Yeasts for the Synthesis of Lipid Compounds

Lipids are widely used in the fields of food, feed, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. We employ baker`s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to develop production strains that produce lipids in commercial quantities. Our activity concerning the biotechnological production of the triterpene squalene, which is required in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and chemical industry, is just one example for Metabolic Engineering in this area. Our biotechnological route to squalene allows a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative production of this valuable natural resource. The fermentative production process is much more reliable and of higher quality than the production of squalene from shark liver or olive pits.