Mutant yeast strain with decreased glycerol production
AssigneesVib Vzw, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, K. U. Leuven R&D
InventorsJohan Thevelein, Maria Remedios Foulquie-Moreno, Georg Hubmann
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Abstract
The disclosure relates to the use of a mutant SSK1 gene encoding a truncated ssk1 protein for the construction of a mutant yeast strain with decreased glycerol production, when compared to the wild-type strain. It relates further to the use of such strains for high-yield bioethanol production, especially in high osmotic media, or on cellulosic hydrolysates, where normal yeast strains do produce a significant amount of glycerol.
Claims10
A method of producing bioethanol, the method comprising:
- utilizing a Saccharomyces spp. yeast strain for high yield bioethanol production by culturing the Saccharomyces spp. yeast strain in a medium,
- wherein the Saccharomyces spp. yeast strain comprises a gene encoding a truncated ssk1 protein,
- wherein the truncated ssk1 protein lacks the response regulator receiver domain,
- wherein the truncated ssk1 protein comprises at least amino acids 1-300 of SEQ ID NO:
- 2, and
- wherein the yeast strain lacks a gene encoding a wild-type ssk1 protein.
A method of producing ethanol of the type involving culturing a Saccharomyces spp. yeast strain that co-produces glycerol with the ethanol, wherein the improvement comprises:
- culturing a recombinant Saccharomyces spp. yeast strain comprising a gene encoding a truncated ssk1 protein lacking the response regulator receiver domain and comprising at least amino acids 1-300 of SEQ ID NO:
- 2, wherein the Saccharomyces spp. yeast strain lacks a gene encoding a wild-type ssk1 protein,
- so as to decrease glycerol production when compared to wild-type Saccharomyces spp. yeast strain.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.