Development of yeast strains for the efficient utilisation of starch: evaluation of constructs that express alpha-amylase and glucoamylase separately or as bifunctional fusion proteins.

Eight constructions involving the Bacillus subtilis alpha-amylase gene (amyE), a mouse pancreatic alpha-amylase cDNA (AMY2) and an Aspergillus awamori glucoamylase cDNA (glaA) were prepared: three fusion genes, involving one alpha-amylase and the glucoamylase, two double-cassette plasmids (expressing one or other alpha-amylase and the glucoamylase) and three single-cassette plasmids, expressing the individual coding sequences. Following transformation of each plasmid into Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a plate test revealed that the largest starch hydrolysis halo was produced by the strain bearing the B. subtilis alpha-amylase/glucoamylase fusion (BsAAase/GAase), and the smallest halo by the one expressing the mouse pancreatic alpha-amylase/glucoamylase fusion (MAAase/GAase). When assayed for enzymatic activity in liquid medium, the strains bearing the fusion and the double-cassette plasmids involving B. subtilis alpha-amylase and the glucoamylase exhibited both enzymic activities. Moreover, the BsAAase/GAase hybrid was able to adsorb and digest raw starch. The MAAse/GAase fusion protein was found to exhibit only alpha-amylase activity. Finally, the capacity to grow on soluble and corn starch was tested in liquid medium for the strains bearing plasmids coding for the fusion proteins and the separate enzymes. The strain carrying the double-cassette BsAAase + GAase, which produced one of the smallest hydrolysis haloes in the place test, showed the best performance, not only in digesting soluble and corn starch but also in using all of the hydrolysis products for growth. The transformant bearing the BsAAase/GAase fusion was able to grow on soluble starch, but not on corn starch.