Histidine modified Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles improving the ethanol yield and tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the primary microorganism involved in ethanol production, is hindered by the accumulation of ethanol, leading to reduced ethanol production. In this study, we employed histidine-modified Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (His-Fe₃O₄) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, as a method to enhance ethanol yield during the S. cerevisiae fermentation process. The results demonstrated that exposing S. cerevisiae cells to Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) led to increased cell proliferation and glucose consumption. Moreover, the introduction of His-Fe₃O₄ significantly boosted ethanol content by 17.3% (p < 0.05) during fermentation. Subsequent findings indicated that the increase in ethanol content was associated with enhanced ethanol tolerance and improved electron transport efficiency. This study provided evidence for the positive effects of His-Fe₃O₄ on S. cerevisiae cells and proposed a straightforward approach to enhance ethanol production in S. cerevisiae fermentation. The mediation of improved ethanol tolerance offers significant potential in the fermentation and bioenergy sectors.