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Advances in synthetic biology of oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for producing non-native chemicals

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Abstract

Oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica is an important industrial host for the production of enzymes, oils, fragrances, surfactants, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. More recently, improved synthetic biology tools have allowed more extensive engineering of this yeast species, which lead to the production of non-native metabolites. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of genome editing tools for Y. lipolytica, including the application of CRISPR/Cas9 system and discuss case studies, where Y. lipolytica was engineered to produce various non-native chemicals: short-chain fatty alcohols and alkanes as biofuels, polyunsaturated fatty acids for nutritional and pharmaceutical applications, polyhydroxyalkanoates and dicarboxylic acids as precursors for biodegradable plastics, carotenoid-type pigments for food and feed, and campesterol as a precursor for steroid drugs.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Ali Abghari, Dr. Carina Holkenbrink, and Hamideh Moradi for their valuable comments on this review.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbial Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering (MBBE) Group, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Maragheh, Maragheh, 55181-83111, Iran

    Farshad Darvishi & Mehdi Ariana

  2. The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 220, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

    Farshad Darvishi, Eko Roy Marella & Irina Borodina

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  1. Farshad Darvishi
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  2. Mehdi Ariana
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Correspondence to Farshad Darvishi or Irina Borodina.

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Darvishi, F., Ariana, M., Marella, E.R. et al. Advances in synthetic biology of oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for producing non-native chemicals. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 102, 5925–5938 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-018-9099-x

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