High level secretion of cellobiohydrolases by Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Date
2011-09
Authors
Ilmen, Marja
Den Haan, Riaan
Brevnova, Elena
McBride, John
Wiswall, Erin
Froehlich, Allan
Koivula, Anu
Voutilainen, Sanni P.
Siika-aho, Matti
LaGrange, Daniel C.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BioMed Central
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The main technological impediment to widespread utilization of lignocellulose for the production of fuels and chemicals is the lack of low-cost technologies to overcome its recalcitrance. Organisms that hydrolyze lignocellulose and produce a valuable product such as ethanol at a high rate and titer could significantly reduce the costs of biomass conversion technologies, and will allow separate conversion steps to be combined in a consolidated bioprocess (CBP). Development of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for CBP requires the high level secretion of cellulases, particularly cellobiohydrolases. RESULTS: We expressed various cellobiohydrolases to identify enzymes that were efficiently secreted by S. cerevisiae. For enhanced cellulose hydrolysis, we engineered bimodular derivatives of a well secreted enzyme that naturally lacks the carbohydrate-binding module, and constructed strains expressing combinations of cbh1 and cbh2 genes. Though there was significant variability in the enzyme levels produced, up to approximately 0.3 g/L CBH1 and approximately 1 g/L CBH2 could be produced in high cell density fermentations. Furthermore, we could show activation of the unfolded protein response as a result of cellobiohydrolase production. Finally, we report fermentation of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel™) to ethanol by CBH-producing S. cerevisiae strains with the addition of beta-glucosidase. CONCLUSIONS: Gene or protein specific features and compatibility with the host are important for efficient cellobiohydrolase secretion in yeast. The present work demonstrated that production of both CBH1 and CBH2 could be improved to levels where the barrier to CBH sufficiency in the hydrolysis of cellulose was overcome.
Description
The original publication is available at http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/4/1/30
Keywords
Lignocellulose, Fuel, Biomass conversion technologies, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Cellobiohydrolases
Citation
Ilmén, Marja ... [et al.]. 2011.High level secretion of cellobiohydrolases by
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biotechnology for biofuels. 4:30, 3-15, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1754-6834-4-30.