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Zhang R, Huang Y, Li M, Wang L, Li B, Xia A, Li Y, Yang S, Jin F. High-throughput, microscopy-based screening and quantification of genetic elements. MLIFE 2023; 2:450-461. [PMID: 38818273 PMCID: PMC10989126 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic biology relies on the screening and quantification of genetic components to assemble sophisticated gene circuits with specific functions. Microscopy is a powerful tool for characterizing complex cellular phenotypes with increasing spatial and temporal resolution to library screening of genetic elements. Microscopy-based assays are powerful tools for characterizing cellular phenotypes with spatial and temporal resolution and can be applied to large-scale samples for library screening of genetic elements. However, strategies for high-throughput microscopy experiments remain limited. Here, we present a high-throughput, microscopy-based platform that can simultaneously complete the preparation of an 8 × 12-well agarose pad plate, allowing for the screening of 96 independent strains or experimental conditions in a single experiment. Using this platform, we screened a library of natural intrinsic promoters from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and identified a small subset of robust promoters that drives stable levels of gene expression under varying growth conditions. Additionally, the platform allowed for single-cell measurement of genetic elements over time, enabling the identification of complex and dynamic phenotypes to map genotype in high throughput. We expected that the platform could be employed to accelerate the identification and characterization of genetic elements in various biological systems, as well as to understand the relationship between cellular phenotypes and internal states, including genotypes and gene expression programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering BiologyShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Yajia Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering BiologyShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Mei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering BiologyShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Lei Wang
- Shenzhen Synthetic Biology InfrastructureShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Bing Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering BiologyShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Aiguo Xia
- Shenzhen Synthetic Biology InfrastructureShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Ye Li
- Shenzhen Synthetic Biology InfrastructureShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Shuai Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering BiologyShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
- Chengdu Documentation and Information CenterChinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
| | - Fan Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering BiologyShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Synthetic Biology InfrastructureShenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
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Stellner NI, Rerop ZS, Mehlmer N, Masri M, Ringel M, Brück TB. Expanding the genetic toolbox for Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosus employing newly identified promoters and a novel antibiotic resistance marker. BMC Biotechnol 2023; 23:40. [PMID: 37723521 PMCID: PMC10506223 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-023-00812-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosus is an oleaginous yeast that can produce up to 80% lipid per dry weight. Its high capacity for the biosynthesis of single cell oil makes it highly interesting for the production of engineered lipids or oleochemicals for industrial applications. However, the genetic toolbox for metabolic engineering of this non-conventional yeast has not yet been systematically expanded. Only three long endogenous promoter sequences have been used for heterologous gene expression, further three dominant and one auxotrophic marker have been established. RESULTS In this study, the structure of putative endogenous promoter sequences was analyzed based on more than 280 highly expressed genes. The identified motifs of regulatory elements and translational initiation sites were used to annotate the four endogenous putative promoter sequences D9FADp, UBIp, PPIp, and 60Sp. The promoter sequences were tested in a construct regulating the known dominant marker hygromycin B phosphotransferase. The four newly described promoters and the previously established GAPDHp successfully initiated expression of the resistance gene and PPIp was selected for further marker development. The geneticin G418 resistance (aminoglycoside 3'-phosphotransferase, APH) and the nourseothricin resistance gene N-acetyl transferase (NAT) were tested for applicability in C. oleaginosus. Both markers showed high transformation efficiency, positive rate, and were compatible for combined use in a successive and simultaneous manner. CONCLUSIONS The implementation of four endogenous promoters and one novel dominant resistance markers for C. oleaginosus opens up new opportunities for genetic engineering and strain development. In combination with recently developed methods for targeted genomic integration, the established toolbox allows a wide spectrum of new strategies for genetic and metabolic engineering of the industrially highly relevant yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaus I Stellner
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Werner Siemens-Chair for Synthetic Biotechnology, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
- TUM CREATE Ltd, 1 Create Way, #10-02 CREATE Tower, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Zora S Rerop
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Werner Siemens-Chair for Synthetic Biotechnology, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Norbert Mehlmer
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Werner Siemens-Chair for Synthetic Biotechnology, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Mahmoud Masri
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Werner Siemens-Chair for Synthetic Biotechnology, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Marion Ringel
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Werner Siemens-Chair for Synthetic Biotechnology, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Thomas B Brück
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Werner Siemens-Chair for Synthetic Biotechnology, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748, Garching, Germany.
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Brink DP, Mierke F, Norbeck J, Siewers V, Andlid T. Expanding the genetic toolbox of Rhodotorula toruloides by identification and validation of six novel promoters induced or repressed under nitrogen starvation. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:160. [PMID: 37598166 PMCID: PMC10440040 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02175-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The non-conventional yeast Rhodotorula toruloides is an emerging host organism in biotechnology by merit of its natural capacity to accumulate high levels of carotenoids and intracellular storage lipids from a variety of carbon sources. While the number of genetic engineering strategies that employ R. toruloides is increasing, the lack of genetic tools available for modification of this yeast is still limiting strain development. For instance, several strong, constitutive R. toruloides promoters have been characterized, but to date, only five inducible promoters have been identified. Although nitrogen-limited cultivation conditions are commonly used to induce lipid accumulation in this yeast, no promoters regulated by nitrogen starvation have been described for R. toruloides. RESULTS In this study, we used a combination of genomics and transcriptomics methods to identify novel R. toruloides promoter sequences that are either inducible or repressible by nitrogen starvation. RNA sequencing was used to assess gene expression in the recently isolated strain R. toruloides BOT-A2 during exponential growth and during nitrogen starvation, when cultivated with either glucose or xylose as the carbon source. The genome of BOT-A2 was sequenced using a combination of long- and short-read sequencing and annotated with support of the RNAseq data. Differential expression analysis was used to identify genes with a |log2 fold change|≥ 2 when comparing their expression during nitrogen depletion to that during exponential growth. The promoter regions from 16 of these genes were evaluated for their ability to drive the expression of a fluorescent reporter gene. Three promoters that were clearly upregulated under nitrogen starvation and three that were downregulated were selected and further characterized. One promoter, derived from gene RTBOTA2_003877, was found to function like an on-off switch, as it was only upregulated under full nitrogen depletion and downregulated in the presence of the nitrogen source. CONCLUSIONS Six new R. toruloides promoters that were either upregulated or downregulated under nitrogen-starvation were identified. These substantially contribute to the available promoters when engineering this organism and are foreseen to be particularly useful for future engineering strategies requiring specific regulation of target genes in accordance with nitrogen availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Brink
- Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Applied Microbiology, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Friederike Mierke
- Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Food and Nutrition Science, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Joakim Norbeck
- Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Verena Siewers
- Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Thomas Andlid
- Food and Nutrition Science, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Guo X, Bai Z, Zhang Y, Zhao H, Shi S. Mining and application of constitutive promoters from Rhodosporidium toruloides. AMB Express 2023; 13:17. [PMID: 36754887 PMCID: PMC9908808 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-023-01522-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhodosporidium toruloides is an oleaginous yeast under development with promising industrial applications. Since promoters of different strengths have been demonstrated as an efficient strategy to fine-tune gene expression in synthetic biology, a set of constitutive promoters with strengths varying over 2 orders of magnitude were identified in R. toruloides through transcriptome analysis under different growth conditions. Promoter candidates were first cloned and characterized using an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) as a reporter under eight conditions, and 31 promoters were identified with strength varied from 0.1 to 19.0 folds of the commonly used strong promoter of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (PGPD1). The resultant promoters were then used to optimize the linoleic acid biosynthetic pathway in R. toruloides in different media, including the use of lignocellulosic hydrolysate as the fermentation substrate, and improved the production of linoleic acid by up to 214.2% in minimal medium, with the highest production of 350.3 mg/L in Yeast Peptone Dextrose medium. This work has enriched the promoter library of R. toruloides, and helped develop R. toruloides as a platform organism for applications in biomanufacturing and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Guo
- grid.48166.3d0000 0000 9931 8406Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Engineering, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029 China
| | - Zhenzhen Bai
- grid.48166.3d0000 0000 9931 8406Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Engineering, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029 China
| | - Yang Zhang
- grid.48166.3d0000 0000 9931 8406Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Engineering, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological and Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of IL at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Shuobo Shi
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Engineering, North Third Ring Road 15, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, China. .,Qinhuangdao Bohai Biological Research Institute, Beijing University of Chemical Engineering, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
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Yu Y, Shi S. Development and Perspective of Rhodotorula toruloides as an Efficient Cell Factory. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:1802-1819. [PMID: 36688927 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c07361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Rhodotorula toruloides is receiving significant attention as a novel cell factory because of its high production of lipids and carotenoids, fast growth and high cell density, as well as the ability to utilize a wide variety of substrates. These attractive traits of R. toruloides make it possible to become a low-cost producer that can be engineered for the production of various fuels and chemicals. However, the lack of understanding and genetic engineering tools impedes its metabolic engineering applications. A number of research efforts have been devoted to filling these gaps. This review focuses on recent developments in genetic engineering tools, advances in systems biology for improved understandings, and emerging engineered strains for metabolic engineering applications. Finally, future trends and barriers in developing R. toruloides as a cell factory are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Shuobo Shi
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
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6
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Nora LC, Cassiano MHA, Santana ÍP, Guazzaroni ME, Silva-Rocha R, da Silva RR. Mining novel cis-regulatory elements from the emergent host Rhodosporidium toruloides using transcriptomic data. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1069443. [PMID: 36687612 PMCID: PMC9853887 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1069443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The demand for robust microbial cell factories that produce valuable biomaterials while resisting stresses imposed by current bioprocesses is rapidly growing. Rhodosporidium toruloides is an emerging host that presents desirable features for bioproduction, since it can grow in a wide range of substrates and tolerate a variety of toxic compounds. To explore R. toruloides suitability for application as a cell factory in biorefineries, we sought to understand the transcriptional responses of this yeast when growing under experimental settings that simulated those used in biofuels-related industries. Thus, we performed RNA sequencing of the oleaginous, carotenogenic yeast in different contexts. The first ones were stress-related: two conditions of high temperature (37 and 42°C) and two ethanol concentrations (2 and 4%), while the other used the inexpensive and abundant sugarcane juice as substrate. Differential expression and functional analysis were implemented using transcriptomic data to select differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways from each set-up. A reproducible bioinformatics workflow was developed for mining new regulatory elements. We then predicted, for the first time in this yeast, binding motifs for several transcription factors, including HAC1, ARG80, RPN4, ADR1, and DAL81. Most putative transcription factors uncovered here were involved in stress responses and found in the yeast genome. Our method for motif discovery provides a new realm of possibilities in studying gene regulatory networks, not only for the emerging host R. toruloides, but for other organisms of biotechnological importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa Czamanski Nora
- Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil,*Correspondence: Luísa Czamanski Nora,
| | | | - Ítalo Paulino Santana
- Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - María-Eugenia Guazzaroni
- Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Roberto da Silva
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil,Ricardo Roberto da Silva,
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7
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Watcharawipas A, Runguphan W. Red yeasts and their carotenogenic enzymes for microbial carotenoid production. FEMS Yeast Res 2023; 23:6895548. [PMID: 36513367 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foac063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Carotenoids are C40 isoprene-based compounds with significant commercial interests that harbor diverse bioactivities. Prominent examples of carotenoids are beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A essential for proper eye health, and lycopene and astaxanthin, powerful antioxidants implicated in preventing cancers and atherosclerosis. Due to their benefits to human health, the market value for carotenoids is rapidly increasing and is projected to reach USD 1.7 billion by 2025. However, their production now relies on chemical synthesis and extraction from plants that pose risks to food management and numerous biological safety issues. Thus, carotenoid production from microbes is considered a promising strategy for achieving a healthy society with more sustainability. Red yeast is a heterogeneous group of basidiomycetous fungi capable of producing carotenoids. It is a critical source of microbial carotenoids from low-cost substrates. Carotenogenic enzymes from red yeasts have also been highly efficient, invaluable biological resources for biotechnological applications. In this minireview, we focus on red yeast as a promising source for microbial carotenoids, strain engineering strategies for improving carotenoid production in red yeasts, and potential applications of carotenogenic enzymes from red yeasts in conventional and nonconventional yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akaraphol Watcharawipas
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 272 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Weerawat Runguphan
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, 113 Thailand Science Park, Paholyothin Road, Klong 1, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
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8
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Bonturi N, Pinheiro MJ, Monteiro de Oliveira P, Rusadze E, Eichinger T, Liudžiūtė G, De Biaggi JS, Brauer A, Remm M, Miranda EA, Ledesma-Amaro R, Lahtvee PJ. Development of a dedicated Golden Gate Assembly Platform (RtGGA) for Rhodotorula toruloides. Metab Eng Commun 2022; 15:e00200. [PMID: 35662893 PMCID: PMC9157227 DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2022.e00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
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9
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Huo K, Liu Y, Huang R, Zhang Y, Liu H, Che Y, Yang C. Development of a novel promoter engineering-based strategy for creating an efficient para-nitrophenol-mineralizing bacterium. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 424:127672. [PMID: 34753648 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A toxic and persistent pollutant para-nitrophenol (PNP) enters into the environment through improper industrial waste treatment and agricultural usage of chemical pesticides, leading to a potential risk to humans. Although a variety of PNP-degrading bacteria have been isolated, their application in bioremediation has been precluded due to unknown biosafety, poor PNP-mineralizing capacity, and lack of genome editing tools. In this study, a novel promoter engineering-based strategy is developed for creating efficient PNP-mineralizing bacteria. Initially, a complete PNP biodegradation pathway from Pseudomonas sp. strain WBC-3 was introduced into the genome of a biosafety and soil-dwelling bacterium Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Subsequently, five strong promoters were identified from P. putida KT2440 by transcriptome analysis and strength characterization, and each of the five promoters was independently inserted into upstream of the pnp operon in the KT2440 genome. Consequently, a P8 promoter-substituted mutant strain showed the highest PNP degradation rate and strong tolerance against high concentrations of PNP. Furthermore, when using P8 promoter to regulate the transcription of all PNP degradation genes pnpABCDEF, the complete and efficient PNP mineralization was demonstrated by stable isotope 13C-labeled PNP transformation assay. Additionally, the finally constructed KTU-P8pnp can be monitored using integrated GFP on chromosome. This strategy of a combination of pathway construction and promoter engineering should open new avenues for creating efficient degraders for bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyue Huo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yujie Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Rui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yiting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Honglu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - You Che
- Dermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Chao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
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10
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Impairment of carotenoid biosynthesis through CAR1 gene mutation results in CoQ 10, sterols, and phytoene accumulation in Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 106:317-327. [PMID: 34910239 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11673-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Red yeasts, mainly included in the genera Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidiobolus, and Sporobolomyces, are renowned biocatalysts for the production of a wide range of secondary metabolites of commercial interest, among which lipids, carotenoids, and other isoprenoids. The production of all these compounds is tightly interrelated as they share acetyl-CoA and the mevalonate pathway as common intermediates. Here, T-DNA insertional mutagenesis was applied to the wild type strain C2.5t1 of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa for the isolation of albino mutants with impaired carotenoids biosynthesis. The rationale behind this approach was that a blockage in carotenoid biosynthetic pathway could divert carbon flux toward the production of lipids and/or other molecules deriving from terpenoid precursors. One characterized albino mutant, namely, strain W4, carries a T-DNA insertion in the CAR1 gene coding for phytoene desaturase. When cultured in glycerol-containing medium, W4 strain showed significant decreases in cell density and fatty acids content in respect to the wild type strain. Conversely, it reached significantly higher productions of phytoene, CoQ10, and sterols. These were supported by an increased expression of CAR2 gene that codes for phytoene synthase/lycopene cyclase. Thus, in accordance with the starting hypothesis, the impairment of carotenoids biosynthesis can be explored to pursue the biotechnological exploitation of red yeasts for enhanced production of secondary metabolites with several commercial applications. KEY POINTS: • The production of lipids, carotenoids, and other isoprenoids is tightly interrelated. • CAR1 gene mutation results in the overproduction of phytoene, CoQ10, and sterols. • Albino mutants are promising tools for the production of secondary metabolites.
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11
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Zhao Y, Song B, Li J, Zhang J. Rhodotorula toruloides: an ideal microbial cell factory to produce oleochemicals, carotenoids, and other products. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 38:13. [PMID: 34873661 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03201-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Requirement of clean energy sources urges us to find substitutes for fossil fuels. Microorganisms provide an option to produce feedstock for biofuel production by utilizing inexpensive, renewable biomass. Rhodotorula toruloides (Rhodosporidium toruloides), a non-conventional oleaginous yeast, can accumulate intracellular lipids (single cell oil, SCO) more than 70% of its cell dry weight. At present, the SCO-based biodiesel is not a price-competitive fuel to the petroleum diesel. Many efforts are made to cut the cost of SCO by strengthening the performance of genetically modified R. toruloides strains and by valorization of low-cost biomass, including crude glycerol, lignocellulosic hydrolysates, food and agro waste, wastewater, and volatile fatty acids. Besides, optimization of fermentation and SCO recovery processes are carefully studied as well. Recently, new R. toruloides strains are developed via metabolic engineering and synthetic biology methods to produce value-added chemicals, such as sesquiterpenes, fatty acid esters, fatty alcohols, carotenoids, and building block chemicals. This review summarizes recent advances in the main aspects of R. toruloides studies, namely, construction of strains with new traits, valorization of low-cost biomass, process detection and optimization, and product recovery. In general, R. toruloides is a promising microbial cell factory for production of biochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhao
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China.,Key Laboratory of Metabolic Engineering and Biosynthesis Technology of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Baocai Song
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China.,Key Laboratory of Metabolic Engineering and Biosynthesis Technology of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Jing Li
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China. .,Key Laboratory of Metabolic Engineering and Biosynthesis Technology of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China.
| | - Jianfa Zhang
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China.,Key Laboratory of Metabolic Engineering and Biosynthesis Technology of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei Street, Nanjing, 210094, China
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12
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Sanya DRA, Onésime D, Passoth V, Maiti MK, Chattopadhyay A, Khot MB. Yeasts of the Blastobotrys genus are promising platform for lipid-based fuels and oleochemicals production. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:4879-4897. [PMID: 34110474 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11354-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Strains of the yeast genus Blastobotrys (subphylum Saccharomycotina) represent a valuable biotechnological resource for basic biochemistry research, single-cell protein, and heterologous protein production processes. Species of this genus are dimorphic, non-pathogenic, thermotolerant, and can assimilate a variety of hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates. These can constitute a single-cell oil platform in an emerging bio-based economy as oleaginous traits have been discovered recently. However, the regulatory network of lipogenesis in these yeasts is poorly understood. To keep pace with the growing market demands for lipid-derived products, it is critical to understand the lipid biosynthesis in these unconventional yeasts to pinpoint what governs the preferential channelling of carbon flux into lipids instead of the competing pathways. This review summarizes information relevant to the regulation of lipid metabolic pathways and prospects of metabolic engineering in Blastobotrys yeasts for their application in food, feed, and beyond, particularly for fatty acid-based fuels and oleochemicals. KEY POINTS: • The production of biolipids by heterotrophic yeasts is reviewed. • Summary of information concerning lipid metabolism regulation is highlighted. • Special focus on the importance of diacylglycerol acyltransferases encoding genes in improving lipid production is made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ruben Akiola Sanya
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut Micalis, Diversité génomique et fonctionnelle des levures, domaine de Vilvert, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
| | - Djamila Onésime
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut Micalis, Diversité génomique et fonctionnelle des levures, domaine de Vilvert, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Volkmar Passoth
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7015, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mrinal K Maiti
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Atrayee Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Mahesh B Khot
- Laboratorio de Recursos Renovables, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidad de Concepcion, Barrio Universitario s/n, Concepcion, Chile
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13
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Chattopadhyay A, Maiti MK. Lipid production by oleaginous yeasts. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2021; 116:1-98. [PMID: 34353502 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Microbial lipid production has been studied extensively for years; however, lipid metabolic engineering in many of the extraordinarily high lipid-accumulating yeasts was impeded by inadequate understanding of the metabolic pathways including regulatory mechanisms defining their oleaginicity and the limited genetic tools available. The aim of this review is to highlight the prominent oleaginous yeast genera, emphasizing their oleaginous characteristics, in conjunction with diverse other features such as cheap carbon source utilization, withstanding the effect of inhibitory compounds, commercially favorable fatty acid composition-all supporting their future development as economically viable lipid feedstock. The unique aspects of metabolism attributing to their oleaginicity are accentuated in the pretext of outlining the various strategies successfully implemented to improve the production of lipid and lipid-derived metabolites. A large number of in silico data generated on the lipid accumulation in certain oleaginous yeasts have been carefully curated, as suggestive evidences in line with the exceptional oleaginicity of these organisms. The different genetic elements developed in these yeasts to execute such strategies have been scrupulously inspected, underlining the major types of newly-found and synthetically constructed promoters, transcription terminators, and selection markers. Additionally, there is a plethora of advanced genetic toolboxes and techniques described, which have been successfully used in oleaginous yeasts in the recent years, promoting homologous recombination, genome editing, DNA assembly, and transformation at remarkable efficiencies. They can accelerate and effectively guide the rational designing of system-wide metabolic engineering approaches pinpointing the key targets for developing industrially suitable yeast strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atrayee Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Mrinal K Maiti
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India.
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14
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Liu Y, Koh CMJ, Yap SA, Cai L, Ji L. Understanding and exploiting the fatty acid desaturation system in Rhodotorula toruloides. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:73. [PMID: 33741038 PMCID: PMC7977280 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-01924-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhodotorula toruloides is a robust producer of triacylglycerol owing to its fast growth rate and strong metabolic flux under conditions of high cell density fermentation. However, the molecular basis of fatty acid biosynthesis, desaturation and regulation remains elusive. RESULTS We present the molecular characterization of four fatty acid desaturase (FAD) genes in R. toruloides. Biosynthesis of oleic acid (OA) and palmitoleic acid (POA) was conferred by a single-copy ∆9 Fad (Ole1) as targeted deletion of which abolished the biosynthesis of all unsaturated fatty acids. Conversion of OA to linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) was predominantly catalyzed by the bifunctional ∆12/∆15 Fad2. FAD4 was found to encode a trifunctional ∆9/∆12/∆15 FAD, playing important roles in lipid and biomass production as well as stress resistance. Furthermore, an abundantly transcribed OLE1-related gene, OLE2 encoding a 149-aa protein, was shown to regulate Ole1 regioselectivity. Like other fungi, the transcription of FAD genes was controlled by nitrogen levels and fatty acids in the medium. A conserved DNA motif, (T/C)(G/A)TTGCAGA(T/C)CCCAG, was demonstrated to mediate the transcription of OLE1 by POA/OA. The applications of these FAD genes were illustrated by engineering high-level production of OA and γ-linolenic acid (GLA). CONCLUSION Our work has gained novel insights on the transcriptional regulation of FAD genes, evolution of FAD enzymes and their roles in UFA biosynthesis, membrane stress resistance and, cell mass and total fatty acid production. Our findings should illuminate fatty acid metabolic engineering in R. toruloides and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbin Liu
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Chong Mei John Koh
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Sihui Amy Yap
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Lin Cai
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Lianghui Ji
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
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15
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Chattopadhyay A, Mitra M, Maiti MK. Recent advances in lipid metabolic engineering of oleaginous yeasts. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 53:107722. [PMID: 33631187 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
With the increasing demand to develop a renewable and sustainable biolipid feedstock, several species of non-conventional oleaginous yeasts are being explored. Apart from the platform oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, the understanding of metabolic pathway and, therefore, exploiting the engineering prospects of most of the oleaginous species are still in infancy. However, in the past few years, enormous efforts have been invested in Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Lipomyces, Trichosporon, and Candida genera of yeasts among others, with the rapid advancement of engineering strategies, significant improvement in genetic tools and techniques, generation of extensive bioinformatics and omics data. In this review, we have collated these recent progresses to make a detailed and insightful summary of the major developments in metabolic engineering of the prominent oleaginous yeast species. Such a comprehensive overview would be a useful resource for future strain improvement and metabolic engineering studies for enhanced production of lipid and lipid-derived chemicals in oleaginous yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atrayee Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Mohor Mitra
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Mrinal K Maiti
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India.
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16
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Patra P, Das M, Kundu P, Ghosh A. Recent advances in systems and synthetic biology approaches for developing novel cell-factories in non-conventional yeasts. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 47:107695. [PMID: 33465474 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Microbial bioproduction of chemicals, proteins, and primary metabolites from cheap carbon sources is currently an advancing area in industrial research. The model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a well-established biorefinery host that has been used extensively for commercial manufacturing of bioethanol from myriad carbon sources. However, its Crabtree-positive nature often limits the use of this organism for the biosynthesis of commercial molecules that do not belong in the fermentative pathway. To avoid extensive strain engineering of S. cerevisiae for the production of metabolites other than ethanol, non-conventional yeasts can be selected as hosts based on their natural capacity to produce desired commodity chemicals. Non-conventional yeasts like Kluyveromyces marxianus, K. lactis, Yarrowia lipolytica, Pichia pastoris, Scheffersomyces stipitis, Hansenula polymorpha, and Rhodotorula toruloides have been considered as potential industrial eukaryotic hosts owing to their desirable phenotypes such as thermotolerance, assimilation of a wide range of carbon sources, as well as ability to secrete high titers of protein and lipid. However, the advanced metabolic engineering efforts in these organisms are still lacking due to the limited availability of systems and synthetic biology methods like in silico models, well-characterised genetic parts, and optimized genome engineering tools. This review provides an insight into the recent advances and challenges of systems and synthetic biology as well as metabolic engineering endeavours towards the commercial usage of non-conventional yeasts. Particularly, the approaches in emerging non-conventional yeasts for the production of enzymes, therapeutic proteins, lipids, and metabolites for commercial applications are extensively discussed here. Various attempts to address current limitations in designing novel cell factories have been highlighted that include the advances in the fields of genome-scale metabolic model reconstruction, flux balance analysis, 'omics'-data integration into models, genome-editing toolkit development, and rewiring of cellular metabolisms for desired chemical production. Additionally, the understanding of metabolic networks using 13C-labelling experiments as well as the utilization of metabolomics in deciphering intracellular fluxes and reactions have also been discussed here. Application of cutting-edge nuclease-based genome editing platforms like CRISPR/Cas9, and its optimization towards efficient strain engineering in non-conventional yeasts have also been described. Additionally, the impact of the advances in promising non-conventional yeasts for efficient commercial molecule synthesis has been meticulously reviewed. In the future, a cohesive approach involving systems and synthetic biology will help in widening the horizon of the use of unexplored non-conventional yeast species towards industrial biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradipta Patra
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Manali Das
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Pritam Kundu
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Amit Ghosh
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India; P.K. Sinha Centre for Bioenergy and Renewables, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India.
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17
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Moreira Vieira N, Zandonade Ventorim R, de Moura Ferreira MA, Barcelos de Souza G, Menezes de Almeida EL, Pereira Vidigal PM, Nunes Nesi A, Gomes Fietto L, Batista da Silveira W. Insights into oleaginous phenotype of the yeast Papiliotrema laurentii. Fungal Genet Biol 2020; 144:103456. [PMID: 32911061 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2020.103456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Oleaginous yeasts have stood out due to their ability to accumulate oil, which can be used for fatty acid-derived biofuel production. Papiliotrema laurentii UFV-1 is capable of starting the lipid accumulation in the late exponential growth phase and achieves maximum lipid content at 48 h of growth; it is, therefore, interesting to study how its oleaginous phenotype is regulated. Herein, we provide for the first time insights into the regulation of this phenotype in P. laurentii UFV-1. We sequenced and assembled its genome, performed comparative genomic analyses and investigated its phylogenetic relationships with other yeasts. Gene expression and metabolomic analyses were carried out on the P. laurentii UFV-1 cultivated under a nitrogen-limiting condition. Our results indicated that the lipogenesis of P. laurentii might have taken place during evolution after the divergence of genera in the phylum Basidiomycota. Metabolomic data indicated the redirection of the carbon flux towards fatty acid synthesis in response to the nitrogen limitation. Furthermore, purine seems to be catabolized to recycle nitrogen and leucine catabolization may provide acetyl-CoA for fatty acid synthesis. Analyses of the expression of genes encoding certain enzymes involved with the oleaginous phenotype indicated that the NADP+-dependent malic enzyme seems to play an important role in the supply of NADPH for fatty acid synthesis. There was a surprising decrease in the expression of the ACC1 gene, which encodes acetyl-CoA carboxylase, during lipid accumulation. Taken together, our results provided a basis for understanding lipid accumulation in P. laurentii under nitrogen limiting conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nívea Moreira Vieira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | - Gilza Barcelos de Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | - Adriano Nunes Nesi
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Luciano Gomes Fietto
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
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18
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Zhou R, Zhu Z, Zhang S, Zhao ZK. The complete mitochondrial genome of the lipid-producing yeast Rhodotorula toruloides. FEMS Yeast Res 2020; 20:5892098. [PMID: 32789504 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foaa048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are semi-autonomous organelles with their own genome and crucial to cellular material and energy metabolism. Here, we report the complete mitochondrial genome of a lipid-producing basidiomycetous yeast Rhodotorula toruloides NP11. The mitochondrial genome of R. toruloides NP11 was assembled into a circular DNA molecule of 125937bp, encoding 15 proteins, 28 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNA subunits and 10 open reading frames with unknown function. The G + C content (41%) of the mitochondrial genome is substantially lower than that of the nuclear genome (62%) of R. toruloides NP11. Further reanalysis of the transcriptome data confirmed the transcription of four mitochondrial genes. The comparison of the mitochondrial genomes of R. toruloides NP11 and NBRC0880 revealed a significant genetic divergence. These data can complement our understanding of the genetic background of R. toruloides and provide fundamental information for further genetic engineering of this strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renhui Zhou
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, Dalian 116023, China.,School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquanlu, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Sufang Zhang
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Zongbao Kent Zhao
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, Dalian 116023, China
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19
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Wen Z, Zhang S, Odoh CK, Jin M, Zhao ZK. Rhodosporidium toruloides - A potential red yeast chassis for lipids and beyond. FEMS Yeast Res 2020; 20:foaa038. [PMID: 32614407 PMCID: PMC7334043 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foaa038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The red yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides naturally produces microbial lipids and carotenoids. In the past decade or so, many studies demonstrated R. toruloides as a promising platform for lipid production owing to its diverse substrate appetites, robust stress resistance and other favorable features. Also, significant progresses have been made in genome sequencing, multi-omic analysis and genome-scale modeling, thus illuminating the molecular basis behind its physiology, metabolism and response to environmental stresses. At the same time, genetic parts and tools are continuously being developed to manipulate this distinctive organism. Engineered R. toruloides strains are emerging for enhanced production of conventional lipids, functional lipids as well as other interesting metabolites. This review updates those progresses and highlights future directions for advanced biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Wen
- School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei St, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Sufang Zhang
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Rd, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Chuks Kenneth Odoh
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Rd, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Mingjie Jin
- School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, 200 Xiaolingwei St, Nanjing 210094, China
| | - Zongbao K Zhao
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Rd, Dalian 116023, China
- Dalian Key Laboratory of Energy Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Rd, Dalian 116023, China
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20
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Sreeharsha RV, Mohan SV. Obscure yet Promising Oleaginous Yeasts for Fuel and Chemical Production. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 38:873-887. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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21
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Liu X, Zhang Y, Liu H, Jiao X, Zhang Q, Zhang S, Zhao ZK. RNA interference in the oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides. FEMS Yeast Res 2019; 19:5462653. [PMID: 30985887 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foz031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The red yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides is an excellent microbial host for production of carotenoids, neutral lipids and valuable enzymes. In recent years, genetic tools for gene expression and gene disruption have been developed for this red yeast. However, methods remain limited in terms of fine-tuning gene expression. In this study, we first demonstrated successful implementation of RNA interference (RNAi) in R. toruloides NP11, which was applied to down-regulate the expression of autophagy related gene 8 (ATG8), and fatty acid synthase genes (FAS1 and FAS2), respectively. Compared with the control strain, RNAi-engineered strains showed a silencing efficiency ranging from 11% to 92%. The RNAi approach described here ensures selective inhibition of the target gene expression, and should expand our capacity in the genetic manipulation of R. toruloides for both fundamental research and advanced cell factory development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangjian Liu
- School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China.,Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Hongdi Liu
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Xiang Jiao
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Sufang Zhang
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Zongbao Kent Zhao
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
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22
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Nora LC, Westmann CA, Guazzaroni ME, Siddaiah C, Gupta VK, Silva-Rocha R. Recent advances in plasmid-based tools for establishing novel microbial chassis. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:107433. [PMID: 31437573 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.107433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A key challenge for domesticating alternative cultivable microorganisms with biotechnological potential lies in the development of innovative technologies. Within this framework, a myriad of genetic tools has flourished, allowing the design and manipulation of complex synthetic circuits and genomes to become the general rule in many laboratories rather than the exception. More recently, with the development of novel technologies such as DNA automated synthesis/sequencing and powerful computational tools, molecular biology has entered the synthetic biology era. In the beginning, most of these technologies were established in traditional microbial models (known as chassis in the synthetic biology framework) such as Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enabling fast advances in the field and the validation of fundamental proofs of concept. However, it soon became clear that these organisms, although extremely useful for prototyping many genetic tools, were not ideal for a wide range of biotechnological tasks due to intrinsic limitations in their molecular/physiological properties. Over the last decade, researchers have been facing the great challenge of shifting from these model systems to non-conventional chassis with endogenous capacities for dealing with specific tasks. The key to address these issues includes the generation of narrow and broad host plasmid-based molecular tools and the development of novel methods for engineering genomes through homologous recombination systems, CRISPR/Cas9 and other alternative methods. Here, we address the most recent advances in plasmid-based tools for the construction of novel cell factories, including a guide for helping with "build-your-own" microbial host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa Czamanski Nora
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Cauã Antunes Westmann
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil
| | - María-Eugenia Guazzaroni
- Faculty of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil
| | | | - Vijai Kumar Gupta
- ERA Chair of Green Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Science, Tallinn University of Technology, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil.
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23
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Jiao X, Zhang Y, Liu X, Zhang Q, Zhang S, Zhao ZK. Developing a CRISPR/Cas9 System for Genome Editing in the Basidiomycetous Yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides. Biotechnol J 2019; 14:e1900036. [PMID: 31066204 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The basidiomycetous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides (R. toruloides) has been explored as a promising host for the production of lipids and carotenoids. However, the rational manipulation of this yeast remains difficult due to lack of efficient genetic tools. Here, the development of a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease (Cas9) system for genome editing in R. toruloides is described. First, R. toruloides strains are generated with sufficient production of the Cas9 protein of Staphylococcus aureus origin by integrating a cassette containing a codon-optimized Cas9 gene into the genome. In parallel, two U6 genes are identified, predicting two U6 promoters and confirming better transcription of single-guide RNA (sgRNA) with the U6b promoter. Next, sgRNA cassettes are designed targeting CRTI, CAR2, and CLYBL gene, respectively, transforming into those Cas9-expressed strains, and finding over 60% transformants with successful insertion and deletion (indel) mutations. Furthermore, when the sgRNA cassette includes donor DNA flanked by two homologous arms of the gene CRTI, gene knockout occurs via homologous recombination. Thus, the CRISPR/Cas9 system is now established as a powerful genome-editing tool in R. toruloides, which should facilitate functional genomic study and advanced cell factory development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Jiao
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiangjian Liu
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Sufang Zhang
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Zongbao K Zhao
- Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China
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24
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Nora LC, Wehrs M, Kim J, Cheng JF, Tarver A, Simmons BA, Magnuson J, Harmon-Smith M, Silva-Rocha R, Gladden JM, Mukhopadhyay A, Skerker JM, Kirby J. A toolset of constitutive promoters for metabolic engineering of Rhodosporidium toruloides. Microb Cell Fact 2019; 18:117. [PMID: 31255171 PMCID: PMC6599526 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-019-1167-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhodosporidium toruloides is a promising host for the production of bioproducts from lignocellulosic biomass. A key prerequisite for efficient pathway engineering is the availability of robust genetic tools and resources. However, there is a lack of characterized promoters to drive expression of heterologous genes for strain engineering in R. toruloides. RESULTS This data describes a set of native R. toruloides promoters, characterized over time in four different media commonly used for cultivation of this yeast. The promoter sequences were selected using transcriptional analysis and several of them were found to drive expression bidirectionally. Promoter expression strength was determined by measurement of EGFP and mRuby2 reporters by flow cytometry. A total of 20 constitutive promoters (12 monodirectional and 8 bidirectional) were found, and are expected to be of potential value for genetic engineering of R. toruloides. CONCLUSIONS A set of robust and constitutive promoters to facilitate genetic engineering of R. toruloides is presented here, ranging from a promoter previously used for this purpose (P7, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, GAPDH) to stronger monodirectional (e.g., P15, mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocator, ANT) and bidirectional (e.g., P9 and P9R, histones H3 and H4, respectively) promoters. We also identified promoters that may be useful for specific applications such as late-stage expression (e.g., P3, voltage-dependent anion channel protein 2, VDAC2). This set of characterized promoters significantly expands the range of engineering tools available for this yeast and can be applied in future metabolic engineering studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa Czamanski Nora
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Prêto, São Paulo CEP 14049-900 Brazil
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Maren Wehrs
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Institut für Genetik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Brunswick, Germany
| | - Joonhoon Kim
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Chemical and Biological Process Development Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA 99354 USA
| | - Jan-Fang Cheng
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, 2800 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Angela Tarver
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, 2800 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Blake A. Simmons
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Jon Magnuson
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Chemical and Biological Process Development Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA 99354 USA
| | - Miranda Harmon-Smith
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, 2800 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 USA
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Prêto, São Paulo CEP 14049-900 Brazil
| | - John M. Gladden
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Department of Biomass Science and Conversion Technology, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550 USA
| | - Aindrila Mukhopadhyay
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Skerker
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- QB3-Berkeley, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - James Kirby
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Department of Biomass Science and Conversion Technology, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550 USA
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Oleaginous yeast for biofuel and oleochemical production. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 57:73-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Abstract
Microbial production of biofuels and bioproducts offers a sustainable and economic alternative to petroleum-based fuels and chemicals. The basidiomycete yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides is a promising platform organism for generating bioproducts due to its ability to consume a broad spectrum of carbon sources (including those derived from lignocellulosic biomass) and to naturally accumulate high levels of lipids and carotenoids, two biosynthetic pathways that can be leveraged to produce a wide range of bioproducts. While R. toruloides has great potential, it has a more limited set of tools for genetic engineering relative to more advanced yeast platform organisms such as Yarrowia lipolytica and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Significant advancements in the past few years have bolstered R. toruloides' engineering capacity. Here we expand this capacity by demonstrating the first use of CRISPR-Cas9-based gene disruption in R. toruloides Transforming a Cas9 expression cassette harboring nourseothricin resistance and selecting transformants on this antibiotic resulted in strains of R. toruloides exhibiting successful targeted disruption of the native URA3 gene. While editing efficiencies were initially low (0.002%), optimization of the cassette increased efficiencies 364-fold (to 0.6%). Applying these optimized design conditions enabled disruption of another native gene involved in carotenoid biosynthesis, CAR2, with much greater success; editing efficiencies of CAR2 deletion reached roughly 50%. Finally, we demonstrated efficient multiplexed genome editing by disrupting both CAR2 and URA3 in a single transformation. Together, our results provide a framework for applying CRISPR-Cas9 to R. toruloides that will facilitate rapid and high-throughput genome engineering in this industrially relevant organism.IMPORTANCE Microbial biofuel and bioproduct platforms provide access to clean and renewable carbon sources that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly than petroleum-based carbon sources. Furthermore, they can serve as useful conduits for the synthesis of advanced molecules that are difficult to produce through strictly chemical means. R. toruloides has emerged as a promising potential host for converting renewable lignocellulosic material into valuable fuels and chemicals. However, engineering efforts to improve the yeast's production capabilities have been impeded by a lack of advanced tools for genome engineering. While this is rapidly changing, one key tool remains unexplored in R. toruloides: CRISPR-Cas9. The results outlined here demonstrate for the first time how effective multiplexed CRISPR-Cas9 gene disruption provides a framework for other researchers to utilize this revolutionary genome-editing tool effectively in R. toruloides.
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Zhao F, Liu X, Kong A, Zhao Y, Fan X, Ma T, Gao W, Wang S, Yang C. Screening of endogenous strong promoters for enhanced production of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates in Pseudomonas mendocina NK-01. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1798. [PMID: 30755729 PMCID: PMC6372614 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39321-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) can be produced by microorganisms from renewable resources and is regarded as a promising bioplastic to replace petroleum-based plastics. Pseudomonas mendocina NK-01 is a medium-chain-length PHA (mcl-PHA)-producing strain and its whole-genome sequence is currently available. The yield of mcl-PHA in P. mendocina NK-01 is expected to be improved by applying a promoter engineering strategy. However, a limited number of well-characterized promoters has greatly restricted the application of promoter engineering for increasing the yield of mcl-PHA in P. mendocina NK-01. In this work, 10 endogenous promoters from P. mendocina NK-01 were identified based on RNA-seq and promoter prediction results. Subsequently, 10 putative promoters were characterized for their strength through the expression of a reporter gene gfp. As a result, five strong promoters designated as P4, P6, P9, P16 and P25 were identified based on transcriptional level and GFP fluorescence intensity measurements. To evaluate whether the screened promoters can be used to enhance transcription of PHA synthase gene (phaC), the three promoters P4, P6 and P16 were separately integrated into upstream of the phaC operon in the genome of P. mendocina NK-01, resulting in the recombinant strains NKU-4C1, NKU-6C1 and NKU-16C1. As expected, the transcriptional levels of phaC1 and phaC2 in the recombinant strains were increased as shown by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. The phaZ gene encoding PHA depolymerase was further deleted to construct the recombinant strains NKU-∆phaZ-4C1, NKU-∆phaZ-6C1 and NKU-∆phaZ-16C1. The results from shake-flask fermentation indicated that the mcl-PHA titer of recombinant strain NKU-∆phaZ-16C1 was increased from 17 to 23 wt% compared with strain NKU-∆phaZ. This work provides a feasible method to discover strong promoters in P. mendocina NK-01 and highlights the potential of the screened endogenous strong promoters for metabolic engineering of P. mendocina NK-01 to increase the yield of mcl-PHA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjie Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Xiangsheng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Annie Kong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Yuxin Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Xu Fan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Ting Ma
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Weixia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Shufang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Chao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
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Martins-Santana L, Nora LC, Sanches-Medeiros A, Lovate GL, Cassiano MHA, Silva-Rocha R. Systems and Synthetic Biology Approaches to Engineer Fungi for Fine Chemical Production. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2018; 6:117. [PMID: 30338257 PMCID: PMC6178918 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2018.00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the advent of systems and synthetic biology, many studies have sought to harness microbes as cell factories through genetic and metabolic engineering approaches. Yeast and filamentous fungi have been successfully harnessed to produce fine and high value-added chemical products. In this review, we present some of the most promising advances from recent years in the use of fungi for this purpose, focusing on the manipulation of fungal strains using systems and synthetic biology tools to improve metabolic flow and the flow of secondary metabolites by pathway redesign. We also review the roles of bioinformatics analysis and predictions in synthetic circuits, highlighting in silico systemic approaches to improve the efficiency of synthetic modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Martins-Santana
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory, Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, São Paulo University (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Luisa C Nora
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory, Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, São Paulo University (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Ananda Sanches-Medeiros
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory, Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, São Paulo University (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Gabriel L Lovate
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory, Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, São Paulo University (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Murilo H A Cassiano
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory, Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, São Paulo University (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory, Cell and Molecular Biology Department, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, São Paulo University (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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Wang M, Liu GN, Liu H, Zhang L, Li BZ, Li X, Liu D, Yuan YJ. Engineering global transcription to tune lipophilic properties in Yarrowia lipolytica. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2018; 11:115. [PMID: 29713375 PMCID: PMC5907459 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-018-1114-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evolution of complex phenotypes in cells requires simultaneously tuning expression of large amounts of genes, which can be achieved by reprograming global transcription. Lipophilicity is an important complex trait in oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. It is necessary to explore the changes of which genes' expression levels will tune cellular lipophilic properties via the strategy of global transcription engineering. RESULTS We achieved a strategy of global transcription engineering in Y. lipolytica by modifying the sequences of a key transcriptional factor (TF), SPT15-like (Yl-SPT15). The combinatorial mutagenesis of this gene was achieved by DNA assembly of up to five expression cassettes of its error-prone PCR libraries. A heterologous beta-carotene biosynthetic pathway was constructed to research the effects of combined Yl-SPT15 mutants on carotene and lipid production. As a result, we obtained both an "enhanced" strain with 4.7-fold carotene production and a "weakened" strain with 0.13-fold carotene production relative to the initial strain, nearly 40-fold changing range. Genotype verification, comparative transcriptome analysis, and detection of the amounts of total and free fatty acids were made for the selected strains, indicating effective tuning of cells' lipophilic properties. We exploited the key pathways including RNA polymerase, ketone body metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, and degradation that drastically determined cells' variable lipophilicity. CONCLUSIONS We have examined the effects of combinatorial mutagenesis of Yl-SPT15 on cells' capacity of producing beta-carotene and lipids. The lipophilic properties in Y. lipolytica could be effectively tuned by simultaneously regulating genome-wide multi-gene expression levels. The exploited gene targets and pathways could guide design and reconstruction of yeast cells for tunable and optimal production of other lipophilic products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Wang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
| | - Guan-Nan Liu
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
| | - Bing-Zhi Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xia Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
| | - Duo Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying-Jin Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
- SynBio Research Platform, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 People’s Republic of China
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Liu Y, Koh CMJ, Yap SA, Du M, Hlaing MM, Ji L. Identification of novel genes in the carotenogenic and oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula toruloides through genome-wide insertional mutagenesis. BMC Microbiol 2018; 18:14. [PMID: 29466942 PMCID: PMC5822628 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-018-1151-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rhodotorula toruloides is an outstanding producer of lipids and carotenoids. Currently, information on the key metabolic pathways and their molecular basis of regulation remains scarce, severely limiting efforts to engineer it as an industrial host. Results We have adapted Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) as a gene-tagging tool for the identification of novel genes in R. toruloides. Multiple factors affecting transformation efficiency in several species in the Pucciniomycotina subphylum were optimized. The Agrobacterium transfer DNA (T-DNA) showed predominantly single-copy chromosomal integrations in R. toruloides, which were trackable by high efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (hiTAIL-PCR). To demonstrate the application of random T-DNA insertions for strain improvement and gene hunting, 3 T-DNA insertional libraries were screened against cerulenin, nile red and tetrazolium violet respectively, resulting in the identification of 22 mutants with obvious phenotypes in fatty acid or lipid metabolism. Similarly, 5 carotenoid biosynthetic mutants were obtained through visual screening of the transformants. To further validate the gene tagging strategy, one of the carotenoid production mutants, RAM5, was analyzed in detail. The mutant had a T-DNA inserted at the putative phytoene desaturase gene CAR1. Deletion of CAR1 by homologous recombination led to a phenotype similar to RAM5 and it could be genetically complemented by re-introduction of the wild-type CAR1 genome sequence. Conclusions T-DNA insertional mutagenesis is an efficient forward genetic tool for gene discovery in R. toruloides and related oleaginous yeast species. It is also valuable for metabolic engineering in these hosts. Further analysis of the 27 mutants identified in this study should augment our knowledge of the lipid and carotenoid biosynthesis, which may be exploited for oil and isoprenoid metabolic engineering. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-018-1151-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbin Liu
- Biomaterials and Biocatalysts Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
| | - Chong Mei John Koh
- Biomaterials and Biocatalysts Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Sihui Amy Yap
- Biomaterials and Biocatalysts Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Minge Du
- Biomaterials and Biocatalysts Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Mya Myintzu Hlaing
- Biomaterials and Biocatalysts Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Lianghui Ji
- Biomaterials and Biocatalysts Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore. .,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
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Díaz T, Fillet S, Campoy S, Vázquez R, Viña J, Murillo J, Adrio JL. Combining evolutionary and metabolic engineering in Rhodosporidium toruloides for lipid production with non-detoxified wheat straw hydrolysates. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:3287-3300. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-8810-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Park YK, Nicaud JM, Ledesma-Amaro R. The Engineering Potential of Rhodosporidium toruloides as a Workhorse for Biotechnological Applications. Trends Biotechnol 2017; 36:304-317. [PMID: 29132754 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2017.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Moving our society towards a bioeconomy requires efficient and sustainable microbial production of chemicals and fuels. Rhodotorula (Rhodosporidium) toruloides is a yeast that naturally synthesizes substantial amounts of specialty chemicals and has been recently engineered to (i) enhance its natural production of lipids and carotenoids, and (ii) produce novel industrially relevant compounds. The use of R. toruloides by companies and research groups has exponentially increased in recent years as a result of recent improvements in genetic engineering techniques and the availability of multiomics information on its genome and metabolism. This review focuses on recent engineering approaches in R. toruloides for bioproduction and explores its potential as a biotechnological chassis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Kyoung Park
- Micalis Institute, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jean-Marc Nicaud
- Micalis Institute, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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Shi S, Zhao H. Metabolic Engineering of Oleaginous Yeasts for Production of Fuels and Chemicals. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2185. [PMID: 29167664 PMCID: PMC5682390 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Oleaginous yeasts have been increasingly explored for production of chemicals and fuels via metabolic engineering. Particularly, there is a growing interest in using oleaginous yeasts for the synthesis of lipid-related products due to their high lipogenesis capability, robustness, and ability to utilize a variety of substrates. Most of the metabolic engineering studies in oleaginous yeasts focused on Yarrowia that already has plenty of genetic engineering tools. However, recent advances in systems biology and synthetic biology have provided new strategies and tools to engineer those oleaginous yeasts that have naturally high lipid accumulation but lack genetic tools, such as Rhodosporidium, Trichosporon, and Lipomyces. This review highlights recent accomplishments in metabolic engineering of oleaginous yeasts and recent advances in the development of genetic engineering tools in oleaginous yeasts within the last 3 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuobo Shi
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
- Metabolic Engineering Research Laboratory, Science and Engineering Institutes, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
- Metabolic Engineering Research Laboratory, Science and Engineering Institutes, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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Idnurm A, Bailey AM, Cairns TC, Elliott CE, Foster GD, Ianiri G, Jeon J. A silver bullet in a golden age of functional genomics: the impact of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of fungi. Fungal Biol Biotechnol 2017; 4:6. [PMID: 28955474 PMCID: PMC5615635 DOI: 10.1186/s40694-017-0035-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The implementation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a transformation tool revolutionized approaches to discover and understand gene functions in a large number of fungal species. A. tumefaciens mediated transformation (AtMT) is one of the most transformative technologies for research on fungi developed in the last 20 years, a development arguably only surpassed by the impact of genomics. AtMT has been widely applied in forward genetics, whereby generation of strain libraries using random T-DNA insertional mutagenesis, combined with phenotypic screening, has enabled the genetic basis of many processes to be elucidated. Alternatively, AtMT has been fundamental for reverse genetics, where mutant isolates are generated with targeted gene deletions or disruptions, enabling gene functional roles to be determined. When combined with concomitant advances in genomics, both forward and reverse approaches using AtMT have enabled complex fungal phenotypes to be dissected at the molecular and genetic level. Additionally, in several cases AtMT has paved the way for the development of new species to act as models for specific areas of fungal biology, particularly in plant pathogenic ascomycetes and in a number of basidiomycete species. Despite its impact, the implementation of AtMT has been uneven in the fungi. This review provides insight into the dynamics of expansion of new research tools into a large research community and across multiple organisms. As such, AtMT in the fungi, beyond the demonstrated and continuing power for gene discovery and as a facile transformation tool, provides a model to understand how other technologies that are just being pioneered, e.g. CRISPR/Cas, may play roles in fungi and other eukaryotic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Idnurm
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Andy M. Bailey
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Timothy C. Cairns
- Department of Applied and Molecular Microbiology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Candace E. Elliott
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Gary D. Foster
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Giuseppe Ianiri
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
| | - Junhyun Jeon
- College of Life and Applied Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
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Fillet S, Ronchel C, Callejo C, Fajardo MJ, Moralejo H, Adrio JL. Engineering Rhodosporidium toruloides for the production of very long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid-rich oils. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 101:7271-7280. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8461-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Liu H, Jiao X, Wang Y, Yang X, Sun W, Wang J, Zhang S, Zhao ZK. Fast and efficient genetic transformation of oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides by using electroporation. FEMS Yeast Res 2017; 17:3089757. [PMID: 28369336 DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/fox017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic engineering of Rhodosporidium toruloides, a robust lipid and caroteinoid producer, is of great importance for oleochemicals and carotenoids production. However, the Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation is tedious and time consuming. Here, we described a fast and efficient genetic transformation of R. toruloides using electroporation with linear DNA fragments, and the process was optimized. The results showed that 2 × 103 transformants can be obtained at 0.7 kV/μg linear DNA by using hygromycin and bleomycin as selection markers after the competent cells pretreated with 25 mM DTT and 100 mM LiAc. Our results would facilitate mutant library construction and metabolic engineering of R. toruloides for production of oleochemicals and carotenoids. We further demonstrated that all transformants arose due to illegitimate integration of transforming DNA fragments by colony PCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongdi Liu
- School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China.,Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Xiang Jiao
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Xiaobing Yang
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China.,Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Wenyi Sun
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China
| | - Jihui Wang
- School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
| | - Sufang Zhang
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China.,Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Zongbao Kent Zhao
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, PR China.,Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian 116023, China
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