@article{35666,
  author = {Minliang Yang and Di Liu and Nawa Raj Baral and Chien-Yuan Lin and Blake A Simmons and John M Gladden and Aymerick Eudes and Corinne D Scown},
  title = {Comparing planta accumulation with microbial routes to set targets for a cost-competitive bioeconomy},
  abstract = {<p>Plants and microbes share common metabolic pathways for producing a range of bioproducts that are potentially foundational to the future bioeconomy. However,&nbsp;<em>in planta</em>&nbsp;accumulation and microbial production of bioproducts have never been systematically compared on an economic basis to identify optimal routes of production. A detailed technoeconomic analysis of four exemplar compounds (4-hydroxybenzoic acid [4-HBA], catechol, muconic acid, and 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid [PDC]) is conducted with the highest reported yields and accumulation rates to identify economically advantaged platforms and breakeven targets for plants and microbes. The results indicate that&nbsp;<em>in planta</em>&nbsp;mass accumulation ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 dry weight % (dwt%) can achieve costs comparable to microbial routes operating at 40 to 55% of maximum theoretical yields. These yields and accumulation rates are sufficient to be cost competitive if the products are sold at market prices consistent with specialty chemicals ($20 to $50/kg). Prices consistent with commodity chemicals will require an order-of-magnitude-greater accumulation rate for plants and/or yields nearing theoretical maxima for microbial production platforms. This comparative analysis revealed that the demonstrated accumulation rates of 4-HBA (3.2 dwt%) and PDC (3.0 dwt%) in engineered plants vastly outperform microbial routes, even if microbial platforms were to reach theoretical maximum yields. Their recovery and sale as part of a lignocellulosic biorefinery could enable biofuel prices to be competitive with petroleum. Muconic acid and catechol, in contrast, are currently more attractive when produced microbially using a sugar feedstock. Ultimately, both platforms can play an important role in replacing fossil-derived products.</p>},
  year = {2022},
  journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},
  volume = {119},
  month = {07/2022},
  issn = {0027-8424},
  url = {https://pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2122309119},
  doi = {10.1073/pnas.2122309119},
  language = {eng},
}