Innovative Explorations of Microbial Synthetic Biology in Spermidine Production

Abstract

Spermidine, a polyamine with bioactivities such as anti-aging and cardiovascular protection, holds broad application prospects in the fields of biomedicine and health products. It can delay the aging process by regulating cellular mechanisms and simultaneously exert a positive protective effect on cardiovascular health, thus attracting widespread attention from the industrial community. However, traditional production methods have long restricted the industrialization of spermidine. The chemical synthesis method has issues including insufficient safety of raw materials and catalysts, numerous by-products, low purity, and environmental pollution. The natural extraction method, on the other hand, results in high product costs due to the low content of active ingredients in raw materials and low extraction efficiency, making it difficult to meet market demand. The emergence of microbial synthetic biology technology has brought a new breakthrough to spermidine production. Through metabolic engineering of microbial chassis, optimization of strain performance, and combination with adaptive fermentation processes, the yield and purity of spermidine have been significantly improved. At present, relevant enterprises have promoted industrialization attempts, and costs have been reduced to a certain extent. Nevertheless, challenges still exist in aspects such as strain stability, economics of large-scale production, and industry certification. Continuous technological improvement is required in the future to promote its large-scale application.