Multi-purpose strategies for Amyris bioproducts and byproducts valorization

The investigation and research activities of Biotechnology Faculty (ESB) of Portuguese Catholic University and particularly, the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF) accomplish activities on food and industrial biotechnology with particular success in creating value added solutions for secondary product streams. ESB proposes a relevant team to fulfil the objectives established and proposed along this project.
ESB proposal aims (i) to deliver new approaches on the extension of the yeast chronological life during the fermentation processes, ii) to deliver potential applications of value-added molecules obtained from effluents/by-products of Amyris production processes, (iii) to define new extraction processes of the molecules produced that are lost in effluents/by-products, (iv) to establish novel approaches on the valorization and application of Amyris molecules, (v) define strategically new molecules to be produced in Amyris platform with commercial interest for the company, (vi) standardize approaches for functional screening as well for quality control of the yeast structural composition and derived metabolites and in the future, develop (vii) new feedstocks sources for fermentation processes and (viii) improve by-products purification efficiency and sustainability. Hence, the collaboration between Amyris and ESB is supported by 6 platforms. The first platform - Yeast Metabolic, the construction at ESB of a Yeast Metabolic (structural and metabolites) platform is proposed. It includes the study of new antimicrobial compounds for control of bacterial contaminations during fermentations and the evaluation of new supplements incorporation for extension of the time of fermentation. These approaches will result in higher biomass production and consequently higher molecules production yields. A deep study of the yeast cells integrity during the fermentation process will also help to understand the changes that occur on yeast during fermentations that can be negative to the time of life of this microorganism. The second platform - Valorization, includes the physicochemical characterization of the identified processing effluents and biomass that will be provided by Amyris and identification of valuable recycling compounds. The design of green and nonconventional extraction methods is currently a hot research topic. Compounds with added value for production by Amyris will be also selected, characterized and their production process optimized. The third platform - Separation and Purification, includes the optimization of methods to recover the molecules that are lost in effluents and biomass, in order to increase the productivity and yields obtained of the molecules produced. The fourth platform - Molecules characterization, encompasses the use of the bioactivity and functionality existent at ESB, in the characterization of the Amyris molecules, with a first characterization of the most important molecules produced by the company, viz. Farnesene, Sclareoul and Patchouli. This characterization will enable Amyris to achieve other markets. In addition, the characterization of lignin properties, besides the existent ones. The fifth platform - Molecules Factory, based on scarcity of molecules in the market and its potential value, ESB hints the production of three compounds for Amyris and related functionally characterization. In future, after one-year collaboration, and based on ESB capacity, it is expected to support Amyris in a 6th line, the study of new feedstocks as sugar sources for the fermentation processes. Annexed to the proposal also follows a draft of the timeline that can be altered according the exploratory phase of each task.