Opportunities and Challenges for a New Foundation for Biobased Chemicals.

CBiRC is developing the tools, components and materials needed to transform carbohydrate feedstocks into bio-based chemicals. Core knowhow and technologies include bioengineering of fatty acid and polyketide biochemistry in microorganisms, as well as an innovative and complimentary portfolio of developments in chemical catalysis.


By combining biocatalysis and chemical catalysis CBiRC creates new knowhow and powerful technologies that have the potential to nurture a sustainable bio-based chemical industry. CBiRC is making great progress towards creating a new foundation for bio-based chemicals.


CBiRC believes the existing petrochemical supply chain can be transformed with key foundational intermediates that deliver an array of drop-in chemistry or similar functionality to existing fossil-carbon-based chemicals.

Experts in Fatty Acid/Polyketide Metabolism and Microbial Engineering

Unique Expertise in Fatty Acid/Polyketide Metabolism and Microbial Engineering:

CBiRC has assembled a world-class team of scientists that are well known for their work on fatty acid/ polyketide metabolism and microbial metabolic engineering. The team is focused on the enzymes involved in Claisen condensation-based carbon-chain extension and chain termination with the aim of directing the process of fatty acid assembly in microbes.

The enzymes and proteins of interest include:

• 3-ketoacyl-ACP Synthase,
• Acetoacetyl-CoA
• Acetyl-CoA/Propionyl-CoA Synthetase
• Acyl-CoA Carboxylases
• Methylketone Synthase
• Thioesterases
• Biocatalysts of the Acetyl-CoA Condensation
• Fatty Acid Elongase
• Biotin.

Overall Aim of the Center:

The overall aim is to engineer microbes in order to direct glucose utilization to the fatty acid or polyketide biosynthetic pathways with a goal of enhancing microbial production through targeted engineering. Combining biocatalysis with chemical catalysis opens the door to the fatty acid or polyketide-based platform chemicals (examples include carboxylic acids, ring structures and bifunctional molecules) at the heart of CBiRC’s vision.

Faculty involved in Enzyme Engineering:

Project Name: 3-ketoacyl-ACP Synthase, Acetoacetyl-CoA: Acetyl-CoA/Propionyl-CoA Synthetase; Acyl-CoA Carboxylases; Methylketone Synthase/Thioesterase; Thioesterases; Biocatalysts of the Acetyl-CoA Condensation; Fatty Acid Elongase; Biotin.

1. Basil J. Nikolau Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology Iowa State University
2. Joseph P. Noel Jack H. Skirball Center for Chemical Biology & Proteomics Salk Institute for Biological Studies
3. Peter J. Reilly Chemical & Biological Engineering Iowa State University
4. Thomas A. Bobik Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology Iowa State University
5. David J. Oliver Genetics, Development & Cell Biology Iowa State University
6. Eran Pichersky Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology University of Michigan

Faculty involved in Microbial Metabolic Engineering:

Project Name: Bioinformatics; Flux Analysis; Omics Experiments; Strain Characterization and Optimization

1. Nancy A. Da Silva Chemical Engineering & Materials Science University of California – Irvine
2. Julie A. Dickerson Electrical & Computer Engineering Iowa State University
3. Ramon Gonzalez Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering W. M. Rice University
4. Laura R. Jarboe Chemical & Biological Engineering Iowa State University
5. Ka-Yiu San Bioengineering W. M. Rice University
6. Jacqueline V. Shanks Chemical & Biological Engineering Iowa State University
7. Eve S. Wurtele  Genetics, Development & Cell Biology Iowa State University
8. Suzanne B. Sandmeyer Biological Chemistry University of California –Irvine