Carbon sequestration pathways in microorganisms: Advances, strategies, and applications
Shupeng Ruan, Yuchen Jiang, Aoxue Wang, Xinying Zhang, Ying Lin, Shuli Liang
Abstract
In recent years, industrial activities have significantly increased atmospheric CO 2 levels, exacerbating global warming. Carbon reduction involves implementing measures to minimize CO 2 emissions from human activities and achieve a balance between carbon absorption and emissions. Therefore, effective reduction of CO 2 emissions is crucial. Conventional physical and chemical methods for CO₂ fixation frequently cause secondary environmental pollution. As a result, utilizing microorganisms for CO 2 fixation has gained considerable interest. This review provides an overview of the natural pathways for microbial CO 2 fixation, recent advancements in artificial CO 2 fixation, and strategies for enhancing the efficiency of microbial CO 2 fixation. We also discuss the conversion of CO 2 into diverse metabolic products and high-value chemicals. By identifying efficient carbon fixation pathways for microorganisms, this review aims to lay the foundation for the biological production of high-value chemicals using CO 2 as a raw material.