Optimization of the ellagic acid synthesis process at the bioreactor level using non-conventional yeasts

Abstract Ellagic acid (EA) is a phenolic biomolecule. For its biosynthesis, a source of ellagitannins is required, such as strawberries and yeasts, as precursors of the tannase and ß-glucosidase enzymes responsible for hydrolysis of ellagitannins. Two experimental mixture designs were applied., varying the yeast concentration and the number of ellagitannins in the culture medium, evaluating the enzymatic activity and ellagic acid biosynthesis. Aiming to find the optimal compositions of the non-conventional yeasts assessed in the research to biosynthesize ellagic acid feasibly and efficiently using a response surface performing the statistical analysis in the StatGraphics® program for obtaining a higher yield and optimizing the ellagic acid synthesis process, the results indicate that the strains Candida parapsilosis ITM LB33 and Debaryomyces hansenii ISA 1510 have a positive effect on the synthesis of ellagic acid, since as its concentration increases in the mixture the concentration of ellagic acid in the medium also increases; on the other hand, the addition of Candida utilis ITM LB02 causes a negative effect, resulting in the compositions of 0.516876, 0.483124 and 2.58687E-9 respectively, for a treatment under the same conditions, an optimal value of ellagic acid production would be obtained. With an approximate value of 7.33036 mg/mL

The yeast Scheffersomyces amazonensis is an efficient xylitol producer.

This study assessed the efficiency of Scheffersomyces amazonensis UFMG-CM-Y493T, cultured in xylose-supplemented medium (YPX) and rice hull hydrolysate (RHH), to convert xylose to xylitol under moderate and severe oxygen limitation. The highest xylitol yields of 0.75 and 1.04 g g-1 in YPX and RHH, respectively, were obtained under severe oxygen limitation. However, volumetric productivity in RHH was ninefold decrease than that in YPX medium. The xylose reductase (XR) and xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH) activities in the YPX cultures were strictly dependent on NADPH and NAD+ respectively, and were approximately 10% higher under severe oxygen limitation than under moderate oxygen limitation. This higher xylitol production observed under severe oxygen limitation can be attributed to the higher XR activity and shortage of the NAD+ needed by XDH. These results suggest that Sc. amazonensis UFMG-CM-Y493T is one of the greatest xylitol producers described to date and reveal its potential use in the biotechnological production of xylitol.

XYLH encodes a xylose/H+ symporter from the highly related yeast species Debaryomyces fabryi and Debaryomyces hansenii.

The closely related yeasts Debaryomyces fabryi and Debaryomyces hansenii are excellent xylose consumers. We previously described the activity of a high-affinity xylose/H(+) symport from an industrial strain of D. hansenii subsequently reclassified as D. fabryi. We now report the identification of the gene encoding this permease, AY347871.2. This was retrieved from D. fabryi gDNA using a degenerate primer PCR strategy, based on conserved regions from the amino acid sequences of three well-characterized bacterial xylose/H(+) symporters. This sequence is 86% identical to another, DEHA2C11374p from D. hansenii type strain. DEHA2C11374p was conceptually ascribed to the major facilitator superfamily. The putative amino acid sequence of AY347871.2 and DEHA2C11374p presented a hydrophobicity pattern compatible with plasma membrane proteins. The last was functionally expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sensitivity of transport activity to a protonophore confirmed its dependence on proton motive force, as expected from a symporter. We named D. fabryi AY347871.2 and D. hansenii DEHA2C11374p as XYLH from Xylose/H(+) symport. Based on the very high similarity, we suggested that Scheffersomyces stipitis Xut3 and Aspergillus nidulans AN8400.2 may also encode xylose high-affinity permeases.

Debaryomyces psychrosporus sp. nov., a yeast species from a Venezuelan cave.

Three yeast strains, which are phenotypically indistinguishable from Debaryomyces hansenii, were recovered from secondary mineral deposits (stalactites and stromatolites) obtained in the Crystal Eyes Cave, Roraima Tepui Mountain, Venezuela. Analyses of the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA gene as well as the concatenated sequences of the nearly entire SSU rRNA gene, the ITS regions and the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA gene confirmed the placement of these strains in the genus Debaryomyces, but relationship with all valid species of D. hansenii complex was distant. Based on the observed considerable sequence divergence the three strains are proposed as a new species, D. psychrosporus sp. nov., with the type strain NCAIM Y.01972(T) (CBS 11845(T), NRRL Y-48723(T)).

Population polymorphism of nuclear mitochondrial DNA insertions reveals widespread diploidy associated with loss of heterozygosity in Debaryomyces hansenii.

Debaryomyces hansenii, a yeast that participates in the elaboration of foodstuff, displays important genetic diversity. Our recent phylogenetic classification of this species led to the subdivision of the species into three distinct clades. D. hansenii harbors the highest number of nuclear mitochondrial DNA (NUMT) insertions known so far for hemiascomycetous yeasts. Here we assessed the intraspecific variability of the NUMTs in this species by testing their presence/absence first in 28 strains, with 21 loci previously detected in the completely sequenced strain CBS 767(T), and second in a larger panel of 77 strains, with 8 most informative loci. We were able for the first time to structure populations in D. hansenii, although we observed little NUMT insertion variability within the clades. We determined the chronology of the NUMT insertions, which turned out to correlate with the previously defined taxonomy and provided additional evidence that colonization of nuclear genomes by mitochondrial DNA is a dynamic process in yeast. In combination with flow cytometry experiments, the NUMT analysis revealed the existence of both haploid and diploid strains, the latter being heterozygous and resulting from at least four crosses among strains from the various clades. As in the diploid pathogen Candida albicans, to which D. hansenii is phylogenetically related, we observed a differential loss of heterozygosity in the diploid strains, which can explain some of the large genetic diversity found in D. hansenii over the years.

Comparison of molecular and metabolomic methods as characterization tools of Debaryomyces hansenii cheese isolates.

Debaryomyces hansenii is one of the yeast species most frequently isolated from cheese and salty foods, however little is known about the phenotypic and molecular variability of its strains. In order to explore the possibilities of a large study on its biodiversity, some D. hansenii strains were selectively isolated from pecorino cheese sampled in ten different Italian regions. All isolates were identified as D. hansenii on the basis of conventional and molecular taxonomic analysis. The D1/D2 domain sequences of the 26S-rDNA did not show any variation, confirming the extreme homogeneity of this species. PCR-duplex-RAPD banding patterns analyzed with PCoA showed interesting clustering related to the geographic areas of isolation, although some overlapping between strains derived from different districts could be observed. A FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) metabolomic fingerprint produced groupings weakly related to those observed with RAPD and less associated with the isolation locales. The discriminatory power of metabolomic fingerprint was able to discriminate strains otherwise considered identical. This preliminary study showed that, in spite of the homogeneity at the 26S-rDNA level, the D. hansenii strains exhibit high molecular and metabolomic variability somehow linked to the places of isolation. Further studies will be necessary to better investigate on the link between terroir and strain variability, as well as on the relation between genotypic and metabolomic fingerprints.

"Pecorino di Filiano" cheese as a selective habitat for the yeast species, Debaryomyces hansenii.

The composition of yeast microflora in artisanal "Pecorino di Filiano" cheese, a typical product of the Basilicata region of Southern Italy, was studied during ripening. The isolates were identified by restriction analysis of the 18S rDNA amplified region with the combined use of Hinf I and Cfo I enzymes. The majority of the isolates were identified as Debaryomyces hansenii, whereas two yeasts were identified as Kluyveromyces lactis and one as Dekkera anomala. To evaluate natural biodiversity, D. hansenii "Pecorino di Filiano" isolates were submitted to genetic and technological characterization. RAPD-PCR analysis with P80 (5CGCGTGCCCA3) primer revealed significant polymorphism among D. hansenii isolates. About 30% of the isolates showed single molecular profiles, whereas the other D. hansenii yeasts were separated into three main patterns, differing for both the ripening time and the isolation source. Furthermore, the yeasts showed significant variability in their, "proteolytic activity". This work demonstrated the high predominance of D. hansenii among the yeast population of "Pecorino di Filiano" cheese, probably in consequence of the traditional salting process, which was selected for this salt tolerant species. This preliminary study allowed us to isolate autochthonous D. hansenii yeasts potentially useful as starters for the production of this artisanal cheese.

Direct spectroscopic (FTIR) detection of intraspecific binary contaminations in yeast cultures.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has proved to be a good method to identify and characterize microorganisms. This technique has been proposed as a tool to determine the level of contamination in binary mixtures of strains belonging to different species and even to diverse kingdoms, showing a good linear relationship between spectral outputs and contamination levels. The monitoring of intraspecific contamination is a critical point in both laboratory practice and industrial monitoring, but it is challenged by the difficulty to discriminate between very similar cultures belonging to the same species. In this paper we considered binary intraspecific mixtures of strains belonging to three species (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Debaryomyces hansenii and Rhodotorula minuta). Results showed that contaminated and pure cultures can be discriminated on the basis of their infrared spectra and that different spectral areas respond to the contamination according to the species under test. Moreover, some spectral areas change linearly with the increase of contaminants, giving the possibility of using this procedure for preliminary estimations of the contamination in addition to the even more important opportunity to indicate the presence of contaminants of the same species at low levels in fermentation cultures.