Phosphoenolpyruvate Availability and the Biosynthesis of Shikimic Acid

The impact of increased availability of phosphoenolpyruvate during shikimic acid biosynthesis has been examined in Escherichia coli K-12 constructs carrying plasmid-localized aroF(FBR) and tktA inserts encoding, respectively, feedback-insensitive 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonic acid 7-phosphate synthase and transketolase. Strategies for increasing the availability of phosphoenolpyruvate were based on amplified expression of E. coli ppsA-encoded phosphoenolpyruvate synthase or heterologous expression of the Zymomonas mobilis glf-encoded glucose facilitator. The highest titers and yields of shikimic acid biosynthesized from glucose in 1 L fermentor runs were achieved using E. coli SP1.lpts/pSC6.090B, which expressed both Z. mobilis glf-encoded glucose facilitator protein and Z. mobilis glk-encoded glucose kinase in a host deficient in the phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system. At 10 L scale with yeast extract supplementation, E. coli SP1.lpts/pSC6.090B synthesized 87 g/L of shikimic acid in 36% (mol/mol) yield with a maximum productivity of 5.2 g/L/h for shikimic acid synthesized during the exponential phase of growth.