Research Interests
We are using synthetic biology tools to create novel genetic engineering strategies for producing value-added products, especially single-cell oils, in various yeasts (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Yarrowia lipolytica, and Rhodosporidium toruloides). Single-cell oils possess the potential to meet specific market requirements in terms of composition and physicochemical properties. The production of single-cell oil aligns with sustainable and green biotechnology principles, offering potential solutions for nutritional and energy needs. Understanding the homeostasis of neutral lipid metabolism is crucial for the accumulation of single-cell oil stored in lipid droplets. Therefore, this aspect is also within the scope of our research interest. Additionally, we are actively exploring new defense mechanisms which protect yeast cells from the toxicity of accumulated value-added lipids. Given the direct correlation between lipotoxicity in humans and the pathological consequences of intracellular lipid accumulation, these findings hold promise for potential biomedical applications.
We are also collaborating with other domestic and foreign laboratories. Please refer to our publications for more information.
People
Mgr. Roman Holič, PhD. – head of the group
Mgr. Martina Garaiová, PhD.
Mgr. Daniela Krajčiová – PhD. student
Selected publications
URBANÍKOVÁ, Veronika – PARK, Young-Kyoung – KRAJČIOVÁ, Daniela – TACHEKORT, Mehdi – ČERTÍK, Milan – GRIGORAS, Ioana – HOLIČ, Roman – NICAUD, J.M. – GAJDOŠ, Peter. Yarrowia lipolytica as a Platform for Punicic Acid Production. In International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023, vol. 24, no. 10, art. no. 8823.
GARAIOVÁ, Martina – HUA, Qiang – HOLIČ, Roman. Heterologous Production of Calendic Acid Naturally Found in Calendula officinalis by Recombinant Fission Yeast. In Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2023, vol. 71, no. 8, p. 3842-3851.
HOLIČ, Roman – ŠŤASTNÝ, Dominik – GRIAČ, Peter. Sec14 family of lipid transfer proteins in yeasts. In Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 2021, vol. 1866, no. 10, art. no. 158990.
WANG, Juli – XU, Yang – HOLIČ, Roman – YU, Xiaochen – SINGER, Stacy D. – CHEN, Guanqun. Improving the Production of Punicic Acid in Baker’s Yeast by Engineering Genes in Acyl Channeling Processes and Adjusting Precursor Supply. In Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2021, vol. 69, no. 33, p. 9616-9624.
HAPALA, Ivan – GRIAČ, Peter – HOLIČ, Roman. Metabolism of Storage Lipids and the Role of Lipid Droplets in the Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In Lipids, 2020, vol. 55, iss. 5, p. 513-535.
HOLIČ, Roman – POKORNÁ, Lucia – GRIAČ, Peter. Metabolism of phospholipids in the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In Yeast, 2020, vol. 37, iss. 1, p. 73-92.
XU, Yang – CALDO, Kristian Mark P. – HOLIČ, Roman – MIETKIEWSKA, Elzbieta – OZGA, Jocelyn – RIZVI, Syed Masood – CHEN, Guanqun – WESELAKE, Randall J.. Engineering Arabidopsis long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 9 variants with enhanced enzyme activity. In Biochemical Journal, 2019, vol. 476, no. 1, p. 151-164.
HOLIČ, Roman – XU, Yang – CALDO, Kristian Mark P. – SINGER, Stacy D. – FIELD, Catherine J. – WESELAKE, Randall J. – CHEN, Guanqun. Bioactivity and biotechnological production of punicic acid. In Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2018, vol. 102, iss. 8, p. 3537-3549.
XU, Yang – HOLIČ, Roman – LI, Darren – PAN, Xue – MIETKIEWSKA, Elzbieta – CHEN, Guanqun – OZGA, Jocelyn – WESELAKE, Randall J.. Substrate preferences of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase contribute to enrichment of flax seed oil with alpha-linolenic acid. In Biochemical Journal, 2018, vol. 475, p. 1473-1489.
GARAIOVÁ, Martina – MIETKIEWSKA, Elzbieta – WESELAKE, Randall J. – HOLIČ, Roman. Metabolic engineering of Schizosaccharomyces pombe to produce punicic acid, a conjugated fatty acid with nutraceutic properties. In Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2017, vol. 101, no. 21, pp. 7913-7922.
VALACHOVIČ, Martin – GARAIOVÁ, Martina – HOLIČ, Roman – HAPALA, Ivan. Squalene is lipotoxic to yeast cells defective in lipid droplet biogenesis. In Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 2016, vol. 469, p. 1123-8.
SEČ, Peter – GARAIOVÁ, Martina – GAJDOŠ, Peter – ČERTÍK, Milan – GRIAČ, Peter – HAPALA, Ivan – HOLIČ, Roman. Baker’s Yeast Deficient in Storage Lipid Synthesis Uses cis-Vaccenic Acid to Reduce Unsaturated Fatty Acid Toxicity. In Lipids, 2015, vol. 50, no. 7, p. 621-630.