Data for: Semi-Continuous Biomanufacturing for Maximizing the Production of Complex Chemicals and Fuels: A Case Study on Amorpha-4,11-diene

Biomanufacturing is emerging as a key technology for the sustainable production of chemicals, materials, and food ingredients using engineered microbes. However, despite billions of dollars of investment, few processes have been successfully commercialized due to a lack of attention on industrial-scale bioprocess design and innovation.

This study addresses this challenge through the development of a novel semi-continuous bioprocess for the production of the terpene amorpha-4,11-diene (AMD4,11) using engineered Escherichia coli. Using a hydrophilic membrane for product and biomass retention, we successfully a) decoupled production at low growth rates (~0.01 1/h) and b) improved productivity 3-fold compared to traditional fed-batch fermentations. When cell recycling was implemented, we showed sustained production at the highest conversion yield and production rate for up to three cycles, demonstrating the robustness of both the strain and the process and highlighting the potential for new bioprocess strategies to improve the economic viability of industrial biomanufacturing.