Designing and creating a modularized synthetic pathway in cyanobacterium Synechocystis enables production of acetone from carbon dioxide

► We designed a modularized biosynthetic pathway for production of acetone from CO2. ► The acetone biosynthetic pathway was introduced and optimized in cyanobacterium. ► Direct biosynthesis of acetone from CO2 was achieved in this study. ► Disruption of acetate production directed the carbon flux towards acetone synthesis.