Pichia pastoris as a biological platform to produce recombinant proteins: relevance for development of biotechnological products in Colombia

The world market for compounds produced by biotechnological means is growing due to the search and implementation of cellular systems that allow the mass production of complex molecules with a specific biological activity. These range from drugs, to enzymes and proteins for diverse uses, such as academic research and the development of industrial processes. Pichia pastoris is a methylotrophic yeast that has been studied in recent decades for the expression and generation of recombinant proteins, because it has features that make it especially efficient, not only to host external DNA, but also to express it and, thus, produce a wide variety of molecules. In this study, the most important aspects related to the production of recombinant proteins are examined, by using P. pastoris as a model, from the most common expression strategy, to the aspects related to the cultivation at bioreactor scale and, by yielding high-value products. Some papers conducted, in Colombia, are also reviewed, as well as their approach and the current state of the expression system in the country's biotechnology and its barriers, by concluding that studies with P. pastoris are scarce and are mainly developed around a few academic centers.