Food Biotechnology Laboratory

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to uncover the molecular mechanisms that regulate lipid metabolism in Yarrowia lipolytica using genetic, biochemical, and multiomics approaches to advance our understanding of eukaryotic lipid regulation and its applications in biotechnology.
We are equally committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists, fostering curiosity, independence, and critical thinking through hands-on research training.

Research

Our lab investigates the regulation of lipid metabolism in the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, a model organism for studying how eukaryotic cells synthesize and store lipids. We are particularly interested in the molecular mechanisms that control lipid biosynthesis and energy storage.

We focus on two key enzymes — the ATP citrate lyase complex (Acl1/Acl2) and phosphatidate phosphatase (Pah1) — which play central roles in directing carbon flux toward lipid production. The Acl1/Acl2 complex generates cytosolic acetyl-CoA, the essential precursor for fatty acid and sterol synthesis, while Pah1 catalyzes the conversion of phosphatidate to diacylglycerol, a key branch point between phospholipid and triacylglycerol formation.

Using a combination of genetic, biochemical, and multiomic approaches, we examine how enzyme structure, expression, and metabolic context influence lipid biosynthetic pathways. Current projects include mutational analyses of conserved regions and functional studies of enzyme variants to uncover determinants of catalytic efficiency and pathway regulation.

Our long-term goal is to elucidate the fundamental principles that govern lipid homeostasis in eukaryotic cells and to apply these insights to biotechnological strategies for sustainable lipid production.

People

 

 

ORCID

Publications

View Stylianos Fakas' Google Scholar Profile

2025

FAKAS S, ODUNSI A: ATP Citrate Lyase in Lipid Metabolism: Comparative Insights Across Eukaryotes with Emphasis on Yarrowia lipolytica. Lipidology, 2025, 2:20. DOI:10.3390/lipidology2040020

2024

CARMON T., HILL N.T., SRIPATHI V.R., GOSSETT Z.B., FAKAS S.: The PAH1-encoded phosphatidate phosphatase of Yarrowia lipolytica differentially affects gene expression and lipid biosynthesis. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 2024, 1869:159544. DOI:10.1016/j.bbalip.2024.159544

2020

UKEY, R., CARMON, T., HARDMAN, D., HILL, N., FAKAS, S., The Yarrowia lipolytica PAH1 homolog contributes but is not required for triacylglycerol biosynthesis during growth on glucose. Yeast, 2020, 37: 93–102. DOI: 10.1002/yea.3447

2018

HARDMAN, D., UKEY, R., FAKAS, S., Phosphatidate phosphatase activity is induced during lipogenesis in the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Yeast, 2018, 35: 619-625. DOI:10.1002/yea.3353

2017

HARDMAN, D., MCFALLS, D., FAKAS, S., Characterization of phosphatidic acid phosphatase activity in the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica and its role in lipid biosynthesis. Yeast, 2017, 34: 83-91. DOI: 10.1002/yea.3216

FAKAS, S., Lipid biosynthesis in yeasts: A comparison of the lipid biosynthetic pathway between the model non‐oleaginous yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the model oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Engineering in Life Sciences, 2017, 17: 292–302. DOI: 10.1002/elsc.201600040

2016

HARDMAN, D., FAKAS, S., Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids as Dietary Supplements: Biological Activities and Sources. International Journal of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics, 2016, 2:113.  DOI:10.15344/2456-8171/2016/113

2013

SEMBONGI, H., MIRANDA, H., HAN, G.-S., FAKAS, S., GRIMSEY, N., VENDRELL, J., CARMAN, G. M., SINIOSSOGLOU, S., Distinct roles of the phosphatidate phosphatases lipin 1 and 2 during adipogenesis and lipid droplet biogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2013, 288: 34502-34513. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M113.488445

QIU, Y., FAKAS, S., HAN, G.-S., BARBOSA, A. D., SINIOSSOGLOU, S., CARMAN, G. M., Transcription factor Reb1p regulates DGK1-encoded diacylglycerol kinase and lipid metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2013, 288:29124-29133.  DOI:10.1074/jbc.M113.507392

2012

SOTO-CARDALDA, A., FAKAS, S., PASCUAL, F., CHOI, H-S., CARMAN, G.M., Phosphatidate phosphatase plays role in zinc-mediated regulation of phospholipid synthesis in yeast. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2012, 287:968-977. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M111.313130