French biotech company Meiogenix has entered into an agreement with Lesaffre to develop improved industrial yeast strains using Meiogenix’s recombination technologies.
Meiogenix's PhoeniX technology helps in controlling the process of natural meiotic recombination and efficient production of non-GM recombined yeast cells particularly for industrial strains where meiosis is impeded.
Under the partnership, Meiogenix will use its non-GM technology to identify novel yeast strains with improved industrial properties, which will be industrialized by Lesaffre later.
Meiogenix co-founder and CEO Giacomo Bastianelli said: "In the last few years we have carried out several R&D projects in yeast and we are glad to put into play the expertise and technologies we have developed.
"We believe that PhoeniX, a proprietary non-GM technology, can have a major impact in the yeast industry, especially for food applications where mainstream genetic engineering technologies are not yet an accepted option."
According to estimates, global demand for industrial yeast is estimated to touch $3.6bn by 2018, growing at a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 8.8%.
While recent improvements in genetic engineering techniques is expected to have a significant impact on the development of novel yeast strains, severe concerns about genetically modified organisms still remains as a key obstacle in their development and commercialization.
The company said research activities will focus on developing new screening methods and technologies for the isolation of natural recombinants with the desired properties.
Lesaffre R&D biotech center director Didier Colavizza said: "Innovation has always been at the heart of Lesaffre's development. Research and Development is one of Lesaffre's key drivers for success.
"Being the brainchild of Dr. Alain Nicolas, a scientist at the Institut Curie, Meiogenix's innovative technology represents for us an opportunity to generate diversity in yeast. As an alternative to mutagenesis, this technique can improve yeasts and be applied in many fields from baking yeast to biofuels."
In April, Meiogenix announced a licensing agreement with Bayer's Crop Science division to apply its SpiX technology in crops.
SpiX is a plant breeding technology developed by Meiogenix that increases the genetic diversity of plant germplasm by redirecting the natural and conserved process of meiotic recombination, or an exchange of genetic material that takes place during the formation of gametes.
