Method for Producing Amino Acids Using Micro-organisms

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This patent describes a method to increase the production of amino acids, such as glutamate, in microorganisms (especially Corynebacterium glutamicum) by reducing the activity of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (ODHC) through a specific non-phosphorylated protein (Odhl). Manipulating the phosphorylation state of this protein—e.g., by mutating the responsible kinase gene (pknG) or the protein's phosphorylation site—inhibits ODHC, leading to redirected metabolic flux and higher yields of target amino acids.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Industrial fermentation processes for large-scale production of amino acids (e.g., glutamate, glutamine, lysine, isoleucine) for use in food additives, animal feed, and pharmaceuticals.
• Production of amino acids for use in synthesizing fine chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
• Improvement of microbial strains used in biotechnology and synthetic biology to maximize amino acid output.
• Development of tailored bacterial strains for cost-effective production of specific amino acids in various industries.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Significantly increases amino acid yields in industrial fermentation, improving process efficiency.
• Enables higher specific productivity (amino acid output per cell mass and time).
• Reduces production costs by enabling the use of low-cost raw materials with engineered strains.
• Offers an alternative approach to traditional mutagenesis or feedback-resistant mutants, providing precise control via genetic engineering.
• Applicable to a wide range of amino acid-producing bacteria, not limited to one species.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing amino acids in amino-acid producing micro-organisms. According to said method, the activity of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase is reduced by a transmitter protein.