Microbe Profile: Komagataella phaffii: a methanol devouring biotech yeast formerly known as Pichia pastoris

Abstract

Methylotrophic yeasts of the genus Komagataella are abundantly found in tree exudates. Their ability to utilize methanol as carbon and energy source relies on an assimilation pathway localized in largely expanded peroxisomes, and a cytosolic methanol dissimilation pathway. Other substrates like glucose or glycerol are readily utilized as well. Komagataella yeasts usually grow as haploid cells and are secondary homothallic as they can switch mating type. Upon mating diploid cells sporulate readily, forming asci with four haploid spores. Their ability to secrete high amounts of heterologous proteins made them interesting for biotechnology, which expands today also to other products of primary and secondary metabolism.