Leaf Energy, Texas A&M partner to develop high-oil yeast as biofuel feedstock

In Texas, Australia’s Leaf Energy has signed a worldwide exclusive license agreement with Texas A & M University to develop the marine yeast Debaryomyces hansenii as a production platform for high value biofuels and proteins using its proprietary technology, INPACT, has been developed for the purpose of increasing the expression and yield of novel proteins, enzymes and other molecules of commercial interest in desirable plants.

Debaryomyces hansenii (DH) is a salt tolerant, high oil producing marine yeast that has been shown to produce up to 50% of its bodyweight as oil.