Prospects for the Development of Biotechnologies for Isocitric Acid Production Based on Genetically Engineered Strains of Yarrowia lipolytica: A Mini-Review

Isocitric acid (ICA) is an isomer of citric acid (CA), which is widely used in the food industry, household chemicals, and other fields. ICA is a constituent in some fruit juices and differs from CA due to a number of valuable properties, particularly those related to its high antioxidant activity. ICA is used in sports nutrition to enhance blood oxygenation and is promising for use in medical preparations, particularly for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia and preventing vascular thrombosis. The limited scale of ICA use is largely determined by its high production cost. Previously known biotechnological methods of its production, based on Yarrowia lipolytica yeast platforms using glycerol or ethanol as carbon sources, allowed to obtain ICA mixed with CA. Recent results on the study of genetic control over mitochondrial transport of ICA in Y. lipolytica cells and the development of efficient genetic engineering methodologies for this yeast open up opportunities for a significant reduction in the cost and expansion of the scale of biotechnological production of this acid using as a raw material glucose molasses obtained by deep processing of grain. This could significantly reduce the cost of IСA and expand the scope and scale of its use.