Metabolic engineering of β-oxidation in Penicillium chrysogenum for improved semi-synthetic cephalosporin biosynthesis

► β-oxidation actively contributes to adipic acid catabolism. ► In P. chrysogenum, β-oxidation is localized in the peroxisome and in the mitochondrion. ► Acyl CoA OXs are peroxisomal while DHs are peroxisomal and mitochondrial. ► Deletion of Pc20g01800 and Pc20g07920 resulted in a 1.6 and 3.7X increase in ad-6APA. ► Pc20g07920Δ mutant showed an improved (8X) incorporation of adipate into β-lactams.