Strategic breeding of highly methanol-adapted C1 yeast for application to low environmental load technology

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19875
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 64:Environmental conservation measure and related fields
• Research Institution: Gifu University
• Principal Investigator: Nakagawa Tomoyuki 岐阜大学, 応用生物科学部, 教授 (70318179)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 稲垣 瑞穂 岐阜大学, 応用生物科学部, 准教授 (50626356)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: C1酵母 / Pichia methanolica / Pichia pastoris / 高メタノール環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, in order to realize a high-production/high-efficiency fermentation production system [methanol-biorefinery technology] using methanol as a starting material, we tried to understand the adaptation mechanism of C1 yeast to high methanol condition. We identified the xylose-5-phosphate synthesis pathway, a key pathway of methanol metabolism in C1 yeast, which was unknown well, and we examined metabolomic analysis of C1 yeast grown under high methanol adaptation conditions. We conclude that it is possible to breed C1 yeast adapted to higher methanol concentration by controlling the methanol metabolic flow in high methanol condition.

Free Research Field

応用微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、C1酵母のメタノール代謝の解析から、「スーパーC1酵母」の育種の可能性を示すことができた。実際、現在、ランダム変異法により8％メタノール濃度にまで適応できるC1酵母を育種することに成功しているこれらデータはC1酵母のメタノール代謝制御の分子機構を明らかにするのみならず、その機能を活用した新たな「メタノール－バイオリファイナリー技術」の実現に向けて大きく前進する基盤を築けたと考えている。