Work

Production of Recombinant Hemoglobin in Tremella fuciformis Yeast-like Cells Through Selection of Hemoglobins and Secretion Elements

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Hemoglobins have attracted increasing interest for their potential applications in alternative protein foods and food biotechnology, but the use of fungal yeast-like cells for recombinant hemoglobin production remains underexplored. In this study, Tremella fuciformis yeast-like cells (YLCs) were evaluated as a potential host system by screening candidate hemoglobins and secretion elements. Clover hemoglobin from Trifolium subterraneum (CHb), Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb), and Vigna unguiculata leghemoglobin 2 (Lb2) were heterologously expressed in T. fuciformis YLCs. The estimated yields of CHb, VHb, and Lb2 were 32.00, 19.03, and 23.51 mg/L, respectively, with CHb showing the highest observed yield among the three tested hemoglobins. CHb was then used to evaluate the CysR signal peptide, α-mating factor prepro leader (Amf), and glucoamylase signal peptide (Gla). All three elements mediated CHb secretion, with Amf producing the highest extracellular CHb yield of 106.43 mg/L and total CHb production of 133.02 mg/L, approximately 4.16 times that of CHb without a secretion element. CysR and Gla produced extracellular CHb yields of 72.54 and 49.50 mg/L, respectively. These results identify CHb and Amf as a promising expression combination in T. fuciformis YLCs, but direct characterization of heme incorporation and functional properties is required before food applications can be evaluated.

Source: Foods

DOI: 10.3390/foods15173026

Authors: Xiaoying Huang, Mei Hao, Yuxin Gou, Rui Li, Xuetuan Wei, Aimin Ma

Institution: Huazhong Agricultural University

Language: English

Topic: Fungal and yeast genetics research

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,499