PROCESS SYNTHESIS FOR MULTISTEP MICROBIAL CONVERSIONS

Developments in recombinant DNA technology are now allowing the contro lled use of metabolic pathways to carry out a series of sequential org anic chemical reactions using a single microbial catalyst. Biological processes of this type have significant industrial potential but in ma ny cases still require the necessary biochemical engineering to transl ate them into a scalable process. Process synthesis is the systematic application of heuristics to the design of processes. Its application has enabled many chemical processes to be develped rapidly and feasibi lity assessed at an early stage in development. Here we apply such tec hniques to the area of multi-step microbial conversions (the use of me tabolic pathway engineering to produce industrially useful chemicals). Biological and process engineering issues which require more research are identified. The use of the aromatic oxidation pathway serves as a n illustrative example.