namely, a TC degradation module (Tet(X4)), a cofactor recycling module glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) , and a protection module (ferritin), to organize diverse catalytic processes simultaneously as a biological circuit. The incorporation of GDH suitably fuels the FerTiG-dependent TC degradation by regenerating expensive nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) cofactor with glucose. The ferritin shields the catalytic core of FerTiG to resiliently decompose TC under unfavorable conditions. Due to collaboration among functional modules, FerTiG strongly catalyzes the residual TC removal from multiple environmental matrices. The degradation pathways and environmental/biological safety of FerTiG are then elaborated, indicating the promising readiness for the application of FerTiG. In summary, this work presents a synthetic biology-based strategy to spontaneously impose residual antibiotic biodegradation for better sustainability management. The FerTiG is engineered as a proof-of-principle for TC removal; however, this ‘microcompartment-mimicking’ concept is of great interest in mitigating other sustainability challenges where modular catalytic machinery is applied.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2095-8099
Relation: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809925001973; https://doaj.org/toc/2095-8099
DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2025.03.033
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/24416d6746234c859593053ba6c081a6
Accession Number: edsdoj.24416d6746234c859593053ba6c081a6
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
Description
Abstract:Tetracycline (TC) residues from anthropogenic activities undesirably present in nature as an emerging sustainability challenge and thereby require innovations in remediation technologies. Herein, as inspired by the microcompartment structure in living organisms, we adopt a synthetic biology approach to engineer the FerTiG, a modular enzyme assembly, to robustly scavenge TC residues with improved performance. The FerTiG consists of three functional modules, namely, a TC degradation module (Tet(X4)), a cofactor recycling module glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) , and a protection module (ferritin), to organize diverse catalytic processes simultaneously as a biological circuit. The incorporation of GDH suitably fuels the FerTiG-dependent TC degradation by regenerating expensive nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) cofactor with glucose. The ferritin shields the catalytic core of FerTiG to resiliently decompose TC under unfavorable conditions. Due to collaboration among functional modules, FerTiG strongly catalyzes the residual TC removal from multiple environmental matrices. The degradation pathways and environmental/biological safety of FerTiG are then elaborated, indicating the promising readiness for the application of FerTiG. In summary, this work presents a synthetic biology-based strategy to spontaneously impose residual antibiotic biodegradation for better sustainability management. The FerTiG is engineered as a proof-of-principle for TC removal; however, this ‘microcompartment-mimicking’ concept is of great interest in mitigating other sustainability challenges where modular catalytic machinery is applied.
ISSN:20958099
DOI:10.1016/j.eng.2025.03.033