Illuminated changes: Enhancing D-lactic acid output with UV irradiation

Amid concerns over rising petroleum prices and resource depletion, organic compounds such as methanol are attracting attention as potential replacements. Though this bodes well in theory, the production of raw materials from methanol relies on costly chemical processes. An energy-saving, bio-based process is necessary for fully tapping into this resource.

To make this a reality, Associate Professor Ryosuke Yamada’s team at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Engineering has developed a Komagataella phaffii (K. phaffii) yeast strain that can efficiently produce D-lactic acid, a raw material for pharmaceuticals and bioplastics, from methanol.

In their research, the team used ultraviolet irradiation to damage K. phaffii cell DNA and induce gene mutations to improve D-lactic acid output. The exposure to ultraviolet rays successfully created a new strain, DLac_Mut2_221, that produces approximately 1.5 times more D-lactic acid.

“Further, we performed genetic analyses using next-generation sequencers and identified the genes involved in improving D-lactic acid productivity,” stated Professor Yamada. “Going forward, we plan to further improve the efficiency of D-lactic acid production from K. phaffii and develop technologies for producing other useful compounds from methanol.”

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