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Succinic Acid Production by Engineered Mannheimia succiniciproducens and Its Use in Chemoenzymatic Poly(Butylene Succinate) Synthesis

Summary

Scientists engineered a bacterium (Mannheimia succiniciproducens) to produce succinic acid more efficiently, a key ingredient in biodegradable plastics. The purified acid was then converted into poly(butylene succinate) using mild chemical and enzymatic processes, avoiding toxic catalysts and high temperatures. The resulting plastic completely biodegrades in the environment within weeks using naturally occurring bacteria, making it a promising eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastics.

Background

Succinic acid (SA) is a key platform chemical for producing biodegradable polymers like poly(butylene succinate) (PBS). Bio-based SA production offers sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-derived chemicals. Mannheimia succiniciproducens is recognized as a natural SA producer with high yield and productivity under anaerobic conditions.

Objective

To enhance SA production using metabolically engineered M. succiniciproducens and demonstrate its application in environmentally friendly PBS synthesis. The study integrates metabolic engineering with sustainable polymer synthesis under mild conditions using reusable catalysts.

Results

The engineered PALK (pMS3-gltA) strain achieved 110.16 g/L SA titer with yield and productivity of 1.38 mol/mol and 4.37 g/L/h. Bio-PBS exhibited comparable thermal stability and molecular weight distribution to petrochemical-derived PBS with enhanced biodegradability (93.3% degradation in 2 weeks by Pseudomonas fluorescens).

Conclusion

The integrated approach successfully demonstrates sustainable PBS production from bio-based SA. The two-step enzymatic polymerization under mild conditions eliminates toxic catalysts and reduces energy consumption. This study provides a robust framework for producing eco-friendly biodegradable polymers as alternatives to conventional plastics.
  • Published in:Biotechnology and Bioengineering,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: 10.1002/bit.70072; PMID: 40990211
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