Production of Plant Sesquiterpenes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Effect of ERG9 Repression on Sesquiterpene Biosynthesis

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was chosen as a microbial host for heterologous biosynthesis of three different plant sesquiterpenes, namely valencene, cubebol, and patchoulol. The volatility and low solubility of the sesquiterpenes were major practical problems for quantification of the excreted sesquiterpenes.

In situ separation of sesquiterpenes in a two-phase fermentation using dodecane as the secondary phase was therefore performed in order to enable quantitative evaluation of different strains. In order to enhance the availability of the precursor for synthesis of sesquiterpenes, farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), the ERG9 gene which is responsible for conversion of FPP to squalene was downregulated by replacing the native ERG9 promoter with the regulatable MET3 promoter combined with addition of 2 mM methionine to the medium.

This strategy led to a reduced ergosterol content of the cells and accumulation of FPP derived compounds like target sesquiterpenes and farnesol. Adjustment of the methionine level during fermentations prevented relieving MET3 promoter repression and resulted in further improved sesquiterpene production.

Thus, the final titer of patchoulol and farnesol in the ERG9 downregulated strain reached 16.9 and 20.2 mg/L, respectively. The results obtained in this study revealed the great potential of yeast as a cell factory for production of sesquiterpenes.