Draft genome assemblies for five robust Yarrowia lipolytica strains exhibiting high lipid production and pentose sugar utilization and sugar alcohol secretion from undetoxified lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates

Authors: WALKER, CALEB - University Of Tennessee; RYU, SEUNGHYUN - University Of Tennessee; Quarterman, Joshua; Slininger, Patricia - Pat; Dien, Bruce; TRINH, CONG - University Of Tennessee

Submitted to: Microbiology Resource Announcements
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/4/2018
Publication Date: 9/27/2018
Citation: Walker, C., Ryu, S., Quarterman, J.C., Slininger, P.J., Dien, B.S., Trinh, C.T. 2018. Draft genome assemblies for five robust Yarrowia lipolytica strains exhibiting high lipid production and pentose sugar utilization and sugar alcohol secretion from undetoxified lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates. MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS. 7(2):e01040-18. https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01040-18
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/MRA.01040-18

Interpretive Summary: Yarrowia lipolytica is an emerging workhorse of the global fermentation industry where it is prized for its industrial robustness, GRAS status, and unique physiology. Yarrowia lipolytica is used commercially to produce organic acids and nutritional lipids. Mutants are also being developed that hyper produce lipids for use in aviation fuel biodiesel, and chemical applications. ARS is interested in developing Yarrowia lipolytica for conversion of sugar mixtures derived from agricultural wastes and perennial grasses. A major barrier is the presence in these sugar mixtures of inhibitory chemicals, including organic acids, furans (e.g. cyclic aldehydes) and phenolic chemicals. In an earlier effort, ARS researchers screened 45 Yarrowia lipolytica yeast strains to identify those that were exceptional for growth on concentrated sugar hydrolysates generated from switchgrass. The entire DNA content of these five yeasts has now been sequenced by a collaborator. The sequences present in this current study are valuable for indentifying new genes (100 putative novel genes), correlating robustness to genetic traits, and as a “road map” to accelerate efforts to genetically engineer these yeasts. These sequences will be broadly valuable for biotechnology companies and academic and Federal researchers interested in using Yarrowia yeast as an industrial fermentation platform for production of a wide variety of potential product including proteins, lipids, and organic acids.

Technical Abstract: Screening genetic diversity of 45 Yarrowia lipolytica strains from the Agriculture Research Service culture collection have identified 5 strain candidates with unique metabolic capability and robustness. The strains NRRL YB-392, NRRL YB-419, and NRRL YB-420 can thrive in 90% undetoxified switch grass hydrolysates and accumulate relatively high neutral lipids while NRRL-566 and NRRL-567 can assimilate xylose and produce sugar alcohols. Due to superior phenotypes of these strains, we have sequenced them using the HiSeq 2500 Illumina platform at the Joint Genome Institute. Genome analysis shows that each of these strains show similar 50% G+C contents and genome sizes of ~7,000 predicted genes. Among these genes, there are 100 unique putative genes whose functions are widely uncharacterized and can potentially contribute to their superior phenotypes.