inverse correlation between stress resistance and stuck fermentations in wine yeasts. A molecular study

• Published in: Biotechnology and bioengineering Vol. 64; no. 6; pp. 698 - 708
• Main Authors: Ivorra, C, Perez-Ortin, J.E, Olmo, M. del
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 20-09-1999; Wiley
• Subjects: alcoholic fermentation; Alcohols; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest; Biotechnology; Correlation methods; Ethanol - pharmacology; Fermentation; Fermented food industries; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Genetic engineering; Glucose - metabolism; Heat-Shock Proteins - genetics; Heat-Shock Proteins - metabolism; Heat-Shock Response; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins - genetics; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins - metabolism; Mission oriented research; Molecular dynamics; Osmotic Pressure; Oxidative Stress; Physiology and metabolism; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; stress; Stress analysis; stress response; viability; Wine - microbiology; wine yeasts; winemaking; Wines and vinegars; yeasts; Yeasts - drug effects; Yeasts - physiology; Fungi; Alcoholic fermentation; Ascomycetes; Gene expression; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Viability; Wine yeast; Stress; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0006-3592; 1097-0290
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0290(19990920)64:6<698::AID-BIT9>3.0.CO;2-Z

During alcoholic fermentations yeast cells are subjected to several stress conditions and, therefore, yeasts have developed molecular mechanisms in order to resist this adverse situation. The mechanisms involved in stress response have been studied in Saccharomyces cerevisiae laboratory strains. However a better understanding of these mechanisms in wine yeasts could open the possibility to improve the fermentation process. In this work an analysis of the stress response in three wine yeasts has been carried out by studying the expression of several representative genes under several stress conditions which occur during fermentation. We propose a simplified method to study how these stress conditions affect the viability of yeast cells. Using this approach an inverse correlation between stress-resistance and stuck fermentations has been found. We also have preliminary data about the use of the HSP12 gene as a molecular marker for stress-resistance in wine yeasts.