Industrial yeast solutions for lactose valorization

Overview

Renaissance BioScience presents an innovative solution for the valorization of industrial lactose streams through engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. These strains are capable of converting lactose into high-value compounds such as mucic acid, galactitol, or galactomannan. This approach not only provides a sustainable method to utilize lactose but also enables the production of commercially relevant products like bioplastics, pharmaceuticals, and biomaterials. The technology leverages the unique galactose content of lactose, offering a biosynthetic advantage over traditional glucose-based processes.

Technical specifications

Our proprietary yeast chassis is engineered to efficiently convert lactose by hydrolyzing it and utilizing glucose for growth, while conserving galactose for biosynthesis. The biosynthetic pathway for each target compound is integrated into the yeast's metabolism. For mucic acid and galactomannan, the pathway requires two enzymes, whereas for galactitol only one enzyme is needed. The process is optimized to enhance metabolic flux through the heterologous pathway, with fermentation strategies to improve yields and commercial viability.

Technology readiness level

Currently, the technology is at TRL 3, having demonstrated proof of concept in a laboratory setting. Future efforts will focus on optimizing the biosynthesis and fermentation processes to enhance commercial scalability and efficiency.