Komagataella

Komagataella is a genus of budding yeasts in the family Saccharomycetaceae. The genus includes several species, most notably Komagataella phaffii, which was previously classified as Pichia pastoris. The reclassification followed molecular phylogenetic studies showing a distinct lineage from the genus Pichia.

Biology and metabolism: Members of Komagataella are methylotrophic yeasts, able to grow on methanol as a sole carbon source. They possess the methanol utilization pathway, including the alcohol oxidase AOX1 enzyme. When cultured on methanol, peroxisomes proliferate and AOX1 is strongly induced. They are capable of high-density aerobic growth, which, together with strong promoter activity, makes them suitable for recombinant protein production.

Applications: Komagataella phaffii has become one of the most widely used hosts for recombinant protein expression in biotechnology. It can secrete proteins into the culture medium and perform post-translational modifications, including glycosylation. The methanol-inducible AOX1 promoter enables high-level expression, though methanol handling and process control are important in fermentation. Industrial strains have been engineered to improve secretion, glycosylation patterns, and product yield.

Taxonomy and diversity: The genus is defined to include several species derived from environmental isolates and industrial strains, with ongoing taxonomic revisions as new genomic data accumulate.

See also: Pichia pastoris, Methanol utilization pathway, Yeast expression systems.