Yeast cell factories for fine chemical and API production

TLDR

This review surveys yeast strains and enzyme classes used in whole‑cell biotransformations for fine chemical and API production. The review discusses a broad range of yeast species—including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida, Cryptococcus, Geotrichum, Issatchenkia, Kloeckera, Kluyveromyces, Pichia, Hansenula, Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Schizosaccharomyces, Torulopsis, Trichosporon, Trigonopsis, Yarrowia, and Zygosaccharomyces—as whole‑cell biocatalysts. The review highlights successful examples of single‑ or few‑step enzymatic synthesis of fine chemicals and APIs, recent metabolic‑engineering achievements, and the construction of synthetic pathways, underscoring the broad industrial relevance of engineered yeast strains.

Abstract

This review gives an overview of different yeast strains and enzyme classes involved in yeast whole-cell biotransformations. A focus was put on the synthesis of compounds for fine chemical and API (= active pharmaceutical ingredient) production employing single or only few-step enzymatic reactions. Accounting for recent success stories in metabolic engineering, the construction and use of synthetic pathways was also highlighted. Examples from academia and industry and advances in the field of designed yeast strain construction demonstrate the broad significance of yeast whole-cell applications. In addition to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, alternative yeast whole-cell biocatalysts are discussed such as Candida sp., Cryptococcus sp., Geotrichum sp., Issatchenkia sp., Kloeckera sp., Kluyveromyces sp., Pichia sp. (including Hansenula polymorpha = P. angusta), Rhodotorula sp., Rhodosporidium sp., alternative Saccharomyces sp., Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulopsis sp., Trichosporon sp., Trigonopsis variabilis, Yarrowia lipolytica and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii.