Cofactor Engineering Strategy of Food-Grade Microorganisms: Redox Homeostasis Regulation and Functional Components Biofortification.
- 2026-04-28
- Microorganisms 14(5)
- Di Zhang
- Haoran Wang
- Xin Song
- Yongjun Xia
- Guangqiang Wang
- Zhiqiang Xiong
- Lianzhong Ai
- PubMed: 42197378
- DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms14050992
Study Design
- Type
- Review
Food-grade microorganisms utilize core cofactors, such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and its phosphate form (NADP), to mediate redox reactions and regulate energy metabolism homeostasis as well as biosynthesis of functional components. In metabolic engineering, perturbation of the NAD(P)+/NAD(P)H network may significantly disrupt intracellular redox homeostasis, leading to impaired strain growth and limited synthesis of targeted functional products. This review systematically examines the latest research progress in the field of food-grade microbial cofactor engineering, focusing on the key mechanisms and synergistic pathways of core strategies, such as metabolic flux optimization and cofactor regeneration systems, in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis and enhancing the biosynthesis of functional ingredients. Future research should focus on exploring the potential for integrating multi-omics approaches and intelligent control technologies, proposing innovative approaches to address the challenges of industrialized production, and providing theoretical support for food biomanufacturing.