Synthetic biology drives innovative advances of antimicrobial peptide iturin A

Background

Microbial contamination causes significant food loss and health hazards. Iturin A, a natural antimicrobial peptide produced by Bacillus species, has gained increasing recognition. Additionally, iturin A exhibits various biological activities, including antiviral and antitumor activities. However, the large-scale application of the high-value iturin A is limited by its low yield.

Scope and approach

This article comprehensively reviews the bioactivities of iturin A. The potential applications of iturin A in food, as well as its safety and toxicity assessment, are discussed. Furthermore, the biosynthesis of iturin A is analyzed in depth, with a focus on the synthetic biology strategies, aiming to enhance its production.

Key findings and conclusions

Iturin A possesses a variety of biological activities, offering promising application potentials in the food industry from food preservatives to functional food. Especially, the synthetic biology strategies are highlighted for improving the production of iturin A, including modification of the itu operon, the precursor amino acid pathway, the fatty acid pathway, the transcription factor, the transport system and the byproduct pathway. The modification of genes and metabolic networks through rational design and dynamic regulation is an important direction worth focusing on in the future, and it is crucial for optimizing the yield of iturin A.