Description of the Project

The BigPharm project aims to develop new biocatalytic synthesis pathways for the sustainable and scalable production of mentha-2,8-diene-1-ol (MOH) and olivetolic acid (OA). MOH and OA are essential chemical building blocks for the production of dronabinol (THC) and are currently produced inefficiently and in unsustainable chemical processes that also emit large amounts of waste products. For the biotechnological production of MOH new enzymes shall be identified or generated from known structural data. Furthermore, limonene, which is a by-product of citrus fruit production, will be used as a substrate for the production of MOH. The enzyme isolation is based on organisms that are able to produce or degrade MOH. The identification of the enzymes will be done in a functional approach and in combination with new systems biology techniques. In an alternative approach the identified enzymes will be evaluated and optimized both in vitro and recombinant in vivo (whole cell biocatalysis). The aim is to enable an efficient conversion of limonene to MOH. The main focus in the production of OA is the production from natural OA producing microorganisms. It is planned to scale up the biotechnological production of MOH and OA and establish it as an alternative production strategy.

Persons: Dr. Norbert Mehlmer (Project-management), Nadim Ahmad and Manfred Ritz