Published on Feb. 11, 2026
Applications
- Sustainable aviation fuel
- Flavors, fragrances, cosmetics, and green solvents
Advantages/Benefits
- Efficient, scalable production of isoprenyl acetate
Background
Isoprenyl acetate is a versatile platform chemical and a key precursor to dimethylcyclooctane (DMCO), a sustainable aviation fuel with high energy intensity and potential to lower carbon emissions compared to conventional Jet A fuel. Isoprenyl acetate may be a preferred precursor for synthesizing DMCO over isoprenol as it has higher volatility than isoprenol, which allows more efficient downstream recovery of the product. Pseudomonas putida is emerging as a promising metabolic engineering chassis, and recent research has demonstrated the production of isoprenol in P. putida.
Technology Overview
This invention marks the first successful production of isoprenyl acetate in P. putida, leveraging the organism’s metabolic flexibility and ability to utilize biomass-derived carbon sources. Production was achieved with biomass hydrolysate by introducing the IPP-bypass pathway along with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae-derived ATF1 gene.
Researchers achieved 1.3 g/L of isoprenyl acetate in a flask culture with 40 g/L glucose, the highest reported in P. putida to date, and 1.2 mg/L in a flask culture with glucose and xylose mixture. Additional enhancements may be achieved through adaptation of culture conditions and computationally identified genetic modifications. By engineering P. putida with xylose metabolism capabilities, this invention has the potential to utilize a wide range of feedstocks (e.g., hardwoods, softwoods, grasses, agricultural residues, and mixtures). This versatility would enable economically viable carbon conversion to DMCO and other bioproducts, paving the way for more economical commercial biorefineries.
Development Stage
TRL 3 – Proof of concept
Inventors
Chae Won Kang
David Carruthers
Taek Soon Lee
Status
Patent pending
Opportunities
Available for licensing or collaborative research
