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Title: Understanding and eliminating the detrimental effect of thiamine deficiency on the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

Journal Article · · Applied and Environmental Microbiology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02299-19· OSTI ID:1573884
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. The Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Chemical Sciences Div.

Thiamine is a vitamin that functions as a cofactor for key enzymes in carbon and energy metabolism for all living cells. While most plants, fungi and bacteria can synthesize thiamine de novo, the oleaginous yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica, cannot. In this paper, we used proteomics together with physiological characterization to understand key metabolic processes influenced and regulated by thiamine availability and identified the genetic basis of thiamine auxotrophy in Y. lipolytica. Specifically, we found thiamine depletion results in decreased protein abundance of the lipid biosynthesis pathways and energy metabolism (i.e., ATP synthase), attributing to the negligible growth and poor sugar assimilation observed in our study. Using comparative genomics, we identified the missing 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpyrimidine phosphate synthase (THI13) in the de novo thiamine biosynthesis of Y. lipolytica, and discovered an exceptional promoter, P3, that exhibits strong activation or tight repression by low and high thiamine concentrations, respectively. Capitalizing on the strength of our thiamine-regulated promoter (P3) to express the missing gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (scTHI13), we engineered the thiamine-prototrophic Y. lipolytica. By comparing this engineered strain to the wildtype, we unveiled the tight relationship linking thiamine availability to lipid biosynthesis and demonstrated enhanced lipid production with thiamine supplementation in the engineered thiamine-prototrophic Y. lipolytica.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Biological Systems Science Division
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0019412; AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1573884
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1761709
Journal Information:
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 86, Issue 3; ISSN 0099-2240
Publisher:
American Society for MicrobiologyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 14 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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