S48: Better, stronger, faster: Synthetic biology approaches for optimizing isoprenoid production by S. cerevisiae

To provide stable, low-cost, environmentally sustainable supplies of many chemicals needed for an expanding worldwide middle-class population, we need to develop new bio-based sources of hydrocarbons and related molecules. At Amyris, we engineer microbial factories and manufacture isoprenoid products via fermentation and downstream chemistry. The isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway is used by all classes of living organisms for creation of over 30,000 known compounds, including molecules that are currently or might soon be used for biofuels, flavors, fragrances, steroids, sterols, emollients, coloring agents, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and monomers for polymer production. Synthetic biology approaches at Amyris have accelerated creation and improvement of S. cerevisiae strains that make high levels of isoprenoids. This presentation will describe our Automated Strain Engineering technology and its application for combinatorial exploration of thousands of complex genotypes to continuously improve isoprenoid-producing strains over the past few years.