Open AccessA newly identified fatty alcohol oxidase gene is mainly responsible for the oxidation of long‐chain ω‐hydroxy fatty acids in Yarrowia lipolytica
Author(s) -
Gatter Michael,
Förster André,
Bär Kati,
Winter Miriam,
Otto Christina,
Petzsch Patrick,
Ježková Michaela,
Bahr Katrin,
Pfeiffer Melanie,
Matthäus Falk,
Barth Gerold
Publication year - 2014
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 - 10.1111/1567-1364.12176
Subject(s) - yarrowia , alcohol oxidase , alcohol dehydrogenase , biochemistry , biology , yeast , oxidase test , gene , fatty alcohol , alcohol oxidoreductase , fatty acid , alcohol , enzyme , nad+ kinase , recombinant dna , pichia pastoris
Nine potential (fatty) alcohol dehydrogenase genes and one alcohol oxidase gene were identified in Yarrowia lipolytica by comparative sequence analysis. All relevant genes were deleted in Y. lipolytica H222ΔP which is lacking β‐oxidation. Resulting transformants were tested for their ability to accumulate ω‐hydroxy fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids in the culture medium. The deletion of eight alcohol dehydrogenase genes ( FADH , ADH 1‐7 ), which may be involved in ω‐oxidation, led only to a slightly increased accumulation of ω‐hydroxy fatty acids, whereas the deletion of the fatty alcohol oxidase gene ( FAO 1 ), which has not been described yet in Y. lipolytica , exhibited a considerably higher effect. The combined deletion of the eight (fatty) alcohol dehydrogenase genes and the alcohol oxidase gene further reduced the formation of dicarboxylic acids. These results indicate that both (fatty) alcohol dehydrogenases and an alcohol oxidase are involved in ω‐oxidation of long‐chain fatty acids whereby latter plays the major role. This insight marks the first step toward the biotechnological production of long‐chain ω‐hydroxy fatty acids with the help of the nonconventional yeast Y. lipolytica . The overexpression of FAO 1 can be further used to improve existing strains for the production of dicarboxylic acids.