Effect of Evolutionary Adaptation on Metabolic Enzyme Activities of Thermotolerant Strain Kluyveromyces Marxianus NIRE-K1 and NIRE-K3 for Bioethanol Production

Evolutionary adaptation provides stability to the strains in the challenging environment. As extension of earlier study, the evolved strains Kluyveromyces marxianus NIRE-K1.1 and K. marxianus NIRE-K3.1 were subjected for secondary adaptation on minimal salt (MS) medium with the aim to enhance xylose utilization for ethanol production together with salt tolerance. Both the strains were adapted till saturated improvement in xylose uptake i.e., 54 generations on MS medium containing xylose. Xylose utilization increased from 14.21 to 45.80% and 10.55 to 45.31%, in evolved strains KmNIRE-K1.2 and KmNIRE-K3.2, respectively. Specific xylose reductase activity has also increased 2.04 and 3.36-folds in KmNIRE-K1.2 and KmNIRE-K3.2, respectively. Xylitol dehydrogenase activity was also increased by 2.82 and 1.35-folds in KmNIRE-K1.2 and KmNIRE-K3.2, respectively. Decrease in redox imbalance was observed in evolved strains, and hence there was a reduction in xylitol production during growth and fermentation. Xylose uptake rate increased by 2.53 and 1.5-folds in KmNIRE-K1.2 and KmNIRE-K3.2, respectively with 2.20 and 6.46-folds higher ethanol concentration, and 2.25 and 5.86-folds higher volumetric productivity, respectively. This study has demonstrated the role of evolutionary adaptation for developing robust yeast strains. KmNIRE-K1.2 and KmNIRE-K3.2 have shown enhanced ethanol production, enzyme activities and less by-product formation like xylitol during xylose metabolism.

Characterization of simultaneous uptake of xylose and glucose in Caldicellulosiruptor kronotskyensis for optimal hydrogen production

Background Caldicellulosiruptor kronotskyensis has gained interest for its ability to grow on various lignocellulosic biomass. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth profiles of C. kronotskyensis in the presence of mixtures of glucose–xylose. Recently, we characterized a diauxic-like pattern for C. saccharolyticus on lignocellulosic sugar mixtures. In this study, we aimed to investigate further whether C. kronotskyensis has adapted to uptake glucose in the disaccharide form (cellobiose) rather than the monosaccharide (glucose). Results Interestingly, growth of C. kronotskyensis on glucose and xylose mixtures did not display diauxic-like growth patterns. Closer investigation revealed that, in contrast to C. saccharolyticus, C. kronotskyensis does not possess a second uptake system for glucose. Both C. saccharolyticus and C. kronotskyensis share the characteristics of preferring xylose over glucose. Growth on xylose was twice as fast (μmax = 0.57 h−1) as on glucose (μmax = 0.28 h−1). A study of the sugar uptake was made with different glucose–xylose ratios to find a kinetic relationship between the two sugars for transport into the cell. High concentrations of glucose inhibited xylose uptake and vice versa. The inhibition constants were estimated to be KI,glu = 0.01 cmol L−1 and KI,xyl = 0.001 cmol L−1, hence glucose uptake was more severely inhibited by xylose uptake. Bioinformatics analysis could not exclude that C. kronotskyensis possesses more than one transporter for glucose. As a next step it was investigated whether glucose uptake by C. kronotskyensis improved in the form of cellobiose. Indeed, cellobiose is taken up faster than glucose; nevertheless, the growth rate on each sugar remained similar. Conclusions C. kronotskyensis possesses a xylose transporter that might take up glucose at an inferior rate even in the absence of xylose. Alternatively, glucose can be taken up in the form of cellobiose, but growth performance is still inferior to growth on xylose. Therefore, we propose that the catabolism of C. kronotskyensis has adapted more strongly to pentose rather than hexose, thereby having obtained a specific survival edge in thermophilic lignocellulosic degradation communities.

Strain improvement of native Saccharomyces cerevisiae LN ITCC 8246 strain through protoplast fusion to enhance its xylose uptake

Co-utilization of xylose and glucose and subsequent fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae could enhance ethanol productivity. Directed engineering approaches have met with limited success due to interconnectivity of xylose metabolism with other intrinsic, hidden pathways. Therefore, random approaches like protoplast fusion were used to reprogram unidentified mechanisms. Saccharomyces cerevisiae LN, the best hexose fermenter, was fused with xylose fermenting Pichia stipitis NCIM 3498. Protoplasts prepared using glucanex were fused under electric impulse and fusants were selected using 10% ethanol and cycloheximide (50 ppm) markers. Two fusants, 1a.23 and 1a.30 showing fast growth on xylose and tolerance to 10% ethanol, were selected. Higher extracellular protein expression observed in fusants as compared to parents was corroborated by higher number of bands resolved by twodimensional analysis. Overexpression of XYL1, XYL2, XKS and XUT4 in fusants as compared to S. cerevisiae LN as observed by RT-PCR analysis was substantiated by higher specific activities of XR, XDH and XKS enzymes in fusants. During lignocellulosic hydrolysate fermentation, fusants could utilize glucose faster than the parent P. stipitis NCIM 3498 and xylose consumption in fusants was higher than S. cerevisiae LN.

Characterization of Simultaneous Uptake of Xylose and Glucose in Caldicellulosiruptor Kronotskyensis for Optimal Hydrogen Production

BackgroundCaldicellulosiruptor kronotskyensis has gained interest for its ability to grow on various lignocellulosic biomass. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth profiles of C . kronotskyensis in the presence of mixtures of glucose-xylose. Recently, we characterized a diauxic-like pattern for C. saccharolyticus on lignocellulosic sugar mixtures. In this study we aimed to investigated further whether C . kronotskyensis has adapted to uptake glucose in the disaccharide form (cellobiose) rather than the monosaccharide (glucose). ResultsInterestingly, growth of C . kronotskyensis on glucose and xylose mixtures did not display diauxic-like growth patterns. Closer investigation revealed that, in contrast to C. saccharolyticus , C . kronotskyensis does not possess a second uptake system for glucose. Both C. saccharolyticus and C . kronotskyensis share the characteristics of preferring xylose over glucose. Growth on xylose was twice as fast (μ max = 0.57 h -1 ) as on glucose (μ max = 0.28 h -1 ). It was found that C . kronotskyensis takes up glucose and xylose simultaneously with the same transporter. A study of the sugar uptake was made with different glucose-xylose ratios to find a kinetic relationship between the two sugars for transport into the cell. High concentrations of glucose inhibited xylose uptake and vice versa. The inhibition constants were estimated to be K I,glu = 0.01 cmol·L -1 and K I,xyl = 0.001 cmol·L -1 , hence glucose uptake was more severely inhibited by xylose uptake. Bioinformatic analysis indicated the lack of another sugar uptake system in C . kronotskyensis as compared to C. saccharolyticus . Therefore, it was investigated whether glucose uptake by C . kronotskyensis was in the form of cellobiose. Indeed, cellobiose is taken up faster than glucose, nevertheless, the growth rate on each sugar remained similar. ConclusionsC . kronotskyensis possesses a xylose transporter that might take up glucose at an inferior rate even in the absence of xylose. Alternatively, glucose can be taken up in the form of cellobiose, but growth performance is still inferior to growth on xylose. Therefore, we propose that the catabolism of C . kronotskyensis has adapted more strongly to pentose rather than hexose thereby having obtained a specific survival edge in thermophilic lignocellulosic degradation communities.

Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation with a thermotolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce ethanol from sugarcane bagasse under high temperature conditions

Lignocellulosic ethanol production at high temperature offers advantages such as the decrease of contamination risk and cooling cost. Recombinant xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been considered a promising strain for ethanol production from lignocellulose for its high inhibitor tolerance and superior capability to ferment glucose and xylose into ethanol. To improve the ethanolic fermentation by xylose at high temperature, the strain YY5A was subjected to the ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis. A mutant strain T5 was selected from the EMS-treated cultures to produce ethanol. However, the xylose uptake by T5 was severely inhibited by the high ethanol concentration during the co-fermentation in defined YPDX medium at 40 °C. In this study, the simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) and the separate hydrolysis and co-fermentation (SHCF) processes of sugarcane bagasse were assessed to solve this problem. The xylose utilization by T5 was remarkably improved using the SSCF process compared to the SHCF process. For the SHCF and SSCF processes, 48% and 99% of the xylose in the hydrolysate was consumed at 40 °C, respectively. The ethanol yield was enhanced by the SSCF process. The ethanol production can reach to 36.0 g/L using this process under high-temperature conditions.

Evolutionary engineering improved D-glucose/xylose co-fermentation of Yarrowia lipolytica

Background: Yarrowia lipolytica is considered as a promising biorefinery chassis for production of microbial lipids, the important precursors of advanced biofuels. Unfortunately, wild Yarrowia lipolytica is unable to consume xylose, the major pentose in lignocellulosic hydrolysates. A recombinant strain Yarrowia lipolytica yl-XYL+ can utilize xylose to produce microbial lipids efficiently, but its xylose uptake is severely delayed in the presentence of D-glucose. Therefore, it is critical to develop co-fermenting D-glucose and xylose strains and study the underlying mechanisms.Results: In this study, an adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) is performed to engineering the strains in the medium containing xylose and D-glucose analog 2-deoxyglucose (dG). After four stages of evolution over a total of 64 days, we obtained for the first time a strain of Y. lipolytica (yl-XYL+*04*10) with derepressed xylose metabolism. Xylose uptake kinetics showed that it could efficiently utilize xylose in the presence of 10 g/L dG or D-glucose. Transcriptional profiling analysis revealed that relative expression level of YALI0_C04730g and YALI0_D00363g (both encoding xylose-specific transporter) was significantly up-regulated. Besides, we found that missense mutations N373T and G270A in YALI0_E23287g (encoding a D-glucose transporter) and YALI0_E15488g (encoding a hexokinase) respectively.Conclusions: These results indicate that these are important gene targets responsible for improved xylose utilization in the evolved Yarrowia lipolytica. Our work provides a new approach for breeding Yarrowia lipolytica and paved the way for future pentose metabolic engineering.

Efficient, D-glucose insensitive, growth on D-xylose by an evolutionary engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain

ABSTRACT Optimizing D-xylose consumption in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is essential for cost-efficient cellulosic bioethanol production. An evolutionary engineering approach was used to elevate D-xylose consumption in a xylose-fermenting S. cerevisiae strain carrying the D-xylose-specific N367I mutation in the endogenous chimeric Hxt36 hexose transporter. This strain carries a quadruple hexokinase deletion that prevents glucose utilization, and allows for selection of improved growth rates on D-xylose in the presence of high D-glucose concentrations. Evolutionary engineering resulted in D-glucose-insensitive growth and consumption of D-xylose, which could be attributed to glucose insensitive D-xylose uptake via a novel chimeric Hxt37 N367I transporter that emerged from a fusion of the HXT36 and HXT7 genes, and a down regulation of a set of Hxt transporters that mediate glucose sensitive xylose transport. RNA sequencing revealed the downregulation of HXT1 and HXT2 which, together with the deletion of HXT7, resulted in a 21% reduction of the expression of all plasma membrane transporters genes. Morphological analysis showed an increased cell size and corresponding increased cell surface area of the evolved strain, which could be attributed to genome duplication. Mixed strain fermentation of the D-xylose-consuming strain DS71054-evo6 with the D-glucose consuming CEN.PK113–7D strain resulted in decreased residual sugar concentrations and improved ethanol production yields compared to a strain which sequentially consumes D-glucose and D-xylose.