Insights into the methanol utilization capacity of Y. lipolytica and improvements through metabolic engineering
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Methanol is a promising sustainable alternative feedstock for green biomanufacturing. The yeast Yarrowia lipolytica offers a versatile platform for producing a wide range of products but it cannot use methanol efficiently. In this study, we engineered Y. lipolytica to utilize methanol by overexpressing a methanol dehydrogenase, followed by the incorporation of methanol assimilation pathways from methylotrophic yeasts and bacteria. We also overexpressed the ribulose monophosphate (RuMP) and xylulose monophosphate (XuMP) pathways, which led to significant improvements in growth with methanol, reaching a consumption rate of 2.35 g/L in 24 hours and a 2.68-fold increase in biomass formation. Metabolomics and Metabolite Flux Analysis confirmed methanol assimilation and revealed an increase in reducing power. The strains were further engineered to produce the valuable heterologous product resveratrol from methanol as a co-substrate. Unlike traditional methanol utilization processes, which are often resource-intensive and environmentally damaging, our findings represent a significant advance in green chemistry by demonstrating the potential of Y. lipolytica for efficient use of methanol as a co-substrate for energy, biomass, and product formation. This work not only contributes to our understanding of methanol metabolism in non-methylotrophic organisms but also paves the way for achieving efficient synthetic methylotrophy towards green biomanufacturing.
Date Issued
2025-09-01
Date Acceptance
2025-03-21
Citation
Metabolic Engineering, 2025, 91, pp.30-43
ISSN
1096-7176
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
30
End Page
43
Journal / Book Title
Metabolic Engineering
Volume
91
Copyright Statement
Crown Copyright © 2025 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of International Metabolic Engineering Society. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40158687
PII: S1096-7176(25)00050-3
Subjects
Biomanufacturing
Bioproduction
Metabolic Engineering
Methanol
Substrate Utilization
Synthetic Biology
Synthetic Methylotrophy
Yarrowia lipolytica
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Belgium
Date Publish Online
2025-03-28