Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41448801›Full record

ArticleMicrobial biotechnology2025

Engineering an AlkS-PalkB Transcription Factor-Based Biosensor With Improved Sensitivity to Isobutanol and Other Short-Chain Alcohols.

Jiaming Chen, Xizi Wang, Can Zhu, Stefanie Frank, Jian Hao, Frank Baganz

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Microbial biotechnology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jiaming ChenDepartment of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0009-0004-1884-7223
Xizi WangDepartment of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0009-0002-4758-8772
Can ZhuDepartment of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0009-0005-1110-8257
Stefanie FrankDepartment of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
Jian HaoDepartment of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4403-8188
Frank BaganzDepartment of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5589-6869

Funding

Royal Society NAF\R2\180721UK Research and Innovation EP/X032078/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Isobutanol, a promising biofuel with higher energy content than ethanol, presents a sustainable alternative through biosynthesis. However, enhancing yield remains challenging due to the inefficiencies in microbial synthesis. This study introduces a transcription factor-based biosensor using the AlkS-PalkB system in Escherichia coli, which correlates green fluorescence with isobutanol concentration. Employing directed evolution, we modified AlkS to detect isobutanol, significantly improving biosensor specificity. Initial modifications increased the dynamic response from non-detectable to a 2.60-fold change. Subsequent optimisations through site-directed mutagenesis and promoter engineering further enhanced this response to a 5.56-fold change, equivalent to a 114% increase. Although engineered for isobutanol detection with high sensitivity, the engineered biosensor retains responsiveness to several short-chain alcohols. This biosensor provides a foundation for high-throughput screening of isobutanol and other short-chain alcohol-producing strains, though additional improvements in selectivity and operating range may be required for efficient implementation.

Indexed as

AlcoholsBiosensing TechniquesButanolsEscherichia coliEscherichia coli ProteinsTranscription FactorsMetabolic EngineeringAlcoholsButanolsEscherichia coli Proteinsisobutyl alcoholTranscription Factorsbiosensorhigh‐throughput screeningisobutanolsynthetic biologytranscription factor‐based system

Identifiers

PMID41448801
PMCPMC12740625

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.