Complete genome sequence and analysis of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain used for sugarcane spirit production

The Spirit of Cachaça Production: An Umbrella Review of Processes, Flavour, Contaminants and Quality Improvement

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the production, classification, and quality control of cachaça, a traditional Brazilian sugarcane spirit with significant cultural importance. It explores the fermentation and distillation of sugarcane juice, the ageing process in wooden containers, and the regulatory aspects of cachaça labelling. It emphasises the role of quality control in maintaining the spirit's integrity, focusing on monitoring copper levels in distillation stills. Ethyl carbamate (EC), a potential carcinogen found in cachaça, is investigated, with the study illuminating factors influencing its formation and prevalence and the importance of its vigilant monitoring for ensuring safety and quality. It also underscores the control of multiple parameters in producing high-quality cachaça, including raw material selection, yeast strains, acidity, and contaminants. Further, the impact of ageing, wood cask type, and yeast strains on cachaça quality is examined, along with potential uses of vinasse, a cachaça by-product, in yeast cell biomass production and fertigation. A deeper understanding of the (bio)chemical and microbiological reactions involved in cachaça production is essential to facilitate quality control and standardisation of sensory descriptors, promoting global acceptance of cachaça. Continued research will address safety concerns, improve quality, and support the long-term sustainability and success of the cachaça industry.

Innovative beverage creation through symbiotic microbial communities inspired by traditional fermented beverages: current status, challenges and future directions

Fermented beverages (FBs) are facing challenges in functional performance and flavor complexity, necessitating the development of new multi-functional options. Traditional fermented beverages (TFBs), both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, have gained increased attention for their health-promoting effects during the COVID-19 pandemic. This review summarized the primary commercially available probiotics of FBs, along with the limitations of single and mixed probiotic FBs. It also examined the recent research progress on TFBs, emphasizing the typical microbial communities (MC) of TFBs, and TFBs made from crops (grains, vegetables, fruits, etc.) worldwide and their associated functions and health benefits. Furthermore, the construction, technical bottlenecks of the synthetic MC involved in developing innovative FBs were presented, and the promising perspective of FBs was described. Drawing inspiration from the MC of TFBs, developing of stable and multifunctional FBs using synthetic MC holds great promise for beverage industry. However, synthetic MC suffers from structural instability and poorly acknowledged interaction mechanisms, resulting in disappointing results in FBs. Future researches should prioritize creating synthetic MC fermentation that closely resemble natural fermentation, tailored to meet the needs of different consumers. Creating personalized FBs with high-tech intelligence is vital in attracting potential consumers and developing novel beverages for the future.

Transcriptional Response of Multi-Stress-Tolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Sequential Stresses

During the fermentation process, yeast cells face different stresses, and their survival and fermentation efficiency depend on their adaptation to these challenging conditions. Yeast cells must tolerate not only a single stress but also multiple simultaneous and sequential stresses. However, the adaptation and cellular response when cells are sequentially stressed are not completely understood. To explore this, we exposed a multi-stress-tolerant strain (BT0510) to different consecutive stresses to globally explore a common response, focusing on the genes induced in both stresses. Gene Ontology, pathway analyses, and common transcription factor motifs identified many processes linked to this common response. A metabolic shift to the pentose phosphate pathway, peroxisome activity, and the oxidative stress response were some of the processes found. The SYM1, STF2, and HSP genes and the transcription factors Adr1 and Usv1 may play a role in this response. This study presents a global view of the transcriptome of a multi-resistance yeast and provides new insights into the response to sequential stresses. The identified response genes can indicate future directions for the genetic engineering of yeast strains, which could improve many fermentation processes, such as those used for bioethanol production and beverages.

Yeast as carrier for drug delivery and vaccine construction

Yeast has been employed as an effective derived drug carrier as a unicellular microorganism. Many research works have been devoted to the encapsulation of nucleic acid compounds, insoluble small molecule drugs, small molecules, liposomes, polymers, and various nanoparticles in yeast for the treatment of disease. Recombinant yeast-based vaccine carriers (WYV) have played a major role in the development of vaccines. Herein, the latest reports on the application of yeast carriers and the development of related research are summarized, a conceptual description of gastrointestinal absorption of yeast carriers, as well as the various package forms of different drug molecules and nanoparticles in yeast carriers are introduced. In addition, the advantages and development of recombinant yeast vaccine carriers for the disease, veterinary and aquaculture applications are discussed. Moreover, the current challenges and future directions of yeast carriers are proposed.