Design of Four Small-Molecule-Inducible Systems in the Yeast Chromosome, Applied to Optimize Terpene Biosynthesis

The optimization of cellular functions often requires the balancing of gene expression, but the physical construction and screening of alternative designs are costly and time-consuming. Here, we construct a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that contains a sensor array containing bacterial regulators that respond to four small molecule inducers (vanillic acid, xylose, aTc, IPTG). Four promoters can be independently controlled with low background and a 40-to 5000-fold dynamic range. These systems can be used to study the impact of changing the level and timing of gene expression without requiring the construction of multiple strains. We apply this approach to the optimization of a four-gene heterologous pathway to the terpene linalool, which is a flavor and precursor to energetic materials. Using this approach, we identify bottlenecks in the metabolic pathway. This work can aid the rapid automated strain development of yeasts for the bio-manufacturing of diverse products, including chemicals, materials, fuels, and food ingredients.

Automated summary

The optimization of cellular functions often requires balancing gene expression, which is costly and time-consuming. In this study, a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was constructed with a sensor array containing bacterial regulators that respond to small molecule inducers. This approach allows for the study of gene expression without the need for multiple strain constructions and was applied to optimize a four-gene heterologous pathway. This work has the potential to aid in the rapid automated development of yeasts for bio-manufacturing diverse products.