Data underlying the manuscript: “Modular, synthetic chromosomes as new tools for large scale engineering of metabolism”

These data related to the manuscript Modular, synthetic chromosomes as new tools for large scale engineering of metabolism” included as chapter 4 of Else-Jasmijn Hassing's PhD thesis entitled “Metabolic
engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the production of aromatic
compounds”.

The construction of powerful cell
factories requires intensive genetic engineering for the addition of new
functionalities and the remodeling of native pathways and processes. The
present study, using Saccharomyces
cerevisiae, explores the potential of modular, specialized de novo-assembled neochromosomes (named
NeoChrs) to facilitate extensive genome reprogramming. Linear and circular
NeoChrs carrying 20 native and 21 heterologous genes were designed and
constructed by in vivo assembly in
yeast in two transformation steps, leading to de novo production of anthocyanins, native to plants. Turned into
exclusive expression platforms for heterologous and essential metabolic routes,
the NeoChrs behaved like native chromosomes regarding mitotic and genetic
stability, copy number, harmlessness for the host and editability by
CRISPR-Cas. This study paves the way for future microbial cell factories with modular genomes in which core
metabolic networks, localized on satellite, specialized NeoChrs can be swapped
for alternative configurations and serve as landing pads for addition of
functionalities.