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New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts
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New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Cell Biology, Metabolism and Physiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2023) | Viewed by 16550

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Marcos Antonio de Morais Junior

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Laboratory of Microbial Genetics, Department of Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
2. Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50.670-901, PE, Brazil
Interests: beverage; biofuel; fermentation; food; metabolic engineering; stress response; yeast physiology; yeast molecular biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Yeast, a term commonly associated with the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been used for millennia in relation to the production of food and beverages that followed the evolution of human societies. Representatives of these species, their sibling species and intraspecific hybrids play a key role in this story. Although they continue to be used for these purposes, this species is responsible for the production of the most important biofuel in the world, ethanol, and has been used as a chassis for many metabolic engineering projects for the production of molecules of biotechnological interest, ranging from food additives to pharmaceuticals. At present, new horizons are being visualized from the isolation and characterization of yeasts from other species that are revealing their biotechnological potential. The increasing use of this pleiad of yeasts, natural or genetically modified, will allow for the development of the green chemical industry and will provide the development of the so-called biofactories and biorefineries. In this context, the purpose of the current Special Issue is to present relevant aspects of the potential of “old” and “new” industrial yeasts and the biotechnological horizons that are opening up.

Dr. Marcos Antonio de Morais Junior
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • adaptive selection
  • bioproducts
  • fermentation
  • genetic modification
  • metabolic engineering
  • omics
  • screening
  • stress response
  • synthetic biology

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1504 KiB  
Article
Metabolic Engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Production of Canthaxanthin, Zeaxanthin, and Astaxanthin
by Peerada Promdonkoy, Akaraphol Watcharawipas, Suriyaporn Bubphasawan, Kitisak Sansatchanon, Nattida Suwanakitti, Kanokarn Kocharin and Weerawat Runguphan
J. Fungi 2024, 10(6), 433; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10060433 - 18 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1328
Abstract
The sustainable production of natural compounds is increasingly important in today’s industrial landscape. This study investigates the metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the efficient biosynthesis of valuable carotenoids: canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin. Utilizing a tailored parental yeast strain, Sp_Bc, we optimized the [...] Read more.
The sustainable production of natural compounds is increasingly important in today’s industrial landscape. This study investigates the metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the efficient biosynthesis of valuable carotenoids: canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin. Utilizing a tailored parental yeast strain, Sp_Bc, we optimized the carotenoid pathway by screening and identifying CrtW and CrtZ enzymatic variants. The CrtW variant from Bradyrhizobium sp. achieved a canthaxanthin titer of 425.1 ± 69.1 µg/L, while the CrtZ variant from Pantoea ananatis achieved a zeaxanthin titer of 70.5 ± 10.8 µg/L. Additionally, we optimized carotenoid production by exploring enzyme fusion strategies for all three studied carotenoids and organelle compartmentalization specifically for enhancing astaxanthin synthesis. We further improved carotenoid production by integrating the optimal gene constructs into the yeast genome and deleting the GAL80 gene, enabling the use of sucrose as a carbon source. The engineered strain Sp_Bc-Can001 ∆gal80 was evaluated in a 5 L bioreactor fermentation, achieving a notable canthaxanthin titer of 60.36 ± 1.51 mg/L using sucrose. This research conclusively establishes S. cerevisiae as a viable platform for efficient carotenoid biosynthesis and, for the first time in this yeast system, illustrates sucrose’s viability as a carbon source for canthaxanthin production. These findings pave the way for sustainable, cost-effective carotenoid production at an industrial scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts)
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10 pages, 1961 KiB  
Communication
Isolation of Yeast Strains with Higher Proline Uptake and Their Applications to Beer Fermentation
by Ryoya Tanahashi, Akira Nishimura, Minh Nguyen, Irnayuli Sitepu, Glen Fox, Kyria Boundy-Mills and Hiroshi Takagi
J. Fungi 2023, 9(12), 1137; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9121137 - 24 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1684
Abstract
Although proline is the most or second most abundant amino acid in wort and grape must, it is not fully consumed by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae during alcoholic fermentation, unlike other amino acids. Our previous studies showed that arginine, the third most abundant [...] Read more.
Although proline is the most or second most abundant amino acid in wort and grape must, it is not fully consumed by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae during alcoholic fermentation, unlike other amino acids. Our previous studies showed that arginine, the third most abundant amino acid in wort, inhibits the utilization of proline in most strains of S. cerevisiae. Furthermore, we found that some non-Saccharomyces yeasts utilized proline in a specific artificial medium with arginine and proline as the only nitrogen source, but these yeasts were not suitable for beer fermentation due to their low alcohol productivity. For yeasts to be useful for brewing, they need to utilize proline and produce alcohol during fermentation. In this study, 11 S. cerevisiae strains and 10 non-Saccharomyces yeast strains in the Phaff Yeast Culture Collection were identified that utilize proline effectively. Notably, two of these S. cerevisiae strains, UCDFST 40-144 and 68-44, utilize proline and produce sufficient alcohol in the beer fermentation model used. These strains have the potential to create distinctive beer products that are specifically alcoholic but with a reduction in proline in the finished beer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts)
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17 pages, 2842 KiB  
Article
Improved Sugarcane-Based Fermentation Processes by an Industrial Fuel-Ethanol Yeast Strain
by Gabriela Muller, Victor R. de Godoy, Marcelo G. Dário, Eduarda H. Duval, Sergio L. Alves-Jr, Augusto Bücker, Carlos A. Rosa, Barbara Dunn, Gavin Sherlock and Boris U. Stambuk
J. Fungi 2023, 9(8), 803; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9080803 - 29 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2110
Abstract
In Brazil, sucrose-rich broths (cane juice and/or molasses) are used to produce billions of liters of both fuel ethanol and cachaça per year using selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae industrial strains. Considering the important role of feedstock (sugar) prices in the overall process economics, to [...] Read more.
In Brazil, sucrose-rich broths (cane juice and/or molasses) are used to produce billions of liters of both fuel ethanol and cachaça per year using selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae industrial strains. Considering the important role of feedstock (sugar) prices in the overall process economics, to improve sucrose fermentation the genetic characteristics of a group of eight fuel-ethanol and five cachaça industrial yeasts that tend to dominate the fermentors during the production season were determined by array comparative genomic hybridization. The widespread presence of genes encoding invertase at multiple telomeres has been shown to be a common feature of both baker’s and distillers’ yeast strains, and is postulated to be an adaptation to sucrose-rich broths. Our results show that only two strains (one fuel-ethanol and one cachaça yeast) have amplification of genes encoding invertase, with high specific activity. The other industrial yeast strains had a single locus (SUC2) in their genome, with different patterns of invertase activity. These results indicate that invertase activity probably does not limit sucrose fermentation during fuel-ethanol and cachaça production by these industrial strains. Using this knowledge, we changed the mode of sucrose metabolism of an industrial strain by avoiding extracellular invertase activity, overexpressing the intracellular invertase, and increasing its transport through the AGT1 permease. This approach allowed the direct consumption of the disaccharide by the cells, without releasing glucose or fructose into the medium, and a 11% higher ethanol production from sucrose by the modified industrial yeast, when compared to its parental strain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts)
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16 pages, 2883 KiB  
Article
Meyerozyma caribbica Isolated from Vinasse-Irrigated Sugarcane Plantation Soil: A Promising Yeast for Ethanol and Xylitol Production in Biorefineries
by Bárbara Ribeiro Alves Alencar, Renan Anderson Alves de Freitas, Victor Emanuel Petrício Guimarães, Rayssa Karla Silva, Carolina Elsztein, Suzyanne Porfírio da Silva, Emmanuel Damilano Dutra, Marcos Antonio de Morais Junior and Rafael Barros de Souza
J. Fungi 2023, 9(8), 789; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9080789 - 26 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1901
Abstract
The production of fuels and other industrial products from renewable sources has intensified the search for new substrates or for the expansion of the use of substrates already in use, as well as the search for microorganisms with different metabolic capacities. In the [...] Read more.
The production of fuels and other industrial products from renewable sources has intensified the search for new substrates or for the expansion of the use of substrates already in use, as well as the search for microorganisms with different metabolic capacities. In the present work, we isolated and tested a yeast from the soil of sugarcane irrigated with vinasse, that is, with high mineral content and acidic pH. The strain of Meyerozyma caribbica URM 8365 was able to ferment glucose, but the use of xylose occurred when some oxygenation was provided. However, some fermentation of xylose to ethanol in oxygen limitation also occurs if glucose was present. This strain was able to produce ethanol from molasses substrate with 76% efficiency, showing its tolerance to possible inhibitors. High ethanol production efficiencies were also observed in acidic hydrolysates of each bagasse, sorghum, and cactus pear biomass. Mixtures of these substrates were tested and the best composition was found for the use of excess plant biomass in supplementation of primary substrates. It was also possible to verify the production of xylitol from xylose when the acetic acid concentration is reduced. Finally, the proposed metabolic model allowed calculating how much of the xylose carbon can be directed to the production of ethanol and/or xylitol in the presence of glucose. With this, it is possible to design an industrial plant that combines the production of ethanol and/or xylitol using combinations of primary substrates with hydrolysates of their biomass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts)
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18 pages, 4020 KiB  
Article
The Riboflavin Metabolism in Four Saccharomyces cerevisiae Wine Strains: Assessment in Oenological Condition and Potential Implications with the Light-Struck Taste
by Alessandra Di Canito, Alessio Altomare, Daniela Fracassetti, Natalia Messina, Antonio Tirelli, Roberto Foschino and Ileana Vigentini
J. Fungi 2023, 9(1), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9010078 - 5 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1826
Abstract
Riboflavin (RF), or vitamin B2, is an essential compound for yeast growth and a precursor of the flavin coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), involved in redox and non-redox processes. RF is a photosensitive compound involved in the light-struck taste [...] Read more.
Riboflavin (RF), or vitamin B2, is an essential compound for yeast growth and a precursor of the flavin coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), involved in redox and non-redox processes. RF is a photosensitive compound involved in the light-struck taste (LST), a fault causing the formation of off-flavors that can develop when the wine is exposed to light in the presence of methionine (Met), as well. As both RF and Met can be associated with detrimental changes in wines, a better comprehension of its yeast-mediated production is relevant to predict the maintenance of the desired character of the wine. This study aims at assessing the production of flavin derivatives (FDs) and Met by S. cerevisiae oenological starters under laboratory conditions. The results showed the presence of extra- and intracellular FDs, and Met is a strain-dependent characteristic being also affected by the initial content of RF in the medium. This finding was confirmed when the winemaking was carried out in a relevant environment. Our results evidenced the important impact of the yeast strain on the content of RF and its derivatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts)
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Review

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18 pages, 2344 KiB  
Review
Applications of the Methylotrophic Yeast Komagataella phaffii in the Context of Modern Biotechnology
by Lidia Maria Pepe de Moraes, Henrique Fetzner Marques, Viviane Castelo Branco Reis, Cintia Marques Coelho, Matheus de Castro Leitão, Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino, Thais Paiva Porto de Souza, Luiza Cesca Piva, Ana Laura Alfonso Perez, Débora Trichez, João Ricardo Moreira de Almeida, Janice Lisboa De Marco and Fernando Araripe Gonçalves Torres
J. Fungi 2024, 10(6), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10060411 - 6 Jun 2024
Viewed by 2032
Abstract
Komagataella phaffii (formerly Pichia pastoris) is a methylotrophic yeast widely used in laboratories around the world to produce recombinant proteins. Given its advantageous features, it has also gained much interest in the context of modern biotechnology. In this review, we present the [...] Read more.
Komagataella phaffii (formerly Pichia pastoris) is a methylotrophic yeast widely used in laboratories around the world to produce recombinant proteins. Given its advantageous features, it has also gained much interest in the context of modern biotechnology. In this review, we present the utilization of K. phaffii as a platform to produce several products of economic interest such as biopharmaceuticals, renewable chemicals, fuels, biomaterials, and food/feed products. Finally, we present synthetic biology approaches currently used for strain engineering, aiming at the production of new bioproducts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts)
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18 pages, 654 KiB  
Review
Contributions of Adaptive Laboratory Evolution towards the Enhancement of the Biotechnological Potential of Non-Conventional Yeast Species
by Ticiana Fernandes, Carolina Osório, Maria João Sousa and Ricardo Franco-Duarte
J. Fungi 2023, 9(2), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9020186 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4814
Abstract
Changes in biological properties over several generations, induced by controlling short-term evolutionary processes in the laboratory through selective pressure, and whole-genome re-sequencing, help determine the genetic basis of microorganism’s adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE). Due to the versatility of this technique and the imminent [...] Read more.
Changes in biological properties over several generations, induced by controlling short-term evolutionary processes in the laboratory through selective pressure, and whole-genome re-sequencing, help determine the genetic basis of microorganism’s adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE). Due to the versatility of this technique and the imminent urgency for alternatives to petroleum-based strategies, ALE has been actively conducted for several yeasts, primarily using the conventional species Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but also non-conventional yeasts. As a hot topic at the moment since genetically modified organisms are a debatable subject and a global consensus on their employment has not yet been attained, a panoply of new studies employing ALE approaches have emerged and many different applications have been exploited in this context. In the present review, we gathered, for the first time, relevant studies showing the ALE of non-conventional yeast species towards their biotechnological improvement, cataloging them according to the aim of the study, and comparing them considering the species used, the outcome of the experiment, and the employed methodology. This review sheds light on the applicability of ALE as a powerful tool to enhance species features and improve their performance in biotechnology, with emphasis on the non-conventional yeast species, as an alternative or in combination with genome editing approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Industrial Yeasts)
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