Genetic and metabolic engineering of Kluyveromyces marxianus for second generation bioethanol

• Grant number: 25/03457-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira
• Grantee: Gustavo Seguchi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The production of biofuels proves to be a viable alternative for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In Brazil, bioethanol stands out as a renewable energy source, with increasing demand expected in the coming years. Traditionally produced from the fermentation of sugarcane juice, the excess energy available in lignocellulosic biomass becomes the ideal substrate for advancing the production chain. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, currently used in the industrial production of second-generation ethanol, requires significant efforts in genetic and metabolic engineering to make this process feasible. However, modified strains of S. cerevisiae still lack fermentative efficiency for pentoses. On the other hand, the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus has gained prominence in recent years as a new industrial platform. In addition to its notable thermotolerance, K. marxianus is naturally capable of consuming the carbohydrates present in biomass hydrolysates. However, the establishment of protocols and strains for genetic and metabolic engineering, as well as the fermentative performance of this yeast, which favors biomass production, are still obstacles to its application in industrial ethanol production. Thus, this project aims to advance in these two areas, by creating a domesticated strain of K. marxianus and rationally engineering its fermentative metabolism for second-generation ethanol production from different substrates.