Production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid through propionaldehyde dehydrogenase PduP mediated biosynthetic pathway in Klebsiella pneumoniae

► In the present work, we identified a pduP-encoded CoA-dependent propionaldehyde dehydrogenase of Klebsiella pneumoniae. ► Deletion of pduP abolished 3-HP synthesis in K. pneumoniae, especially at late stages of growth. ► Purified recombinant PduP showed broad enzymatic activity upon aliphatic aldehydes, including 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde. ► The present report is the first to confirm that the pduP gene is a member of the 3-HP biosynthesis pathway.