Ethanol production from mannitol using yeast

1. A method for producing ethanol using mannitol as a starting material, the method comprising culturing a yeast strain capable of mannitol assimilation and ethanol production from mannitol in a medium comprising mannitol, wherein the yeast strain is selected from the group consisting of Saccharomyces paradoxus, Kuraishia capsulata, Ogataea glucozyma , and Ogataea minuta.

2. The method for producing ethanol from mannitol according to claim 1 , wherein the yeast strain capable of mannitol assimilation and ethanol production from mannitol comprises at least one property selected from the group consisting of:

(1) ethanol tolerance;

(2) viability in a residue remaining after ethanol is produced from brown algae as a starting material using microorganisms capable of alginic acid assimilation; and

(3) aggregability in the presence of glucose.

3. The method for producing ethanol from mannitol according to claim 1 , wherein the yeast strains strain capable of mannitol assimilation and ethanol production from mannitol is selected from the group consisting of Saccharomyces paradoxus NBRC 0259 Kuraishia capsulata NBRC 0721, Kuraishia capsulata NBRC 0974, Ogataea glucozyma NBRC 1472, and Ogataea minuta NBRC 1473.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the yeast strain capable of mannitol assimilation and ethanol production from mannitol is cultured such that 0.1% (w/v) or more ethanol accumulates in the medium.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the yeast strain capable of mannitol assimilation and ethanol production from mannitol is cultured such that 3% (w/v) or more ethanol accumulates in the medium.

6. A method for producing ethanol from mannitol as a starting material remaining after ethanol is produced from brown algae, the method comprising culturing, in the mannitol remaining after ethanol is produced from brown algae, a yeast strain selected from the group consisting of Saccharomyces paradoxus, Kuraishia capsulata, Ogataea glucozyma , and Ogataea minuta and wherein the yeast strain is capable of alginic acid assimilation and ethanol production from alginic acid.

7. The method for producing ethanol from mannitol as a starting material in the residue according to claim 6 , wherein the yeast strain capable of mannitol assimilation and ethanol production from mannitol has at least one property selected from the group consisting of:

(1 ) ethanol tolerance;

(2 ) viability in a residue remaining after ethanol is produced from brown algae as a starting material using microorganisms capable of alginic acid assimilation; and

(3) aggregability in the presence of glucose.

8. The method for producing ethanol from mannitol as a starting material in the residue according to claim 6 , wherein the yeast strain is Saccharomyces paradoxus.

9. The method for producing ethanol according to claim 6 , wherein the yeast strain is Saccharomyces paradoxus NBRC 0259.

10. A method for producing ethanol from brown algae as a starting material, the method comprising:

(i) culturing a microorganism capable of alginic acid assimilation and ethanol production from alginic acid using brown algae as a starting material to produce ethanol from alginic acid;

(ii) adding a yeast strain capable of mannitol assimilation and ethanol production from mannitol to a residue obtained in (i);

(iii) culturing the yeast strain to assimilate mannitol and produce additional ethanol.

11. The method for producing ethanol from brown algae as a starting material according to claim 10 , wherein the yeast strain capable of mannitol assimilation and ethanol production from mannitol has at least one property selected from the group consisting of:

(1) ethanol tolerance;

(2) viability in a residue remaining after ethanol is produced from brown algae as a starting material using microorganisms capable of alginic acid assimilation; and

(3) aggregability in the presence of glucose.

12. The method for producing ethanol from brown algae as a starting material according to claim 10 , wherein the yeast strain is a Saccharomyces paradoxus strain.

13. The method for producing ethanol from brown algae as a starting material according to claim 12 , wherein the yeast strain is Saccharomyces paradoxus NBRC 0259.