Towards improving production of fine chemicals by systems biology: Amino acid production by Corynebacterium glutamicum

Systems biology uses systematic genomic, proteomic and metabolomic technoologies with the final aim of constructing comprehensive and predictive models of complex biological systems. Although we are still far from models of living cells that allow predicting quantitatively and in molecular detail a cell's response to an environmental stimulus such as increased temperature, the application of systems biology tools to biotechnology has proven useful. In particular, DNA microarray or gene chip technology revolutionized genetic analyses and genetic engineering. Thus, it has become a cornerstone of biotechnological strain development for the manufacture of proteins and fine chemicals. Systems biology tools have been established for Corynebacterium glutamicum, the workhorse of large-scale production of amino acids by fermentation processes. Recent progress that led to a deepened insight into fundamental biology of C. glutamicum as well as to improved amino acid production will be presented