A common denominator of our research is in collaboration with Nature's own principles to contribute to provide science-guided solutions facilitating the transition to a bio-based global economy using carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and solar energy as renewable inputs and engineered chloroplasts as the key production module. In nature, chloroplasts harbour enzyme systems catalysing biosynthesis of a remarkably and diverse number of metabolites. These are eminent “starter” molecules for formation of a multitude of high-value natural products upon transfer of biosynthetic pathways for the desired bio-active compounds into the chloroplasts using synthetic biology. The effect will be direct channelling of photosynthetic reducing power and fixed carbon into the introduced biosynthetic pathways to produce the desired compounds with high efficiency. Formation and compartmentalized storage of the compounds at molar concentrations in the engineered chloroplasts without disturbing cell homeostasis will be accomplished by co-introduced formation of natural deep eutectic solvents. Based on our accomplishments within plant pathway discovery, focus will be on production of structurally complex diterpenoids from selected Eremophila species from the Western Australian desert, from Coleus species and from Ginkgo biloba, in all cases plants with interesting medicinal uses. The therapeutic potential of the compounds produced will be enhanced using combinatorial biochemistry based on the modules characterized.
Based on these inherent basic properties, our advances towards the engineering of chloroplasts into power houses for biosynthesis and storage of high value natural products will be presented.