Tailor-made production of mannosylerythritol lipids: From genetic modification to chemical synthesis

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are glycolipid biosurfactants produced by basidiomycetous yeasts. Mannosylerythritol lipids have received increasing attention because they not only have excellent interfacial activity but also have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity, and against cancer cell line, repair damaged skin, as carriers for drug delivery, and to interact with proteins. These properties are dependent on their structures; therefore, the tailored production of targeted MELs is required to obtain the desired properties. Over the past two decades, the genomes of MEL producers have been analyzed, revealing the MELs synthesis pathway and related genes. Using this information, it has become possible to tailor-produce MELs by modifying the synthesis pathway. Furthermore, in recent years, novel chemical synthesis methods for MELs have been developed, enabling precise control over the fatty acid chain lengths of chemically synthesized MELs. This review compiles examples of the tailored production of MELs using methods ranging from the genetic modification of MELs producers to chemical synthesis methods.