Modeling and Engineering P. putida for Improved Aromatic Utilization

Expanded utilization of lignin-derived aromatics could improve alternatives to numerous chemicals currently produced via non-renewable petrochemicals. To achieve this, organisms like Pseudomonas putida KT2440 are being explored for their capability to efficiently use them as a carbon source. This work demonstrates the creation and validation of iJN1462, the most comprehensive Genome Scale Model (GEM) of P. putida KT2440 to date. It also shows insights that can be gained from using iJN1462 as a basis for multi-strain analysis P. putida strains in order to explore their metabolic diversity, with potential applications in identifying strains of interest. Finally, this work demonstrates metabolic engineering work that resulted in a strain capable of growth using the lignin-derived aromatic syringic acid as the sole carbon source