Engineered Yeast for High-Yield Lactate Production

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for producing lactate are either petrochemically based, which is costly and environmentally unfriendly, or biotechnologically, which may not be efficient enough to meet increasing demand for biodegradable plastics and chemical alternatives.

Innovation Solution

A genetically engineered yeast cell with reduced pyruvate to oxaloacetate conversion activity is developed, enhancing lactate production by increasing lactate dehydrogenase expression and inactivating enzymes involved in competing pathways, thereby improving lactate yield and productivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If biotechnological fermentation process is used to produce lactate, then environmental friendliness is improved, but production efficiency and yield are insufficient to meet increasing demand

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental friendlinessVSAvoidlactate production efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies metabolic parameters in yeast cells by inactivating pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and upregulating lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), changing the metabolic flux distribution to achieve high-yield lactate production while maintaining biotechnological sustainability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts or removes the competing pathway by inactivating pyruvate carboxylase, which prevents pyruvate from being converted to oxaloacetate, thereby directing all pyruvate flux toward lactate production through LDH

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Stability of the object's composition

If pyruvate carboxylase activity is maintained at normal levels, then cellular metabolism is balanced, but lactate production yield is limited due to competing metabolic pathways

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemetabolic balanceVSAvoidlactate yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of competing metabolic pathways (pyruvate being diverted to oxaloacetate) into a benefit by inactivating PC, thereby converting all pyruvate flux into lactate production, increasing yield without compromising cellular viability through compensatory metabolic adjustments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The engineered yeast cell significantly increases lactate production yield, making it a more efficient and sustainable method for producing lactate, suitable for bioplastics and chemical applications.

Implementation Method 1

enhancing lactate production by increasing lactate dehydrogenase expression

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzymatic reduction: Enzyme

Implementation Method 2

yeast cell has reduced pyruvate to oxaloacetate conversion activity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzymatic carboxylation: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS9562243B2Yeast cell with inactivated or depressed pyruvate carboxylase and method of producing lactate using the yeast cell

Publication Date: 2017.02.07 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A yeast cell with reduced pyruvate to oxaloacetate conversion activity, and a method of producing lactate using the yeast cell.