Ewha Womans University · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Professor Jeong Chan Joo's research lab specializes in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, focusing on the sustainable production of platform chemicals and bioplastics from renewable biomass. The lab develops microbial cell factories—particularly engineered strains of *Corynebacterium glutamicum* and *Pseudomonas putida*—to convert lignin-derived aromatic compounds and simple sugars into high-value chemicals like adipic acid and 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC). A key focus is on discovering and applying novel biocatalysts, such as enoate reductases, to enable efficient, enzymatic conversions under mild conditions. The lab also explores biological funneling strategies to streamline the utilization of complex, mixed substrates from lignocellulosic biomass.
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Advances in scientific technology in the early twentieth century have facilitated the development of synthetic plastics that are lightweight, rigid, and can be easily molded into a desirable shape without changing their material properties. Thus, plastics become ubiquitous and indispensable materials that are used in various manufacturing sectors, including clothing, automotive, medical, and electronic industries. However, strong physical durability and chemical stability of synthetic plastics,
Adipic acid, a precursor for Nylon-6,6 polymer, is one of the most important commodity chemicals, which is currently produced from petroleum. The biosynthesis of adipic acid from glucose still remains challenging due to the absence of biocatalysts required for the hydrogenation of unsaturated six-carbon dicarboxylic acids to adipic acid. Here, we demonstrate the first enzymatic hydrogenation of 2-hexenedioic acid and muconic acid to adipic acid using enoate reductases (ERs). ERs can hydrogenate
Abstract The fermentative production of platform chemicals in biorefineries is a sustainable alternative to current petroleum‐refining processes. Industrial microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli , Saccharomyces cerevisiae , and Corynebacterium glutamicum, have been engineered as microbial cell factories that are able to utilize biomass for the production of value‐added platform chemicals and polymers. Compared to E. coli and S. cerevisiae , C. glutamicum displays weak carbon catabolite repres
Lignin valorization depends on microbial upcycling of various aromatic compounds in the form of a complex mixture, including p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. In this study, an engineered Pseudomonas putida strain utilizing lignin-derived monomeric compounds via biological funneling was developed to produce 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC), which has been considered a promising building block for bioplastics. The biosynthetic pathway for PDC production was established by introducing the hete
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