lipolytica

Yarrowia lipolytica, commonly referred to simply as lipolytica, is a species of yeast in the family Saccharomycetaceae. It was previously classified as Candida lipolytica. The organism is oleaginous, meaning it can accumulate large amounts of lipids, and it is widely used in biotechnology for lipid production and various biocatalytic applications.

Ecology and metabolism: Y. lipolytica is found in soil, dairy environments, and other oily niches. It grows aerobically at warm temperatures (approximately 25–30°C). The yeast can utilize a broad range of carbon sources, including sugars and hydrophobic substrates such as alkanes and fats. Lipid accumulation occurs under nitrogen limitation with excess carbon, yielding significant levels of triacylglycerols and steryl esters.

Genetics and physiology: The genome has been sequenced and multiple engineered strains (for example Po1f) are used in laboratories. A variety of genetic tools are available, including CRISPR-Cas9–mediated editing and efficient homologous recombination. The lipid biosynthesis pathway is central to its biology and involves enzymes such as ATP citrate lyase, making it a favored host for lipid-based products.

Industrial relevance: Y. lipolytica serves as a production host for single-cell oils, specialty fatty acids, and value-added lipids. It also secretes a range of enzymes, notably lipases and proteases, enabling biocatalytic processes. In addition, it is used for waste valorization and the biotransformation of hydrophobic substrates, and it is explored as a chassis organism for heterologous pathways in biotechnology and synthetic biology.

Safety and regulation: Y. lipolytica is generally regarded as safe in laboratory and industrial contexts, though rare cases of opportunistic infection have been reported in immunocompromised individuals.