Engineering of a hydrocarbon producing yeast for biofuel production

• Project/Area Number: 24658289
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Applied molecular and cellular biology
• Research Institution: Nara Women's University
• Principal Investigator: KAGIWADA Satoshi 奈良女子大学, 自然科学系, 准教授 (40281662)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,380,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥780,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
• Keywords: バイオ燃料 / 緑藻 / 酵母 / 炭化水素 / バイオテクノロジー / 再生可能エネルギー / 微生物

Research Abstract

A unicellular green algae, Botryococcus braunii, secretes a hydrocarbon called botryococcene, which is very suitable for biofuel production, into its environment. However, Botryococcus do not grow fast and is not subjected to biotechnological engineering, making it difficult to improve this organism for more efficient biofuel production.
In this study, genes required for botryococcene synthesis are incorporated into the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is very suitable for biotechnological engineering, to make a yeast strain which can prouduce large amounts of botryococcene and secrete them.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Osh proteins regulate COPII-mediated vesicular transport of ceramide from the endoplasmic reticulum in budding yeast. (2014)
  • Author(s): Kajiwara, K., Ikeda, A., Aguilera-Romero, A., Castillon, G. A., Kagiwada, S., Hanada, K., Riezman, H., Muñiz, M., Funato, K.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Cell Science Volume: 127 Pages: 376-387
  • DOI: 10.1242/jcs.132001
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Transformation of lipid bodies related to hydrocarbon accumulation in a green alga, Botryococcus braunii (Race B). (2013)
  • Author(s): Suzuki, R., Ito, N., Uno, Y., Nishii, I., Kagiwada, S., Okada, S. and Noguchi, T
  • Journal Title: PLoS One Volume: 8 Issue: 12 Pages: e81626-e81626
  • DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081626
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] 緑藻Botryococcus brauniiのトリテルペン合成酵素群の出芽酵母での発現と細胞内局在 (2013)
  • Author(s): 三井菜々香、野口哲子、鍵和田聡
  • Organizer: 日本植物学会第77回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 札幌
  • Year and Date: 2013-09-14
• [Presentation] Biosynthesis and accumulation of hydrocarbons and polysaccharides in a colonial green alga, Botryococcus braunii race B (2013)
  • Author(s): Suzuki, R., Uno, Y., Nishii, I., Kagiwada, S. and Noguchi, T.
  • Organizer: 10th International Phycological Congress Annual Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: Orlando, USA
  • Year and Date: 2013-08-08
• [Presentation] Biosynthesis and accumulation of lipids and polysaccharides in a colonial green alga, Botryococcus braunii race B (2013)
  • Author(s): Uno, Y., Suzuki, R., Ito, N., Kagiwada, S., Nishii, I. and Noguchi, T.
  • Organizer: 第54回日本植物生理学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: 岡山
  • Year and Date: 2013-03-23
• [Presentation] Multi-layered ER induced by ALS8-type Scs2p can be dissolved by modulating phospholipid metabolism in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2012)
  • Author(s): Miyake, N., Nakamichi, S. and Kagiwada, S.
  • Organizer: 第35回日本分子生物学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: 福岡
  • Year and Date: 2012-12-13
• [Presentation] Abundance of the Opi1p transcriptional factor involved in the transcriptional regulation of phospholipid biosynthetic genes is regulated by its binding to membranes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2012)
  • Author(s): Oshima, A., Yokoi, R., Masuda, M. and Kagiwada, S.
  • Organizer: 第35回日本分子生物学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: 福岡
  • Year and Date: 2012-12-13
• [Presentation] 緑藻Botryococcus brauniiB品種における脂質の分泌に伴うオイルボディの動態 (2012)
  • Author(s): 鈴木玲子、宇野由紀、鍵和田聡、西井一郎、野口哲子
  • Organizer: 日本植物学会第76回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 姫路
  • Year and Date: 2012-09-15
• [Presentation] Hydrocarbon biosynthesis and secretion in a green alga, Botryococcus braunii (2012)
  • Author(s): Hirose, M., Nishii, I., Kagiwada, S. and Noguchi, T.
  • Organizer: The 2nd International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts
  • Place of Presentation: San Diego, USA
  • Year and Date: 2012-06-12
• [Presentation] Hydrocarbon biosynthesis and secretion in a green alga, Botryococcus braunii
  • Author(s): Hirose M, Kagiwada S, Nishii I, Noguchi T
  • Organizer: International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts
  • Place of Presentation: San Diego, USA
• [Presentation] 緑藻Botryococcus braunii Ｂ品種における脂質の分泌に伴うオイルボディの動態
  • Author(s): 鈴木玲子,宇野由紀,鍵和田聡,西井一郎,野口哲子
  • Organizer: 日本植物学会第76回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 姫路市
• [Presentation] Biosynthesis and accumulation of lipids and polysaccharides in a colonial green alga, Botryococcus braunii race B
  • Author(s): Uno Y, Suzuki R, Ito N, Kagiwada S, Nishii I, Noguchi T
  • Organizer: 第54回日本植物生理学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: 岡山市
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://www.nara-wu.ac.jp/rigaku/2014/index.html