Environmental and Economic Benefits from Strain and Bioprocess Improvements for Sustainable Production of 3-Hydroxypropanoic Acid in a Sugarcane Biorefinery
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Biobased 3-hydroxypropanoic acid (3-HP) is a highly sought-after platform chemical with growing global demand. Direct microbial conversion of sugars to 3-HP is a promising alternative to fossil fuel-based production, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study examines the impacts of technological advancements in 3-HP yield, titer, and volumetric productivity, focusing on the minimum selling price (MSP) and life cycle GHG emissions for biorefineries producing 3-HP from sugarcane A-molasses. Biorefinery scenarios representing the complete range of alternative and theoretical bioprocess performances, generated using flux balance analysis (FBA), were simulated in Aspen Plus. FBA showed that theoretical yields from cytosolic 3-HP production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae were similar for the malonyl-CoA, β-alanine, and oxaloacetate pathways (0.801–0.824 g 3-HP ·g –1 glucose ), whereas the maximum yield from the oxaloacetate pathway in the cytosol of Komagataella pastoris was 16–21% higher. Mitochondrial localization of the malonyl-CoA pathway in S. cerevisiae led to the highest yield (0.853 g 3-HP ·g –1 glucose ), while only slight improvements were seen in K. pastoris . 3-HP production by Corynebacterium glutamicum was economically viable, with an MSP 33.8% below the current fossil-based market price. Fully optimized bioprocesses would reduce the MSP by a similar amount and lower GHG emissions by 43.0% compared with the baseline.
Institution: Stellenbosch University
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
Awards: G1259074388, G5690330079
OpenAlex ID: W4410026440