Recent advances in microbial fermentation for the production of leghemoglobin.

Zixin Yao, Jianbin Weng, Mengxin Wang, Jingwen Zhou, Jianghua Li, Jian Chen, Guocheng Du, Xinrui Zhao

Journal: World journal of microbiology & biotechnology 2025;41(10):404

PMID: 41128947

Abstract

Leghemoglobin (LegH) is a monomer heme-binding protein in legume rhizomes, which possesses essential functions in cellular oxygen transport and provision of bioavailable iron. Meanwhile, it has great potential application in food additive for the promising artificial meat, endowing the products realistic color and taste. Compared with the traditional extraction method, the production of LegH by microbial biosynthesis has advantages in short production period, low cost and high yield. In this review, we summarize the recent strategies for the optimization of LegH expression in different microorganisms, the metabolic regulation of heme synthetic pathway, and the progress in the improvement of fermentation process. Compared with the previous reviews, this review covers numerous prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms used for LegH production, and also takes into account the improvement of LegH secretory expressional level. Additionally, this review summarizes the key technological breakthroughs and existing challenges in the field of current LegH microbial synthesis, providing a reference for the subsequent industrial production and application of LegH and other high-value-added hemoproteins.

Address: Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China.; Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China. [email protected].; Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China. [email protected].; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China. [email protected].; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education on Food Synthetic Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214122, China. [email protected].

DOI: 10.1007/s11274-025-04609-y

MeSH Terms: Fermentation, Leghemoglobin, Bacteria, Heme, Metabolic Engineering, Industrial Microbiology