Photosynthesis in plants is perhaps the most important chemical reaction on earth. It can use the sun’s light to synthesize inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide into organic substances, so that the earth is full of life. How to design an artificial system to fix carbon dioxide to synthesize starch without relying on plant photosynthesis will be a major disruptive technology affecting the world.
Recently, Chinese scientists took the lead in breaking through this scientific problem and achieved the world’s first de novo synthesis of carbon dioxide to starch in the laboratory. The research was completed by the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the related work was published in the international academic journal Science on September 24.
Starch is not only the main component of food, but also an important industrial raw material. As a high molecular carbohydrate, its synthesis and accumulation process is actually quite complex, involving more than 60 steps of metabolic reactions and delicate physiological regulation.
In order to realize the artificial synthesis of starch, the research team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences designed the reaction chain from scratch and realized the total synthesis from carbon dioxide to starch molecules for the first time in the laboratory with only 11 steps.
Ma Yanhe, the corresponding author of the paper and director of the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, introduced that the team adopted a method similar to “building blocks”, in conjunction with the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, using chemical catalysts to convert high-concentration carbon dioxide into high-density hydrogen It can be reduced to a compound with only one carbon atom in the molecule (referred to as “carbon-one compound”), and then a new carbon-polymerase is designed and constructed, and the carbon-one compound is polymerized into a carbon-three compound according to the principle of chemical glycan reaction, and finally Through biological pathway optimization, carbon three compounds are polymerized into carbon six compounds, and then linear and amylopectin are further synthesized.
When talking about the possible application directions of this technology in the future, Ma Yanhe said that this achievement makes it possible to transform the traditional agricultural planting mode of starch production into an industrial workshop production mode, and opens up new opportunities for the synthesis of complex molecules from carbon dioxide raw materials. technical route.
“The rate of starch synthesis in this artificial pathway is 8.5 times that of corn starch.” Ma Yanhe said that the rate of natural plants synthesizing starch is actually quite slow. The construction of this artificial system is for the creation of new functional organisms. The system provides a new scientific basis.
Ma Yanhe introduced that according to the current technical parameters, under the condition of sufficient energy supply, the theoretical annual starch yield of a 1 cubic meter bioreactor is equivalent to the average annual starch yield of 5 mu of land for corn planting. After further optimization, the future efficiency will be further improved.
“If the cost of the system process can be reduced to a level that is economically feasible compared with agricultural planting in the future, it will be possible to save more than 90% of arable land and freshwater resources, avoid the negative impact of pesticides and fertilizers on the environment, and improve the level of human food security. Promote the development of a carbon-neutral bio-economy and promote the formation of a sustainable bio-based society.” Ma Yanhe said.
The world today is facing a series of major challenges such as global climate change, food security, shortage of energy resources, and ecological and environmental pollution. Scientific and technological innovation has become a key factor in reshaping the global pattern and creating a better future for mankind. The conversion and utilization of carbon dioxide and the industrial synthesis of grain starch are one of the major scientific and technological issues to meet the challenges. Therefore, once this achievement came out, it was highly appraised by experts in the field at home and abroad.
Chen Jian, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former president of Jiangnan University, believes that this work is a typical 0 to 1 original achievement, which not only has a revolutionary impact on future agricultural production, especially food production, but also has a profound impact on the global bio-manufacturing industry. The development is of milestone significance.
Zhao Guoping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a researcher at the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, commented that this work is a major breakthrough in the frontier research field of expanding and improving the ability of artificial photosynthesis, and a scientific research achievement of great significance.
“The results of this research will have a huge impact on the next generation of biomanufacturing and agricultural development,” said Akihiko Kondo, vice president and professor of Kobe University and deputy director of the Center for Sustainable Resource Science at the Japan Institute of Physics and Chemistry.
Zhou Qi, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointed out that this achievement is still in the laboratory stage, and there is still a long distance from practical application. In the follow-up, it is necessary to realize the breakthrough from the concept of “0 to 1” to “1 to 10” and “1 to 10” as soon as possible. The transformation of “10 to 100” has finally become an effective means and tool to solve the major problems and needs faced by human development.
“The Chinese Academy of Sciences will integrate relevant scientific and technological forces and continue to support the in-depth advancement of this research.” Zhou Qi said.