From genes to products: High-efficiency biosynthesis and holistic optimization strategies for monounsaturated fatty acids.

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), particularly palmitoleic, oleic and nervonic acids, serve essential functions in cardiovascular health, metabolic regulation and neuroprotection. Microbial fermentation has emerged as a sustainable production platform that circumvents the geographical constraints and high costs associated with traditional agricultural systems. This review establishes a holistic framework for sustainable MUFA production, systematically integrating upstream metabolic engineering (Δ9 desaturase pathway optimization and chassis strain design), midstream precision fermentation (artificial intelligence-driven dynamic control of bioreactor parameters), and downstream processing (supercritical fluid extraction and microencapsulation). Key strategies include enhancing precursor flux via enzyme engineering, resolving NADPH cofactor imbalances, implementing artificial intelligence-guided genome-scale metabolic models for real-time bioprocess optimization. This review emphasizes the value of microbial production of MUFAs and its optimization methods, while exploring its potential in nutraceutical and biomedical applications.