AUTHOR=Zhang Long , Wang Le-yi , Han Yi-jun , Liu Yan-xin , Li Yong-li , Hu Jian-hua , Tian Zhi-jie , Liu Zhan-ying 

TITLE=Analysis of the improved mechanism of Rhodobacter sphaeroides VK-2-3 coenzyme Q10 by reverse metabolic engineering

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1410505

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2024.1410505

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential medicinal ingredient. In this study, we obtained a high-yielding mutant strain of CoQ10, VK-2-3, by subjecting <italic>R. sphaeroides</italic> V-0 (V-0) to a <sup>12</sup>C<sup>6+</sup> heavy ion beam and high-voltage prick electric field treatment. To investigate the mutation mechanism, the complete genomes of VK-2-3 and V-0 were sequenced. Collinearity analysis revealed that the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent dehydrogenase (NAD) gene underwent rearrangement in the VK-2-3 genome. The NAD gene was overexpressed and silenced in V-0, and this construct was named RS.NAD and RS.ΔNAD. The results showed that the titers of CoQ10 in the RS.NAD and RS.ΔNAD increased and decreased by 16.00 and 33.92%, respectively, compared to those in V-0, and these differences were significant. Our results revealed the mechanism by which the VK-2-3 CoQ10 yield increases through reverse metabolic engineering, providing insights for genetic breeding and mechanistic analysis.</p>