Kluyveromyces lactis: An emerging tool in biotechnology

Kluyveromyces lactis has emerged as one of the most important yeast species for research and industrial biotechnology. This Crabtree-negative species is suitable for the production of metabolites and heterologous proteins, and its ability to achieve high levels of protein secretion makes it an attractive alternative for industrial protein production. Since 1991, almost 100 recombinant proteins have been expressed in K. lactis, 20% of which have been produced in the last 2 years. This review provides an overview of the genetic modifications used to accomplish heterologous gene expression in K. lactis, as well as fermentation techniques, and recent examples of industrial proteins produced in this species.