The secondary metabolite phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) is active against a wide range of fungal plant pathogens, and was developed as a new biopesticide.
10">The PCA-producing strain PA1201 was modified via a combined strategy involving gene deletion and replacement, promoter engineering and protein engineering.
15">A total of 478 genes responsible for virulence factor production, secondary metabolite production, PCA biosynthesis and efflux pumping were engineered.
The genetically stable strain PA-IV exhibited a 54.6-fold PCA yield increase over PA1201, producing 9882 mg/L of PCA in fed-batch fermentation.