Recent developments in the microbial production of 1,3-propanediol

Abstract

1,3-propanediol (PDO) is a valuable chemical monomer to polymerize to polytrimethylene terephthalate with terephthalic acid. Polytrimethylene terephthalate is considered as one kind of prospective new polyester. Production of PDO by microbial fermentation leads to a significantly cost-effective process and decreases nonrenewable resources. This article summarizes the latest developments in the microbial production of PDO, including the selection of high-performance PDO-producing microorganisms, the conversion of crude glycerol derived from biodiesel plants to PDO and different fermentation strategies adopted in the fermentation process. Furthermore, genetic engineering is discussed, a technology that provides a more convenient method to obtain microorganisms with high PDO-producing ability. Microbial production of PDO would directly benefit the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels and elevating the value of biodiesel production, which has become a hotspot in recent decades.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support by the National Natural Science Funds (No. 21106078) of China (Natural Science Fund Committee, Beijing, China). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.