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Engineering Isoprenoid Quinone Production in Yeast
Divjot Kaur1, Duha Alkhder2, Christophe Corre1
1School of Life Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
ACS Synthetic Biology
|August 14, 2020
Summary
Engineered yeast produces isoprenoid quinones, essential bioactive molecules. This new strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae EPYFA3, boosts coenzyme Q6 production by nearly 3-fold, offering a platform for valuable compound generation.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Metabolic Engineering
- Synthetic Biology
Background:
- Isoprenoid quinones are vital bioactive molecules involved in primary metabolism and electron transport.
- Specialized isoprenoid quinones are synthesized across all domains of life.
- Engineering microbial hosts is crucial for producing valuable isoprenoid quinones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a novel baker's yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae EPYFA3, for enhanced isoprenoid quinone production.
- To establish a robust platform for the heterologous production of high-value isoprenoid quinones.
- To facilitate the study of isoprenoid quinone biosynthetic pathways.
Main Methods:
- Overexpression of the shikimate pathway in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain with an overexpressed mevalonate pathway.
- Development of a specialized yeast host strain (EPYFA3) for isoprenoid quinone biosynthesis.
- Utilizing the engineered strain to overproduce the endogenous isoprenoid quinone, coenzyme Q6.
Main Results:
- Successfully engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae EPYFA3 for isoprenoid quinone production.
- Achieved a nearly 3-fold increase in the production of coenzyme Q6.
- Demonstrated the potential of EPYFA3 as a versatile platform for isoprenoid quinone synthesis.
Conclusions:
- The engineered yeast strain EPYFA3 is a valuable platform for heterologous isoprenoid quinone production.
- This work advances the metabolic engineering of yeast for the synthesis of bioactive compounds.
- EPYFA3 will aid in understanding and elucidating isoprenoid quinone biosynthesis.
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