Engineered yeast cells and uses thereof

Abstract

The present application provides engineered yeast cells and uses thereof. In specific embodiments, the yeast cells have a mutation in the GAL2 gene. In specific embodiments, the yeast cells can be used for producing a protein or compound of interest.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 683,824, filed on May 23, 2005, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Conventional means for obtaining organic or protein molecules are often insufficient. Organic compounds are often extracted from biological materials (e.g., plants, microbes, and animals) or synthesized in the laboratory. Organic synthesis is usually complex since several steps are required to obtain the desired product. Furthermore, these steps often involve the use of toxic solvents, which require special handling and disposal. Extraction of organic compounds from biological materials may also require toxic solvents. In addition, extraction and purification methods usually provide a low yield of the desired compound, as biological materials typically contain only small quantities of these compounds.[0003]Inducib...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]Accordingly, the invention provides a method for regulating the production of a protein of interest in yeast. In certain embodiments, the method includes providing a yeast cell with a mutation in the GAL2 gene; the yeast cell contains a nucleic acid encoding a protein operably linked to a GAL-responsive promoter, and the protein regulates the production of a compound of interest. The method further comprises contacting the cell with a molecule that the promoter responds to, such as for example a galactose or an analog thereof, and increases the expression of the protein from the nucleic acid (that is, the promoter is an inducible or activatable promoter with respect to the molecule). Thus, contacting the cell with a greater amount of the molecule leads to a greater amount of expression of the protein from the nucleic acid, thereby regulating the production of the compound of interest.

Problems solved by technology

Conventional means for obtaining organic or protein molecules are often insufficient.

Organic synthesis is usually complex since several steps are required to obtain the desired product.

Furthermore, these steps often involve the use of toxic solvents, which require special handling and disposal.

Extraction of organic compounds from biological materials may also require toxic solvents.

In addition, extraction and purification methods usually provide a low yield of the desired compound, as biological materials typically contain only small quantities of these compounds.

Many of these systems, however, lack the ability to regulate the expression of the desired compound.

The inability to regulate gene expression in these inducible promoter systems can present problems such as toxicity, due to overproduction of the expressed compound.

The inability to readily produce large quantities of many biological compounds has limited their practical use in areas such as drug production.

Images