EXPERTISE: Improved lactose utilisation as a footprint of domestication in the K. marxianus B0399 “fragilis” lineage

Scientific expertise: "THE SCIENCE UNDERLYING TRADITIONAL HUMAN ACTIVITY FOR INDUSTRY EXPLOITATION OF KLUYVEROMYCES MARXIANUS – improved lactose utilisation as a footprint of domestication in the K. marxianus B0399 “fragilis” lineage

by prof. John Morrissey
Professor in Microbiology, University College Cork, Ireland
Member of the International Commission for Yeasts (ICY)
Editor in Chief, FEMS Yeast Research

Kluyveromyces marxianus is a diary yeast, frequently isolated from dairy sources, such as ancient, fermented milk drinks (e.g kefir), yoghurt, French and Italian cheeses. It gained a particular scientific and industrial interest in the last two decades, mainly for some of its traits such as thermotolerance, the great capacity to assimilate a wide range of sugars (lactose in particular), secretion of lytic enzymes (inulinase in particular) etc.

Scientist have recently revealed that Human activity and traditional fermentations taking place over thousands of years, such as those of ancient farmers using fermented goat and sheep milk to make tasty and beneficial beverages like kefir, have shaped the evolution of the K. marxianus yeast in the direction of what’s very useful for us now, in biotechnology, food and health industry.

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