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Improving industrial yeast strains: exploiting natural and artificial diversity
Jan Steensels1, Tim Snoek, Esther Meersman
1Laboratory for Genetics and Genomics, Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics (CMPG), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Systems Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.
FEMS Microbiology Reviews
|April 15, 2014
Summary
Discover strategies for improving yeast strains for industrial applications. Scientific selection and genetic engineering offer new opportunities beyond traditional uses like brewing and baking.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
- Industrial Fermentation
Background:
- Yeasts have a long history in food and beverage fermentation (beer, wine, bread).
- Current yeast strain selection often relies on tradition, not scientific optimization.
- Emerging applications like biofuels present novel challenges for yeast.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review strategies for selecting and improving yeast strains for industrial uses.
- To explore methods for both conventional and nonconventional yeast species.
- To highlight opportunities for developing superior industrial yeast variants.
Main Methods:
- Exploiting natural yeast diversity.
- Generating artificial diversity through mutagenesis, protoplast fusion, breeding, and genome shuffling.
- Utilizing directed evolution and genetic modification for targeted trait alteration.
- Employing high-throughput techniques like global transcription machinery engineering (gTME).
Main Results:
- Various methods have successfully identified superior industrial yeast strains.
- Natural and artificial diversity generation are key to strain improvement.
- Advanced techniques like gTME offer new avenues for yeast genetic variation.
Conclusions:
- Scientific approaches to yeast strain selection and improvement are crucial for industrial advancement.
- Both traditional and novel biotechnological applications can benefit from optimized yeast.
- Continued exploration of yeast diversity and genetic engineering will yield better industrial strains.
Keywords:
GMOSaccharomyces cerevisiaeevolutionary engineeringgenetic engineeringmetabolic engineeringnon-SaccharomycesMore Related Videos
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