# Assessment of Recombinant β-Propeller Phytase of the Bacillus Species Expressed Intracellularly in Yarrowia lipolityca

## TL;DR

This paper explores the intracellular production of a specific phytase enzyme in yeast cells to improve its stability and suitability for animal feed supplements.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the potential of Yarrowia lipolytica for intracellular production of a heat-stable phytase enzyme, addressing challenges in its aggregation and application.

## Key findings

- PhyD phytase from Bacillus species aggregates when expressed intracellularly in Yarrowia lipolytica.
- Encapsulation in yeast cells enhances thermal stability and compatibility with spray drying technology.
- Yarrowia lipolytica is identified as a promising platform for producing high-activity encapsulated phytase.

## Abstract

Phytases of the PhyD class according to their pH optimum (7.0–7.8) and high thermal stability can claim to be used in the production of feed supplements. However, today they have no practical application in feed production because there are no suitable producers sufficient for its biotechnological production compared to the PhyA and PhyC class ones. Moreover, in most cases, the technologies with the enzymes produced in secretory form are preferable for the production of phytases, though upon microencapsulation in yeast-producing cells, the phytase thermal stability increases significantly compared to the extracellular form, which improves its compatibility with spray drying technology. In this study, we assayed the intracellular heterologous expression of PhyD phytase from Bacillus species in the Yarrowia lipolytica yeast cells. While the technology has been successfully used to synthesize PhyC phytase from Obesumbacterium proteus, PhyD phytase tends to aggregate upon intracellular accumulation. Furthermore, we evaluated the prospects for the production of encapsulated phytase of the PhyD class of high enzymatic activity when it accumulates in the cell cytoplasm of the Y. lipolytica extremophile yeast, a highly effective platform for the production of recombinant proteins.