Function Control and Engineering of Microbial Methylotrophy

The project is investigating the possibility of using methanol as a cost-effective and sustainable resource for biotechnology. Methanol can be produced without using up agricultural land and can even be derived from carbon dioxide in an environmentally friendly way. Certain microorganisms such as bacteria and yeasts can use methanol as a carbon and energy source. In the cooperation between the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the Toulouse Biotechnology Institute in France, two microorganisms are being investigated, the yeast Komagataella phaffii and the bacterium Escherichia coli. Methanol utilization in yeast will be researched in detail and transferred to the bacteria in order to enable them to use methanol. The aim is to create a new biotechnological platform to sustainably produce materials of our daily use from renewable raw materials instead of mineral oil.