Systems metabolic engineering: an integrated approach for future environmental biotechnology
摘要
Systems metabolic engineering (SME) integrates systems biology, synthetic biology, and evolutionary engineering to design high-performance tailor-made microbial cells. SME advances environmental biotechnology by delivering innovative, scalable, and sustainable solutions for green bioprocesses, waste valorization, pollutant degradation, and resource management. Recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, dynamic metabolic control systems, and metabolite-responsive regulatory elements have further accelerated strain development and expanded the functional scope of engineered microbes and microbial consortia. Here, we discuss key conceptual foundations, technological advances, emerging research directions and current limitations in SME, highlighting its transformative potential to drive innovation toward environmentally resilient, resource-efficient, and sustainable biotechnological solutions.