Abstract
Non-conventional yeasts are an excellent option for a number of different industrial bioprocesses. They possess beneficial natural phenotypes, which translates to several fermentation advantages when compared to traditional hosts, like <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>. The non-conventional yeasts <i>Yarrowia lipolytica</i>, <i>Trichosporon oleaginosus</i>, <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i>, <i>Dekkera bruxellensis</i>, <i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>, <i>Debaryomyces hansenii</i> and <i>Hansenula polymorpha</i>, are considered desirable industrial hosts due to their natural characteristics, including tolerance to several by-products and inhibitors, thermotolerance, salt resistance or osmo- and xerotolerance. Therefore, they are a great alternative for the industrial production of bioethanol, fine chemicals, lipids and recombinant proteins, among others. In this review, we summarize the best natural characteristics of those seven non-conventional yeasts and their use in industrial biotechnology, as well as the molecular/synthetic biology tools available for their genetic modification. Moreover, possible limitations regarding their performance in industrial fermentations and a list of challenges to overcome in the future are also discussed.
Highlights
Industrial biotechnology represents more than hundred billion market in the US, and is the fastest growing sector in the last decade [1]
This is partly because S. cerevisiae is classified as Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) organism, and because it grows very well in environmental conditions normally associated to standard biotechnological processes, e.g. glucose fermentation during ethanol production [2]
Similar ethanol yields to S. cerevisiae are obtained during glucose fermentation, D. bruxellensis presents lower growth rates compared to the model yeast [64]
Summary
Industrial biotechnology represents more than hundred billion market in the US, and is the fastest growing sector in the last decade [1]. Microbial chemical production has been covered by a reduced number of model organisms, such as Escherichia coli, Aspergillus genus or Pichia pastoris, but Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the most widely utilized. This is partly because S. cerevisiae is classified as Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) organism, and because it grows very well in environmental conditions normally associated to standard biotechnological processes, e.g. glucose fermentation during ethanol production [2]. There are still important challenges regarding the production processes, sometimes due to limitations in the host organism used Examples of this are S. cerevisiae and E. coli, which cannot tolerate certain environmental stresses. An increased availability of molecular tools and synthetic biology methods is being lately offered for their use in non-model organisms (Figure 1)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
