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Updated: May 26, 2026
10:10
Genetic Engineering of an Unconventional Yeast for Renewable Biofuel and Biochemical Production
Published on: September 20, 2016
Yeasts as a tool for heterologous gene expression.
Raja Mokdad-Gargouri1, Salma Abdelmoula-Soussi, Nadia Hadiji-Abbès
1Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia. raja.gargouri@cbs.rnrt.tn
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|December 14, 2011
Summary
This study explores using yeast for producing human proteins like P53 and HBsAg. Unexpectedly, overexpressing human P53 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae triggered programmed cell death (apoptosis) in yeast.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Yeast systems like Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris are valuable for producing human proteins due to accessible genetic tools and conserved eukaryotic processes.
- These yeasts offer advantages such as rapid growth and inexpensive culture media.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the production of human P53 tumor suppressor and viral HBsAg in P. pastoris and S. cerevisiae.
- To investigate the use of strong, inducible promoters (AOX1 and Gal10/Cyc1) for protein expression.
Main Methods:
- Utilized P. pastoris for HBsAg production under the AOX1 promoter.
- Employed S. cerevisiae for human P53 production under the Gal10/Cyc1 promoter.
- Monitored protein expression and analyzed cellular responses in S. cerevisiae.
Main Results:
- Successfully produced viral HBsAg in P. pastoris.
- Achieved expression of human P53 in S. cerevisiae.
- Observed that human P53 overexpression in S. cerevisiae induced cell death with apoptotic markers, including phosphatidylserine externalization and DNA cleavage.
Conclusions:
- Yeast hosts are effective for producing therapeutic human proteins.
- The overexpression of human P53 in S. cerevisiae can induce apoptosis, offering insights into P53's cellular functions.
- This finding highlights potential complexities in heterologous protein expression and its impact on host cell viability.
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