Open AccessHigh‐level functional expression of a fungal xylose isomerase: the key to efficient ethanolic fermentation of xylose by Saccharomyces cerevisiae ?
Author(s) -
Kuyper Marko,
Harhangi Harry R,
Stave Ann Kristin,
Winkler Aaron A,
Jetten Mike S.M.,
Laat Wim T.A.M.,
Ridder Jan J.J.,
Op den Camp Huub J.M.,
Dijken Johannes P,
Pronk Jack T
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
fems yeast research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1567-1364
pISSN - 1567-1356
DOI - 10.1016/s1567-1356(03)00141-7
Subject(s) - xylose , xylose isomerase , biology , biochemistry , xylose metabolism , isomerase , yeast , fermentation , saccharomyces cerevisiae , enzyme
Evidence is presented that xylose metabolism in the anaerobic cellulolytic fungus Piromyces sp. E2 proceeds via a xylose isomerase rather than via the xylose reductase/xylitol‐dehydrogenase pathway found in xylose‐metabolising yeasts. The XylA gene encoding the Piromyces xylose isomerase was functionally expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Heterologous isomerase activities in cell extracts, assayed at 30°C, were 0.3–1.1 μmol min −1 (mg protein) −1 , with a K m for xylose of 20 mM. The engineered S. cerevisiae strain grew very slowly on xylose. It co‐consumed xylose in aerobic and anaerobic glucose‐limited chemostat cultures at rates of 0.33 and 0.73 mmol (g biomass) −1 h −1 , respectively.