# Sustainable production of glutaric acid in microbial cell factories: Current advances and future prospects

**Authors:** Jie Liu, Dan Mei, Xuan-Jun Zhang, Wei-Guo Zhang, Long-Bao Zhu

PMC · DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2026.01.003 · Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology · 2026-01-23

## TL;DR

This paper reviews recent progress in using microbes to sustainably produce glutaric acid, a key chemical used in industry and medicine.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of biosynthetic pathway design and metabolic engineering strategies for glutaric acid production.

## Key findings

- Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering have enabled sustainable microbial production of glutaric acid.
- Systems biology technologies are crucial for optimizing the biosynthetic pathway for glutaric acid.
- Challenges in biosynthesis remain, but future prospects are promising for sustainable chemical production.

## Abstract

Glutaric acid is a significant C5 dicarboxylic acid, extensively utilized in the chemical industry, medicine, and biomaterials. In recent years, the advancement of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering has rendered microbial production of glutaric acid a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical synthesis. This study reviews recent advancements in glutaric acid biosynthesis, primarily concentrating on the design of biosynthetic pathways and metabolic engineering strategies for the development of engineered strains. The utilization of systems biology technologies in the development of the glutaric acid biosynthetic pathway is examined. This study outlines the issues associated with glutaric acid biosynthesis and its prospective developmental trajectory, intending to offer theoretical insights and technological guidance for the sustainable production of glutaric acid and related fine chemicals.

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## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** glutaric acid (PubChem CID 743)

## Full-text entities

- **Chemicals:** dicarboxylic acid (MESH:D003998), Glutaric acid (MESH:C035736)

## Full text

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## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12861294/full.md

## References

111 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12861294/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12861294