The objective of this proposal is to understand how biomass-derived carbon is converted into lipids and terpenoids in the oleaginous and carotenogenic yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides. We will carry out a detailed systems biology-level study of wild type and mutant strains using a combination of multi-omic technologies and high resolution microscopy methods. Our goal is to integrate data from multiple experimental approaches to create a comprehensive understanding of biomass-derived carbon conversion into lipids and terpenoids and determine how carbon flux is regulated at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. This project will provide a critical knowledgebase that will enable the development of R. toruloides into a novel metabolic engineering platform organism for the co-conversion of biomass-derived polysaccharide and lignin degradation products into biofuels and bioproducts.
Proposer: Jeffrey Skerker, UC Berkeley