Production of Lycopene in the Non-Carotenoid-Producing Yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe codon-optimized genescrtBandcrtIofPantoea ananatiswere expressed inYarrowia lipolyticaunder the control of theTEF1promoter ofY. lipolytica. Additionally, the rate-limiting genes for isoprenoid biosynthesis inY. lipolytica,GGS1andHMG1, were overexpressed to increase the production of lycopene. All of the genes were also expressed in aY. lipolyticastrain withPOX1toPOX6andGUT2deleted, which led to an increase in the size of lipid bodies and a further increase in lycopene production. Lycopene is located mainly within lipid bodies, and increased lipid body formation leads to an increase in the lycopene storage capacity ofY. lipolytica. Growth-limiting conditions increase the specific lycopene content. Finally, a yield of 16 mg g−1(dry cell weight) was reached in fed-batch cultures, which is the highest value reported so far for a eukaryotic host.