Abstract

    2-phenylethanol (2-PE) is a fatty alcohol with the aroma of rose, which is considered as an essential flavoring ingredient in the food and cosmetic industry because of its mild and elegant smell. In nature, 2-PE is mainly extracted from rose, jasmine, tomato, and buckwheat plants. However, the concentration of 2-PE in plants is deficient and susceptible to natural factors, such as weather and plant diseases, resulting in the cost of extracting 2-PE up to 3500-6000 USD/kg. Cheap 2-PE can be prepared by chemical synthesis, but the process of producing benzene ethanol by chemical synthesis is complicated. Therefore, we constructed an engineered strain utilizing synthetic biology, so that it can synthesize natural, green, and sustainable 2-PE to meet the needs of the food and cosmetics industry. We hope our obtained 2-pE can be developed to trend-leading and unique 2-PE products according to different people and scenarios.