Research Progress in the Production, Application and Regulatory Mechanisms of Yeast Proteins

With global population growth and increasing environmental pressures on traditional protein sources, yeast proteins have attracted much attention as a sustainable alternative. Yeast proteins are not only nutritionally valuable and environmentally friendly, but also show broad application prospects in the food, feed and biopharmaceutical fields. The production process covers key technologies such as fermentation, cell disruption, and protein extraction and purification, and the yield and quality of yeast proteins can be significantly improved by optimizing fermentation conditions and the extraction process. Different yeast species, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida spp., Yarrowia lipolytica and Kluyveromyces marxianus, exhibit different protein yields and qualities on a variety of substrates, providing multiple options for industrial production. In addition, the regulation of yeast protein synthesis involves multiple levels, including gene transcription, translation regulation, and nitrogen metabolism. Systems biotechnology plays an important role in identifying key synthetic genes and regulatory elements. This review summarizes recent advances in the production and application of proteins from different yeasts, as well as the regulatory mechanisms underlying yeast protein synthesis. It also gives an outlook on the important role of yeast proteins in future sustainable development. This review provides a comprehensive theoretical basis for further research and industrial application of yeast proteins.