Techniques for the Evolution of Robust Pentose-fermenting Yeast for Bioconversion of Lignocellulose to Ethanol

Summary

Adaptive evolution and isolation techniques are described and demonstrated to yield derivatives of Scheffersomyces stipitis strain NRRL Y-7124 that are able to rapidly consume hexose and pentose mixed sugars in enzyme saccharified undetoxified hydrolyzates and to accumulate over 40 g/L ethanol.

Abstract

Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant, renewable feedstock useful for production of fuel-grade ethanol and other bio-products. Pretreatment and enzyme saccharification processes release sugars that can be fermented by yeast. Traditional industrial yeasts do not ferment xylose (comprising up to 40% of plant sugars) and are not able to function in concentrated hydrolyzates. Concentrated hydrolyzates are needed to support economical ethanol recovery, but they are laden with toxic byproducts generated during pretreatment. While detoxification methods can render hydrolyzates fermentable, they are costly and generate waste disposal liabilities. Here, adaptive evolution and isolation techniques are described and demonstrated to yield derivatives of the native Scheffersomyces stipitis strain NRRL Y-7124 that are able to efficiently convert hydrolyzates to economically recoverable ethanol despite adverse culture conditions. Improved individuals are enriched in an evolving population using multiple selection pressures reliant on natural genetic diversity of the S. stipitis population and mutations induced by exposures to two diverse hydrolyzates, ethanol or UV radiation. Final evolution cultures are dilution plated to harvest predominant isolates, while intermediate populations, frozen in glycerol at various stages of evolution, are enriched on selective media using appropriate stress gradients to recover most promising isolates through dilution plating. Isolates are screened on various hydrolyzate types and ranked using a novel procedure involving dimensionless relative performance index (RPI) transformations of the xylose uptake rate and ethanol yield data. Using the RPI statistical parameter, an overall relative performance average is calculated to rank isolates based on multiple factors, including culture conditions (varying in nutrients and inhibitors) and kinetic characteristics. Through application of these techniques, derivatives of the parent strain had the following improved features in enzyme saccharified hydrolyzates at pH 5-6: reduced initial lag phase preceding growth, reduced diauxic lag during glucose-xylose transition, significantly enhanced fermentation rates, improved ethanol tolerance and accumulation to 40 g/L.

Introduction

An estimated annual 1.3 billion dry tons of lignocellulosic biomass could support ethanol production and allow the U.S. to reduce its petroleum consumption by 30%.¹ Although plant biomass hydrolysis yields sugar mixtures rich in glucose and xylose, fermentation inhibitors are generated by the chemical pretreatment necessary to break down hemicellulose and expose cellulose for enzymatic attack. Acetic acid, furfural, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are thought to be key components among many inhibitors that form during pretreatment. In order to move the lignocellulosic ethanol industry forward, research and procedures to allow the evolution of yeast strains ....

Protocol

1. Prepare Starting Materials and Equipment for Assays

1. Prepare hydrolyzates using 18 to 20% initial biomass dry weight in the pretreatment reaction for use in the evolution, isolation and ranking procedures. See Slininger et al. 2015¹⁸ for the detailed methods to prepare AFEX CSH, PSGHL, and SGH with nitrogen supplements N1 or N2 used in evolution, isolation or ranking. See Table 1 for composition of each hydrolyzate type.
   NOTE: Nitrogen fortifications of SGH were designated as SGH-N1 or SGH-N2 defined as follows: SGH-N1 = SGH fortified to 42:1 molar carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) with nitrogen sources including ....

Results

S. stipitis was evolved using combinations of three selection cultures, which included AFEX CSH, PSGHL, and ethanol-challenged xylose-fed continuous culture. Figure 1 shows the schematic diagram of the evolution experiments performed along with the isolates found either to perform most effectively overall, or most effectively on one of the hydrolyzates tested. Table 3 shows the NRRL accession numbers of these superior isolates and summarizes the adaptation stresses applied in th.......

Discussion

Several steps were critical to the success of the evolution process. First, it is key to choose appropriate selection pressures to drive the population evolution toward the desired phenotypes that are needed for successful application. The following selective stresses were chosen for S. stipitis development and applied at appropriate times to guide enrichment for the desired phenotypes: increasing strengths of 12% glucan AFEX CSH (which forces growth and fermentation of diverse sugars in the presence of acetic a.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Cellic Ctec, Contains Xylanase (endo-1,4-)	Novozymes	No product number	www.novozymes.com, 1-919-494-3000
Cellic Htec, Contains Cellulase and Xyalanase	Novozymes	No product number	www.novozymes.com, 1-919-494-3000
Toasted Nutrisoy Flour	Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM)	63160	ADM, 4666 Faries Parkway, Decatur, IL  1800-37-5843
Pluronic F-68 (Surfactant)	Sigma-Aldrich	P1300	Sigma-Aldrich
Difco Vitamin Assay Casamino Acids	Becton Dickinson and Company	228830	multiple suppliers: e.g., Fisher Scientific, VWR, Daigger
D,L-tryptophan	Sigma-Aldrich	T3300	multiple suppliers: e.g., Fisher Scientific, VWR, Daigger
L-cysteine	Sigma-Aldrich	C7352	multiple suppliers: e.g., Fisher Scientific, Sigma-Aldrich
Bacto Agar	Becton Dickinson and Company	214010	multiple suppliers: e.g., Fisher Scientific, VWR, Daigger
Bacto Malt Extract	Becton Dickinson and Company	218630	multiple suppliers: e.g., Fisher Scientific, VWR, Daigger
Bacto Yeast Extract	Becton Dickinson and Company	212750	multiple suppliers: e.g., Fisher Scientific, VWR, Daigger
Peptone Type IV from soybean	Fluka	P0521-500g	multiple suppliers: e.g., Fisher Scientific, VWR, Daigger
Adenine, >99% powder	Sigma-Aldrich	A8626	CAS 73-24-5. Could use other brands. Multiple suppliers: e.g., Sigma-Aldrich, Acros Organics, MP Biomedicals LLC
Cytosine, >99%	Sigma-Aldrich	C3506	CAS 71-30-7. Could use other brands. Multiple suppliers: e.g., Sigma-Aldrich, Acros Organics, MP Biomedicals LLC
Guanine, SigmaUltra	Sigma-Aldrich	G6779	CAS 73-40-5. Could use other brands. Multiple suppliers: e.g., Sigma-Aldrich, Acros Organics, MP Biomedicals LLC
Thymine, 99%	Sigma-Aldrich	T0376	CAS 65-71-4. Could use other brands. Multiple suppliers: e.g., Sigma-Aldrich, Acros Organics, MP Biomedicals LLC
Uracil, 99%	Sigma-Aldrich	U0750	CAS 66-22-8. Could use other brands. Multiple suppliers: e.g., Sigma-Aldrich, Acros Organics, MP Biomedicals LLC
Dextrose (D-Glucose), Anhydrous, Certified ACS	Fisher Chemical	D16-500	CAS 50-99-7. Could use other brands. Multiple suppliers: e.g., Acros Organics, Fisher Scientific, MP Biomedicals, Sigma-Aldrich
D-Xylose, assay >99%	Sigma-Aldrich	X1500	CAS 58-86-6. Could use other brands. Multiple suppliers: e.g., Acros Organics, Fisher Scientific, MP Biomedicals, Sigma-Aldrich
96-well, flat bottom plates	Becton Dickinson Falcon	351172	multiple suppliers: e.g., Thermo-Fisher, VWR, Daigger
Wypall L40 Wiper	Kimberly-Clark		towel in microplate boxes to absorb water for humidification; multiple suppliers e.g., Thermo-Fisher, uline, Daigger
Corning graduated pyrex flask, 125 ml, narrow opening (stopper #5)	Corning Life Science Glass	4980-125	multiple suppliers: e.g., Thermo-Fisher, VWR, Daigger
Innova 42R shaker/incubator, 2.5 cm (1") rotation	New Brunswick Scientific (1-800-631-5417)	M1335-0016	multiple suppliers: e.g., Eppendorf, Thermo-Fisher. Other shaker/incubators with a 2.5 cm (1") throw could be used.
Duetz Cover clamp for 4 deep well MTP plates	Applikon Biotechnology	Z365001700	applikon-biotechnology.com (U.S.), 1-650-578-1396
Duetz System sandwich cover for 96 deep well plates	Applikon Biotechnology	Z365001296	applikon-biotechnology.com (U.S.), 1-650-578-1396
Duetz System silicone seal (0.8 mm black low evap) for 96 deep well plate cover	Applikon Biotechnology	V0W1040027	applikon-biotechnology.com (U.S.), 1-650-578-1396
Blue microfiber layer for Duetz system sandwich cover	Applikon Biotechnology	V0W1040001	applikon-biotechnology.com (U.S.), 1-650-578-1396
96 well, 2 ml square well pyramid bottom plates, natural popypropylene	Applikon Biotechnology	ZC3DXP0240	applikon-biotechnology.com (U.S.), 1-650-578-1396
Bellco 32 mm silicon sponge plug closures, pk of 25 for 125 ml flasks	Bellco	1924-00032	Thomas Scientific, their Catalog number is 1203K27
Bellco Spinner Flask, 1968-Glass Dome, Sealable Flange Type, 100 ml working volume. This design no longer manufactured.	Bellco	1968-00100 (original Cat. No.)	Jacketed vessels have lower inlet & upper outlet ports for temp. control with circulating water bath. Vessels are 75 mm in outer diam and 200 mm in height. There are four side ports at ~45° angles and one top port. Port openings appropriate size for size 0 neoprene stoppers (21-22 mm inner diameters on ports).
Mathis Labomat IR Dryer Oven	MathisAg	Typ-Nbr BFA12 215307	Werner Mathis U.S.A. Inc. usa@mathisag.com, 704-786-6157
Dual Channel Biochemistry Analyzer	YSI Life Sciences	2900D-UP	www.ysi.com, robotic system for rapid sugars assay in 96-well microplate format
PowerWave XS Microplate Spectrophotometer	Bio-Tek Instruments, Inc	MQX200R	www.biotek.com