This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Non-conventional yeasts have an untapped potential to expand biotechnology and enable process development necessary for a circular economy. They are especially convenient for the field of lipid and hydrocarbon biotechnology because they offer faster growth than plants, easier scalability than microalgae and exhibit increased tolerance relative to some bacteria. The ability of industrial organisms to import and metabolically transform lipids and hydrocarbons are crucial in such applications. Here, we assessed the ability of 14 yeasts to utilize 18 model lipids and hydrocarbons from six functional groups and three carbon chain lengths. The studied strains covered 12 genera from nine families. Nine non-conventional yeast performed better than Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the most common industrial yeast. Rhodotorula toruloides, Candida maltosa, Scheffersomyces stipis and Yarowia lipolytica were observed to grow significantly better and on more types of lipid and lipid-molecules than other strains. They were all able to utilize mid to long-chain fatty acids, fatty alcohols, alkanes, alkenes and dicarboxylic acids, including 28 previously unreported substrates across the four yeasts. Interestingly, a phylogenetic analysis showed a short evolutionary distance between the R. toruloides and C. maltosa and S. stipitis, even though R. toruloides is classified under a different phylum. This work provides valuable insight into the lipid substrate range of non-conventional yeasts that can inform species selection decisions and viability of lipid feedstocks.
The goal of cost-effective production of fuels and chemicals from biomass has been a substantial driver of the development of the field of Metabolic Engineering. The resulting design principles and procedures provide a guide for the development of cost-effective methods for degradation, and possibly even valorization, of plastic wastes. Here we highlight these parallels, using the creative work of Lonnie O'Neal (Neal) Ingram in enabling production of fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass, with a focus on ethanol production as an exemplar process.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.