Energetic benefits and rapid cellobiose fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing cellobiose phosphorylase and mutant cellodextrin transporters

Anaerobic bacteria assimilate cellodextrins from plant biomass by using a phosphorolytic pathway to generate glucose intermediates for growth. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can also be engineered to ferment cellobiose to ethanol using a cellodextrin transporter and a phosphorolytic pathway. However, strains with an intracellular cellobiose phosphorylase initially fermented cellobiose slowly relative to a strain employing an intracellular β-glucosidase. Fermentations by the phosphorolytic strains were greatly improved by using cellodextrin transporters with elevated rates of cellobiose transport. Furthermore under stress conditions, these phosphorolytic strains had higher biomass and ethanol yields compared to hydrolytic strains. These observations suggest that, although cellobiose phosphorolysis has energetic advantages, phosphorolytic strains are limited by the thermodynamics of cellobiose phosphorolysis (ΔG°=+3.6 kJ mol−1). A thermodynamic “push” from the reaction immediately upstream (transport) is therefore likely to be necessary to achieve high fermentation rates and energetic benefits of phosphorolysis pathways in engineered S. cerevisiae.

► S. cerevisiae can use a cellobiose phosphorylase pathway to ferment cellobiose.
► Fermentation by these strains increases with faster cellobiose transport into the cell.
► Cellobiose phosphorolysis improves biomass and ethanol yields under stress.