Thermotolerant yeasts promoting climate-resilient bioproduction

Abstract

The growing challenges posed by global warming and the demand for sustainable food and feed resources underscore the need for robust microbial platforms in bioprocessing. Thermotolerant yeasts have emerged as promising candidates due to their ability to thrive at elevated temperatures and other industrially relevant stresses. This review examines the industrial potential of thermotolerant yeasts in the context of climate change, emphasizing how their resilience can lead to more energy-efficient and cost-effective bioprocesses. Particular attention is paid to the thermodynamic implications of yeast metabolism under heat stress, especially in bioethanol production and methanol metabolism in methylotrophic yeasts, where metabolic heat generation plays a critical role. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying thermotolerance are also reviewed, including heat shock sensing mechanisms, the protection of biomolecules, and membrane and cell wall integrity. Advances in genetic and metabolic engineering aimed at enhancing these traits are also highlighted. By integrating current insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of thermotolerance, along with recent technological advancements, this review outlines the advantages of high-temperature operations and positions thermotolerant yeasts as vital components of future sustainable bioproduction systems.

Keywords: Komagataella phaffii; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; global warming; heat-shock response; methylotrophic yeasts; sustainable bioproduction.

Figure 1.

Thermotolerance mechanisms in yeast cells: schematic representation of the components involved in thermotolerance mechanisms.