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Integrated pathway engineering and transcriptome analysis for improved astaxanthin biosynthesis in Yarrowia
Dan-Ni Wang1, Jie Feng1, Chen-Xi Yu1
1State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, PR China.
Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology
|September 12, 2022
Summary
Researchers engineered yeast for high-yield astaxanthin production, a potent antioxidant carotenoid. This metabolic engineering strategy achieved a record 730.3 mg/L astaxanthin, offering a sustainable platform for valuable compound biosynthesis.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Metabolic Engineering
- Microbial Fermentation
Background:
- Astaxanthin is a high-value carotenoid with significant antioxidant properties and diverse commercial applications.
- Yeast, specifically *Yarrowia lipolytica*, is a promising host for the biosynthesis of valuable compounds like carotenoids.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer *Yarrowia lipolytica* for enhanced astaxanthin production.
- To identify and optimize key enzymes for astaxanthin biosynthesis pathway.
- To investigate metabolic impacts and improve overall yield.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a laboratory-constructed β-carotene-producing *Yarrowia lipolytica* strain (XK17).
- Investigated catalytic efficiencies of β-carotene ketolase (CrtW) and β-carotene hydroxylase (CrtZ) from various species.
- Optimized enzyme expression and restored uracil/leucine biosynthesis pathways.
- Performed integrated analysis of pathway modification and transcriptome data.
Main Results:
- Identified PspCrtW from *Paracoccus* sp. and HpCrtZ from *Haematococcus pluvialis* as the optimal enzyme combination.
- Successfully eliminated bottlenecks in biomass and astaxanthin biosynthesis.
- Achieved a high astaxanthin yield of 730.3 mg/L in a 5-L fermenter with the optimized strain DN30.
Conclusions:
- Developed an effective metabolic strategy for high-value carotenoid production in yeast.
- Demonstrated a sustainable platform for astaxanthin biosynthesis with significant yield improvement.
- Provided insights into the metabolic effects of astaxanthin production on host cell metabolism.
