title: Candida bombicola as a platform organism for the production of tailor-made biomolecules.
abstract: The yeast Candida bombicola is capable of producing high amounts (400 g/L) of the biosurfactant sophorolipids. The genetic makeup of this industrially important yeast has recently been uncovered and molecular manipulation techniques have been developed. Hence, all tools for the development of new bioprocesses with C. bombicola are now available. As a proof of concept, the production of two totally different molecules was aimed for: the bioplastic polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and a new-to-nature cellobioselipid-biosurfactant. Integration of the new functionalities at genomic loci necessary for sophorolipid production safeguards the new biomolecules from sophorolipid contamination, while taking advantage of the regulation of the sophorolipid gene cluster. A maximum yield of 2.0% wt/dwt PHA was obtained; furthermore, this is the first time cellobioselipid synthesis by a non-natural producer is reported. We here provided proof of concept that C. bombicola can be transformed into a platform organism for the production of tailor-made biomolecules.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sophie L K W
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Roelants
authors.forename: Karen M J
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Saerens
authors.forename: Thibaut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Derycke
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yao-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Van de Peer
authors.forename: Sofie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: De Maeseneire
authors.forename: Inge N A
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Van Bogaert
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Soetaert
mesh_terms: D057005:Bioengineering / Q000379:methods*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002175:Candida / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D054813:Polyhydroxyalkanoates / Q000378:metabolism*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006017:Glycolipids; D054813:Polyhydroxyalkanoates; D013501:Surface-Active Agents
keywords: Candida bombicola; PHA; beta-oxidation; biosurfactants; cellobioselipids; tailor-made biomolecules