Transcriptome of the alternative ethanol production strain Dekkera bruxellensis CBS 11270 in sugar limited, low oxygen cultivation

PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58455. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058455. Epub 2013 Mar 13.

Abstract

Dekkera bruxellensis can outcompete Saccharomyces cerevisiae in environments with low sugar concentrations. It is usually regarded as a spoilage yeast but has lately been identified as an alternative ethanol production organism. In this study, global gene expression in the industrial isolate D. bruxellensis CBS 11270 under oxygen and glucose limitation was investigated by whole transcriptome sequencing using the AB SOLiD technology. Among other observations, we noted expression of respiratory complex I NADH-ubiquinone reductase although D. bruxellensis is a Crabtree positive yeast. The observed higher expression of NADH-generating enzymes compared to NAD(+)-generating enzymes might be the reason for the previously observed NADH imbalance and resulting Custer effect in D. bruxellensis. Low expression of genes involved in glycerol production is probably the molecular basis for high efficiency of D. bruxellensis metabolism under nutrient limitation. No D. bruxellensis homologs to the genes involved in the final reactions of glycerol biosynthesis were detected. A high number of expressed sugar transporter genes is consistent with the hypothesis that the competitiveness of D. bruxellensis is due to a higher affinity for the limiting substrate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Transport
  • Carbohydrate Metabolism* / genetics
  • Dekkera / genetics*
  • Dekkera / growth & development
  • Dekkera / metabolism*
  • Ethanol / metabolism*
  • Fermentation
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Oxygen Consumption*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Transcriptome*

Substances

  • Ethanol
  • Glucose

Grants and funding

This study has been supported by the Swedish Energy Authority (Statens Energimyndigheten, STEM), project number 34134-1 and the Research program MicroDrivE at the Faculty for Natural Resources and Agriculture at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Work performed at Uppsala Genome Center has been funded by RFI/VR “SNISS” (Swedish National Infrastructure for large Scale Sequencing and Science for Life Laboratory) Uppsala. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.