We genetically engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli) to constitutively produce normal ALDH2*1, and experimentally show that our recombinant ALDH2*1 is more efficient at breaking down acetaldehyde compared to the mutant ALDH2*2. To better characterize enzymatic activity, we also designed, purified, and tested both HIS-tagged ALDH2*1 and ALDH2*2 enzymes. Finally, we designed and tested an ethanol-induced promoter to regulate the production of ALDH2*1.
