Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 4, 2026
06:53
In Vivo Monitoring of Transcriptional Activity During Metabolic Transition Using a Bioluminescent Reporter in Yeast
Published on: February 21, 2025
942
Rewiring yeast sugar transporter preference through modifying a conserved protein motif
Eric M Young1, Alice Tong, Hang Bui
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712.
Summary
Researchers rewired yeast sugar transporters to improve xylose uptake for biofuel production. This engineering effort enhances pentose utilization, a key step for efficient yeast-based biochemical manufacturing.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Metabolic Engineering
- Synthetic Biology
Background:
- Efficient yeast utilization of lignocellulosic biomass sugars like xylose is crucial for biofuel and biochemical production.
- Xylose transport into yeast cells is a bottleneck, often inhibited by other sugars.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-engineer sugar transporter properties to enhance xylose utilization in yeast.
- To identify sequence motifs governing sugar transport specificity and kinetics.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated 46 heterologously expressed sugar transporters.
- Utilized saturation and rational mutagenesis to alter transporter function.
- Assessed transporter performance based on yeast growth on different sugars.
Main Results:
- Identified a conserved sequence motif (G-G/F-XXX-G) in the first transmembrane span associated with xylose transport.
- Engineered four transporter mutants that preferentially transport xylose over glucose.
- Discovered novel wild-type transporters (S. stipitis RGT2, D. hansenii 2D01474) with improved monosaccharide uptake.
Conclusions:
- The identified motif provides a blueprint for reprogramming transporter specificity.
- Engineered transporters enable improved pentose utilization in yeast for industrial applications.
- Findings contribute to developing yeast platforms for sustainable biochemical and biofuel production.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Bioreactor Controls-III
67
Strain improvement is a foundational strategy in industrial microbiology aimed at maximizing microbial productivity, particularly because natural isolates typically yield commercially valuable products in very low concentrations. Although optimizing the culture medium and environmental conditions can improve yields, these adjustments are inherently limited by the organism’s genetic potential. As a result, the focus shifts toward genetic modifications to enhance biosynthetic capacity. The...
67
01:28Yeast Signaling
15.7K
Yeasts are single-celled organisms, but unlike bacteria, they are eukaryotes (cells with a nucleus). Cell signaling in yeast is similar to signaling in other eukaryotic cells. A ligand, such as a protein or a small molecule released from a yeast cell, attaches to a receptor on the cell surface. The binding stimulates second-messenger kinases to activate or inactivate transcription factors that further regulate gene expression. Many of the yeast intracellular signaling cascades have similar...
15.7K
01:19Membrane Asymmetry Regulating Transporters
6.0K
Enzymes like flippase, floppase, and scramblase transfer phospholipids from one layer to another in the membrane, thereby affecting membrane asymmetry.
Flippase
Eukaryotic flippases are type-IV P-type ATPases or P4-ATPases belonging to P-type ATPase family proteins that are membrane-bound pumps involved in the ATP-mediated transport of ions and molecules across the membrane. Flippases flip specific phospholipids from the outer to the inner leaflet of a membrane. All P4-ATPases have one...
Flippase
Eukaryotic flippases are type-IV P-type ATPases or P4-ATPases belonging to P-type ATPase family proteins that are membrane-bound pumps involved in the ATP-mediated transport of ions and molecules across the membrane. Flippases flip specific phospholipids from the outer to the inner leaflet of a membrane. All P4-ATPases have one...
6.0K
01:27Glucose Transporters
15.2K
Glucose transporters facilitate the transport of glucose across the cell membrane. In addition to glucose, some glucose transporters can also aid the movement of other hexoses such as fructose, mannose, and galactose.
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
15.2K
01:57Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
2.1K
Groups of proteins may form a complex where each protein in this complex has a different role in the overall execution of the complex’s function. Often some of the proteins in the complex can be replaced by a closely related variant to give a complex that contains many of the same components yet is functionally distinct.
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order...
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order...
2.1K
01:55Secondary Active Transport
122.9K
One example of how cells use the energy contained in electrochemical gradients is demonstrated by glucose transport into cells. The ion vital to this process is sodium (Na+), which is typically present in higher concentrations extracellularly than in the cytosol. Such a concentration difference is due, in part, to the action of an enzyme “pump” embedded in the cellular membrane that actively expels Na+ from a cell. Importantly, as this pump contributes to the high concentration of...
122.9K