Bioconversion of C1 feedstocks for chemical production using Pichia pastoris

Abstract

Bioconversion of C1 feedstocks for chemical production offers a promising solution to global challenges such as the energy and food crises and climate change. The methylotroph Pichia pastoris is an attractive host system for the production of both recombinant proteins and chemicals from methanol. Recent studies have also demonstrated its potential for utilizing CO₂ through metabolic engineering or coupling with electrocatalysis. This review focuses on the bioconversion of C1 feedstocks for chemical production using P. pastoris. Herein the challenges and feasible strategies for chemical production in P. pastoris are discussed. The potential of P. pastoris to utilize other C1 feedstocks - including CO₂ and formate - is highlighted, and new insights from the perspectives of synthetic biology and material science are proposed.

Keywords: CO(2) fixation; Pichia pastoris; metabolic engineering; methanol biotransformation; substrate utilization.