Biosensor for branched-chain amino acid metabolism in yeast and applications in isobutanol and isopentanol production.

ABSTRACT: Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism fulfills numerous physiological roles and can be harnessed to produce valuable chemicals. However, the lack of eukaryotic biosensors specific for BCAA-derived products has limited the ability to develop high-throughput screens for strain engineering and metabolic studies. Here, we harness the transcriptional regulator Leu3p from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to develop a genetically encoded biosensor for BCAA metabolism. In one configuration, we use the biosensor to monitor yeast production of isobutanol, an alcohol derived from valine degradation. Small modifications allow us to redeploy Leu3p in another biosensor configuration that monitors production of the leucine-derived alcohol, isopentanol. These biosensor configurations are effective at isolat

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8755756 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature