Biomanufacturing of melatonin is now possible

Biomanufactured melatonin

  • Lei Yang Technical University of Denmark
  • Bernhard O Palsson Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, Building 220, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark 2. Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32794/mr112500142
Keywords: Melatonin, 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin, biomanufacture, biosynthesis, metabolic pathway, fermentation, scale-up

Abstract

Currently, the majority of the melatonin manufactured is chemically synthesized replacing the previous method that extracted it from biological materials. Due to environmental concerns, biomanufacturing of chemical-related products is now gaining favor over chemical synthesis. Melatonin is synthesized from tryptophan in a four-step pathway that includes a hydroxylase and methyl transferase, both representing major challenges for metabolic engineering. Using novel technologies, including genome editing and laboratory evolution, the metabolic pathway of melatonin synthesis has been reconstructed in a microbial host which has the capacity to produce melatonin in gram-level quantities.   


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Published
2023-02-28
How to Cite
[1]
Yang, L. and Palsson, B. 2023. Biomanufacturing of melatonin is now possible. Melatonin Research. 6, 1 (Feb. 2023), 72-78. DOI:https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.32794/mr112500142.
Issue
Vol 6 No 1 (2023): Melatonin Research
Section
Commentary
DOI
https://doi.org/10.32794/mr112500142
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