Technological advancement spurs Komagataella phaffii as a next-generation platform for sustainable biomanufacturing.

Journal: Biotechnology advances
Published Date: May 6, 2025

Abstract

Biomanufacturing stands as a cornerstone of sustainable industrial development, necessitating a shift toward non-food carbon feedstocks to alleviate agricultural resource competition and advance a circular bioeconomy. Methanol, a renewable one‑carbon substrate, has emerged as a pivotal candidate due to its abundance, cost-effectiveness, and high reduction potential, further bolstered by breakthroughs in CO₂ hydrogenation-based synthesis. Capitalizing on this momentum, the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii has undergone transformative technological upgrades, evolving from a conventional protein expression workhorse into an intelligent bioproduction chassis. This paradigm shift is fundamentally driven by converging innovations across CRISPR-empowered advancement in genome editing and AI-powered metabolic pathway design in K. phaffii. The integration of CRISPR systems with droplet microfluidics high-throughput screening has redefined strain engineering efficiency, achieving much higher editing precision than traditional homologous recombination while compressing the "design-build-test-learn" cycle. Concurrently, machine learning-enhanced genome-scale metabolic models facilitate dynamic flux balancing, enabling simultaneous improvements in product titers, carbon yields, and volumetric productivity. Finally, technological advancement promotes the application of K. phaffii, including directing more efficiently metabolic flux toward nutrient products, and strengthening efficient synthesis of excreted proteins. As DNA synthesis automation and robotic experimentation platforms mature, next-generation breakthroughs in genome modification, cofactor engineering, and AI-guided autonomous evolution will further cement K. phaffii as a next-generation platform for decarbonizing global manufacturing paradigms. This technological trajectory positions methanol-based biomanufacturing as a cornerstone of the low-carbon circular economy.

Authors

  • Le Gao
    Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, No. 32, Xiqi Road, Tianjin Airport Economic Park, Tianjin 300308, China. Electronic address: gao_l@tib.cas.cn.
  • Jie Yuan
    Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, No. 32, Xiqi Road, Tianjin Airport Economic Park, Tianjin 300308, China.
  • Kai Hong
    Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, No. 32, Xiqi Road, Tianjin Airport Economic Park, Tianjin 300308, China.
  • Nyuk Ling Ma
    Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, University Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia.
  • Shuguang Liu
    Beijing Chasing future Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
  • Xin Wu
    Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, No. 32, Xiqi Road, Tianjin Airport Economic Park, Tianjin 300308, China. Electronic address: wuxin@tib.cas.cn.

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