Induction by hypoxia of heterologous-protein production with the KlPDC1 promoter in yeasts

The control of promoter activity by oxygen availability appears to be an intriguing system for heterologous protein production. In fact, during cell growth in a bioreactor, an oxygen shortage is easily obtained simply by interrupting the air supply. The purpose of our work was to explore the possible use of hypoxic induction of the KlPDC1 promoter to direct heterologous gene expression in yeast. In the present study, an expression system based on the KlPDC1 promoter was developed and characterized. Several heterologous proteins, differing in size, origin, localization, and posttranslational modification, were successfully expressed in Kluyveromyces lactis under the control of the wild type or a modified promoter sequence, with a production ratio between 4 and more than 100. Yields were further optimized by a more accurate control of hypoxic physiological conditions. Production of as high as 180 mg/liter of human interleukin-1beta was obtained, representing the highest value obtained with yeasts in a lab-scale bioreactor to date. Moreover, the transferability of our system to related yeasts was assessed. The lacZ gene from Escherichia coli was cloned downstream of the KlPDC1 promoter in order to get beta-galactosidase activity in response to induction of the promoter. A centromeric vector harboring this expression cassette was introduced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in Zygosaccharomyces bailii, and effects of hypoxic induction were measured and compared to those already observed in K. lactis cells. Interestingly, we found that the induction still worked in Z. bailii; thus, this promotor constitutes a possible inducible system for this new nonconventional host.     

Extracellular Deoxyribonuclease Production by Yeasts

A total of 20 genera of yeasts and yeastlike organisms were tested for their ability to produce an extracellular deoxyribonuclease. Results indicate that ability to produce the enzyme appears to be a specific characteristic of the three genera Rhodotorula, Cryptococcus, and Tremella. A single strain of Endomycopsis fibuligera was also shown to be positive for the enzyme. In comparing the ability of the organisms to excrete extracellular deoxyribonuclease with their ability to produce urease, a surprisingly close correlation was found. With the exception of Lipomyces starkeyi, all the organisms which were deoxyribonuclease-negative were also urease-negative. Of those organisms which were deoxyribonuclease-positive, only E. fibuligera was urease-negative. The ability of cryptococci to produce extracellular deoxyribonuclease is discussed in relation to the implication which this finding may have for the taxonomy and phylogeny of the genus.     

Fermentative Production of CDP-Choline by Yeasts

The optimum condition for the formation of CDP-choline was studied: (1) the reaction proceeded more effectively at 35°C than at 28 or 40°C. (2) the maximum formation of CDP-choline was obtained at pH 7.5, when pH levels were kept constant throughout the reaction. (3) twenty #x03BC;moles per ml of 5′-CMP was the optimum concentration for the formation of CDP-choline. When higher concentration of 5′-CMP was employed, the substrate was decomposed to uridine, uracil, etc., and the yield of CDP-choline decreased. By the application of feeding method, 5′-CMP was utilized to the effective formation of CDP-choline without further formation of side-products.     

Production of Erythritol by n-Alkane-grown Yeasts

In the course of study on citric acid fermentation by Candida zeylanoides, in which n-alkane (a mixture of C–12 to C–15) was used as the sole source of carbon, we found that a polyol-like substance was accumulated when the medium-pH fell down to below 4.0. This was isolated in crystalline forms and identified as meso-erythritol. Comparing erythritol production among fifty yeast strains, Candida zeylanoides, particularly its glycerol-requiring mutant KY 6166, was found to be an excellent producer.

Erythritol production was also observed with ethanol or acetic acid as the sole carbon source but not with glucose. An efficient condition for large production of erythritol was to keep the medium-pH at low level (2.5 to 4.0) and the concentration of NaCl or KCl at high level (1 to 3%). Under conditions established in this work, more than 55 mg/ml of erythritol was successfully produced in 120 hr incubation in 300-ml flasks, which corresponded to 55% of the alkane used.     

Production of d-Mannitol and Glycerol by Yeasts

D-Mannitol has not so far been known as a major product of sugar metabolism by yeasts. Three yeast strains, a newly isolated yeast from soy-sauce mash, Torulopsis versatilis, and T. anomala, were found to be good mannitol producers. Under optimal conditions, the isolate produced mannitol at good yield of 30% of the sugar consumed. Glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose, maltose, glycerol, and xylitol were suitable substrates for mannitol formation. High concentrations of yeast extract, Casamino Acids, NaCl, and KCl in media affected significantly the mannitol yield, whereas high levels of inorganic phosphate did not show any detrimental effect.     

Mode of Metabolism of 1-Tetradecene by Candida Yeasts and Citrates Production

Metabolic pathways for the oxidation of 1-tetradecene by Candida lipolytica were investigated and compared with those for Candida tropicalis in order to elucidate the difference in the productivity of citrates reported in the previous paper. No difference was found in the pathways for the initial stage of oxidation of 1-tetradecene between the two strains, indicating that the difference in the productivity of citrates is not attributable to the metabolic pathways. The metabolic rate of 1-tetradecene with C. lipolytica was found to be much lower than that with C. tropicalis. The production of citrates was much enhanced in the presence of surfactants which were known to be stimulative for microbial metabolism of hydrocarbons and 11 ~ 15 g/liters was attained on the 6th day of cultivation.     

Induction of DNA Hypomethylation by Tumor Hypoxia

In cancer the extensive methylation found in the bulk of chromatin is reduced, while the normally unmethylated CpG islands become hypermethylated. Regions of solid tumors are transiently and/or chronically exposed to ischemia (hypoxia) and reperfusion, conditions known to contribute to cancer progression. We hypothesized that hypoxic microenvironment may influence local epigenetic alterations, leading to inappropriate silencing and re-awakening of genes involved in cancer. We cultured human colorectal and melanoma cancer cell lines under severe hypoxic conditions, and examined their levels of global methylation using HPLC to quantify 5-methylcytosine (5-mC), and found that hypoxia induced losses of global methylation. This was more extensive in normal human fibroblasts than cancer cell lines. Cell lines from metastatic colorectal carcinoma or malignant melanoma were found to be markedly more hypomethylated than cell lines from their respective primary lesions, but they did not show further reduction of 5-mC levels under hypoxic conditions. To explore these epigenetic changes in vivo, we established xenografts of the same cancer cells in immune deficient mice. We used Hypoxyprobe? to assess the magnitude of tissue hypoxia, and immunostaining for 5-mC to evaluate DNA methylation status in cells from different regions of tumors. We found an inverse relationship between the presence of extensive tumor hypoxia and the incidence of methylation, and a reduction of 5-mC in xenografts compared to the levels seen in the same cancer cell lines in vitro, verifying that methylation patterns are also modulated by hypoxia in vivo. This suggests that epigenetic events in solid tumors may be modulated by microenvironmental conditions such as hypoxia.     

Induction of Autophagy by Second-Fermentation Yeasts during Elaboration of Sparkling Wines

Autophagy is a transport system mediated by vesicles, ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells, by which bulk cytoplasm is targeted to a lysosome or vacuole for degradation. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, autophagy is triggered by nutritional stress conditions (e.g., carbon- or nitrogen-depleted medium). In this study we showed that there is induction of autophagy in second-fermentation yeasts during sparkling wine making. Two methods were employed to detect autophagy: a biochemical approach based on depletion of the protein acetaldehyde dehydrogenase Ald6p and a morphological strategy consisting of visualization of autophagic bodies and autophagosomes, which are intermediate vesicles in the autophagic process, by transmission electron microscopy. This study provides the first demonstration of autophagy in second-fermentation yeasts under enological conditions. The correlation between autophagy and yeast autolysis during sparkling wine production is discussed, and genetic engineering of autophagy-related genes in order to accelerate the aging steps in wine making is proposed.     

The Production of Xylitol,l-Arabinitol and Ribitol by Yeasts

The polyalcohol production from the pentoses such as d-xylose, l-arabinose and d-ribose by various genera and species of yeasts was examined. Candida polymorpha dissimilated aerobically these three pentoses and produced xylitol from d-xylose, l-arabinitol from l-arabinose and ribitol from d-ribose at good yield of 30~40% of sugar consumed. The result suggests that these polyalcohols would be major products from pentoses by yeasts, but some unidentified minor polyalcohols were also produced.     

Production of Food and Fodder Yeasts

Abstract

A decade or so ago, there was considerable interest in developing single cell protein production from raw materials. Many factors have influenced the development of fodder yeast technology, notably the biochemistry and physiology of the yeast.

It is shown that those considerations have led to the choice of a continuous fermentation technology.     

Production of Lactones and Peroxisomal Beta-Oxidation in Yeasts

Abstract

Among aroma compounds interesting for the food industry, lactones may be produced by biotechnological means using yeasts. These microorganisms are able to synthesize lactones de novo or by biotransformation of fatty acids with higher yields. Obtained lactone concentrations are compatible with industrial production, although detailed metabolic pathways have not been completely elucidated. The biotransformation of ricinoleic acid into gamma-decalactone is taken here as an example to better understand the uptake of hydroxy fatty acids by yeasts and the different pathways of fatty acid degradation. The localization of ricinoleic acid beta-oxidation in peroxisomes is demonstrated. Then the regulation of the biotransformation is described, particularly the induction of peroxisome proliferation and peroxisomal beta-oxidation and its regulation at the genome level. The nature of the biotransformation product is then discussed (4-hydroxydecanoic acid or gamma-decalactone), because the localization and the mechanisms of the lactonization are still not properly known. Lactone production may also be limited by the degradation of this aroma compound by the yeasts which produced it. Thus, different possible ways of modification and degradation of gamma-decalactone are described.     

Production of Ethanol from d-Xylose by Using d-Xylose Isomerase and Yeasts

d-Xylulose, an intermediate of d-xylose catabolism, was observed to be fermentable to ethanol and carbon dioxide in a yield of greater than 80% by yeasts (including industrial bakers' yeast) under fermentative conditions. This conversion appears to be carried out by many yeasts known for d-glucose fermentation. In some yeasts, xylitol, in addition to ethanol, was produced from d-xylulose. Fermenting yeasts are also able to produce ethanol from d-xylose when d-xylose isomerizing enzyme is present. The results indicate that ethanol could be produced from d-xylose in a yield of greater than 80% by a two-step process. First, d-xylose is converted to d-xylulose by xylose isomerase. d-Xylulose is then fermented to ethanol by yeasts.     

Induction and Testing of Hypoxia in Cell Culture

Hypoxia is defined as the reduction or lack of oxygen in organs, tissues, or cells. This decrease of oxygen tension can be due to a reduced supply in oxygen (causes include insufficient blood vessel network, defective blood vessel, and anemia) or to an increased consumption of oxygen relative to the supply (caused by a sudden higher cell proliferation rate). Hypoxia can be physiologic or pathologic such as in solid cancers ^1-3, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis etc… Each tissues and cells have a different ability to adapt to this new condition. During hypoxia, hypoxia inducible factor alpha (HIF) is stabilized and regulates various genes such as those involved in angiogenesis or transport of oxygen ⁴. The stabilization of this protein is a hallmark of hypoxia, therefore detecting HIF is routinely used to screen for hypoxia ^5-7. In this article, we propose two simple methods to induce hypoxia in mammalian cell cultures and simple tests to evaluate the hypoxic status of these cells.Download video file.^{(42M, mov)}     

High-Level Production of Heterologous Protein by Engineered Yeasts Grown in Cottage Cheese Whey

Cottage cheese whey is a cheese industry by-product still rich in proteins and lactose. Its recycling is seldom cost-effective. In this work we show that the lactose-utilizing yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, engineered for production of recombinant human lysozyme, can be grown in cottage cheese whey, resulting in high-level production of the heterologous protein (125 μg/ml).