High-RNA Yeast Breeding via Adaptive Evolution and Flow Cytometry

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for screening microbial strains for high RNA content are inefficient and cumbersome, leading to high production costs due to low RNA content in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which averages 6%-8%.

Innovation Solution

A method involving chemical and physical mutagenesis, adaptive evolution, and high-throughput screening using RNA fluorescent dyes and flow cytometry to rapidly breed high-RNA yeast strains, increasing RNA content to 15% or more.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional screening methods are used, then operation simplicity is maintained, but screening efficiency and productivity are low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescreening efficiencyVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical/manual screening operations with flow cytometry-based automated detection. The flow cytometer automatically stains cells with fluorescent dyes, excites them with lasers, and detects fluorescence signals electronically, substituting manual observation and selection with automated optical-electronic detection systems, thereby dramatically improving screening efficiency while reducing operational complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses fluorescent staining technology where fluorescent dyes rapidly bind to RNA in yeast cells, providing immediate and detectable signals. This accelerated chemical interaction enables quick identification of high-RNA strains during flow cytometry, significantly speeding up the screening process compared to traditional gradual observation methods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #38Strong oxidants (Accelerated oxidation)

2Reliability

If Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used for RNA production, then safety and ease of culture are improved, but RNA content is low leading to high costs

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidRNA content
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies mutagenesis treatments (chemical mutagens like EMS or physical mutagens like UV radiation) to induce genetic changes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. This alters the biological parameters of the yeast, specifically enhancing RNA synthesis capacity and cellular metabolism, thereby increasing RNA content from the typical 6-8% to over 15% while maintaining the species' inherent safety characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary adaptive evolution and pre-screening of mutagenized strains using flow cytometry before industrial-scale fermentation. This preliminary identification and selection of high-RNA potential strains allows for optimized strain development, ensuring that only the most promising strains with enhanced RNA content proceed to production, thereby maximizing RNA yield while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Quantity of substance

If RNA content is increased to reduce costs, then product competitiveness is improved, but screening and breeding difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveRNA contentVSAvoidscreening difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs fluorescent staining where RNA-rich cells exhibit stronger fluorescence signals (color intensity changes) when excited by laser light in the flow cytometer. This optical property allows for immediate visual and electronic detection of high-RNA strains based on fluorescence intensity, transforming the difficult task of measuring RNA content into a simple fluorescence detection process, thereby facilitating easy screening and breeding of high-RNA strains

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

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 method efficiently screens and breeds high-RNA yeast strains, reducing production costs by achieving high-density fermentation with RNA content exceeding 15%, thus improving product competitiveness.

Implementation Method 1

carrying out high-throughput screening on the evolutionary library to obtain a high-RNA yeast

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Implementation Method 2

a strain with high fluorescence is selected to obtain the high-RNA yeast

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow cytometry detection:

Data Source

PatentEP4700123A2Method for high-throughput and rapid breeding of high-RNA yeast
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 ANGEL YEAST CO LTD
  • EP4700123A2 patent drawingFigure 1a~2B
  • EP4700123A2 patent drawingFigure 3a~4b
  • EP4700123A2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for the high-throughput and rapid breeding of high-RNA yeast. The method for the high-throughput breeding of high-RNA yeast comprises the following steps: (1) establishing a microbial mutant library; (2) recovering bacterial cells obtained in step (1); (3) subjecting the mutant library to adaptive evolution; and (4) carrying out high-throughput screening on the evolutionary library to obtain a high-RNA yeast. By means of the provided method, the high-RNA yeast strain can be efficiently screened out, the dominant strain is rapidly bred, and the RNA content of the screened dominant strain can reach 15% or more.