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This study presents a sustainable, one-pot microbial process that converts lignin-derived guaiacol into adipic acid using engineered Escherichia coli. By integrating heterologous Rieske non-heme iron monooxygenases from Cupriavidus necator N-1 with systematic optimizations, the researchers achieved near-quantitative conversion with a 97% yield and a titre of 1.5 g/L.

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Abstract

Adipic acid (1,6-hexanedioic acid) is a key building block for nylon-6,6, a widely used polymer in the global chemical industry. Current industrial production relies on petrochemical feedstocks and nitric acid oxidation of cyclohexane/cyclohexanol mixtures, releasing nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Biotechnological routes offer sustainable alternatives but have been limited by low yields or reliance on multi-strain systems. Here we report a one-pot, single-strain microbial process for the efficient conversion of guaiacol - a lignin derived aromatic - into adipic acid. By integrating heterologous Rieske non-heme iron monooxygenases from Cupriavidus necator N-1 with systematic process optimisations in engineered Escherichia coli, we achieve near-quantitative conversion with 97% yield and titres of 1.5 g/L in aqueous, lab-scale reactions. This work demonstrates a novel and efficient strategy for lignin valorisation through engineered microbial synthesis, providing a new sustainable and scalable route to adipic acid.

Key findings

  • A single-strain microbial system successfully converts guaiacol to adipic acid in one pot, overcoming previous limitations of low yields or multi-strain dependencies.
  • The integration of heterologous Rieske non-heme iron monooxygenases from Cupriavidus necator N-1 into engineered E. coli enabled efficient aromatic ring cleavage and chain shortening.
  • The process achieved a 97% yield with a titre of 1.5 g/L in aqueous lab-scale reactions, demonstrating high efficiency for lignin valorization.

Keywords

Adipic acidGuaiacolLigninOrganic chemistryVanillinPetrochemical

Identifiers

DOI
10.64898/2026.02.23.707458
Journal
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Year
2026