Engineering Yarrowia lipolytica for de novo production of tetraacetyl phytosphingosine.

Aims: To genetically engineer the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for de novo production of tetraacetylphytosphingosine (TAPS), a precursor of phytosphingosine, and optimization of fermentation conditions for high yield.

Methods And Results: We successfully constructed a TAPS-producing Y. lipolytica CE3 strain by co-expression of Wickerhamomyces ciferrii-derived acetyl transferases, Sli1p and Atf2p.

Development of a promising microbial platform for the production of dicarboxylic acids from biorenewable resources.

Background: As a sustainable industrial process, the production of dicarboxylic acids (DCAs), used as precursors of polyamides, polyesters, perfumes, plasticizers, lubricants, and adhesives, from vegetable oil has continuously garnered interest. Although the yeast has been used as a host for DCA production, additional strains are continually investigated to meet productivity thresholds and industrial needs. In this regard, the yeast , a potential candidate strain, has been screened.

Molecular and functional characterization of two pyruvate decarboxylase genes, PDC1 and PDC5, in the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus.

Pyruvate decarboxylase (Pdc) is a cytosolic enzyme located at the branch point between fermentative and respiratory sugar catabolism. Here, we identified and functionally characterized KmPDC1 and KmPDC5 encoding two homologs of Pdc in the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus KCTC 17555. Despite the conservation of important Pdc domains, a few amino acid sequences essential for enzymatic activity are not conserved in KmPdc5p.

Characterization of the newly isolated ω-oxidizing yeast Candida sorbophila DS02 and its potential applications in long-chain dicarboxylic acid production.

α, ω-Dicarboxylic acids (DCAs) are multipurpose chemicals widely used in polymers, perfumes, plasticizers, lubricants, and adhesives. The biotransformation of DCAs from alkanes and fatty acids by microorganisms has attracted recent interest, since synthesis via chemical oxidation causes problems in terms of the environment and safety. We isolated an ω-oxidizing yeast from a wastewater disposal facility of a petrochemical factory by chemostat enrichment culture.

Deletion of a KU80 homolog enhances homologous recombination in the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus.

Targeted gene replacement in the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus KCTC 17555 has been hampered by its propensity to non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). To enhance homologous recombination (HR) by blocking NHEJ, we identified and disrupted the K. marxianus KU80 gene.