The impact of hybrid yeasts on the aroma profile of cool climate Riesling wines

The genome sequence of the Champagne Epernay Geisenheim wine yeast reveals its hybrid nature

Lager yeasts are hybrids between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. eubayanus. Wine yeast biodiversity, however, has only recently been discovered to include besides pure S. cerevisiae strains also hybrids between different Saccharomyces yeasts as well as introgressions from non-Saccharomyces species. Here, we analysed the genome of the Champagne Epernay Geisenheim (CEG) wine yeast. This yeast is an allotetraploid (4n - 1) hybrid of S. cerevisiae harbouring a substantially reduced S. kudriavzevii genome contributing only 1/3 of a full genome equivalent. We identified a novel oligopeptide transporter gene, FOT4, in CEG located on chromosome XVI. FOT genes were originally derived from Torulaspora microellipsoides and FOT4 arose by non-allelic recombination between adjacent FOT1 and FOT2 genes. Fermentations of CEG in Riesling and Müller-Thurgau musts were compared with the S. cerevisiae Geisenheim wine yeast GHM, which does not carry FOT genes. At low temperature (10°C), CEG completed fermentations faster and produced increased levels of higher alcohols (e.g. isoamyl alcohol). At higher temperature (18°C), CEG produced higher amounts of the pineapple-like alkyl esters i-butyric and propionic acid ethyl esters compared to GHM. The hybrid nature of CEG thus provides advantages in grape must fermentations over S. cerevisiae wine yeasts, especially with regard to aroma production.

Effects of Simultaneous Co-Fermentation of Five Indigenous Non-Saccharomyces Strains with S. cerevisiae on Vidal Icewine Aroma Quality

In this study, Vidal grape must was fermented using commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae F33 in pure culture as a control and in mixed culture with five indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeast strains (Hanseniaspora uvarum QTX22, Saccharomycopsis crataegensis YC30, Pichia kluyveri HSP14, Metschnikowia pulcherrima YC12, and Rhodosporidiobolus lusitaniae QTX15) through simultaneous fermentation in a 1:1 ratio. Simultaneous fermentation inhibited the growth of S. cerevisiae F33 and delayed the time to reach the maximum biomass. Compared with pure fermentation, the contents of polyphenols, acetic esters, ethyl esters, other esters, and terpenes were increased by R. lusitaniae QTX15, S. crataegensis YC30, and P. kluyveri HSP14 through simultaneous fermentation. S. crataegensis YC30 produced the highest total aroma activity and the most abundant aroma substances of all the wine samples. The odor activity values of 1 C13-norisoprenoid, 3 terpenes, 6 acetic esters, and 10 ethyl esters improved significantly, and three lactones (δ-decalactone, γ-nonalactone, and γ-decalactone) related to coconut and creamy flavor were only found in this wine. Moreover, this sample showed obvious “floral” and “fruity” note odor due to having the highest amount of ethyl ester aromatic substances and cinnamene, linalool, citronellol, β-damascenone, isoamyl ethanoate, benzylcarbinyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, etc. We suggest that simultaneous fermentation of S. crataegensis YC30 with S. cerevisiae might represent a novel strategy for the future production of Vidal icewine.

Hybridization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sourdough Strains with Cryotolerant Saccharomyces bayanus NBRC1948 as a Strategy to Increase Diversity of Strains Available for Lager Beer Fermentation

The search for novel brewing strains from non-brewing environments represents an emerging trend to increase genetic and phenotypic diversities in brewing yeast culture collections. Another valuable tool is hybridization, where beneficial traits of individual strains are combined in a single organism. This has been used successfully to create de novo hybrids from parental brewing strains by mimicking natural Saccharomycescerevisiae ale × Saccharomyceseubayanus lager yeast hybrids. Here, we integrated both these approaches to create synthetic hybrids for lager fermentation using parental strains from niches other than beer. Using a phenotype-centered strategy, S. cerevisiae sourdough strains and the S. eubayanus × Saccharomyces uvarum strain NBRC1948 (also referred to as Saccharomyces bayanus) were chosen for their brewing aptitudes. We demonstrated that, in contrast to S. cerevisiae × S. uvarum crosses, hybridization yield was positively affected by time of exposure to starvation, but not by staggered mating. In laboratory-scale fermentation trials at 20 °C, one triple S. cerevisiae × S. eubayanus × S. uvarum hybrid showed a heterotic phenotype compared with the parents. In 2 L wort fermentation trials at 12 °C, this hybrid inherited the ability to consume efficiently maltotriose from NBRC1948 and, like the sourdough S. cerevisiae parent, produced appreciable levels of the positive aroma compounds 3-methylbutyl acetate (banana/pear), ethyl acetate (general fruit aroma) and ethyl hexanoate (green apple, aniseed, and cherry aroma). Based on these evidences, the phenotype-centered approach appears promising for designing de novo lager beer hybrids and may help to diversify aroma profiles in lager beer.

History and Domestication of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Bread Baking

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been instrumental in the fermentation of foods and beverages for millennia. In addition to fermentations like wine, beer, cider, sake, and bread, S. cerevisiae has been isolated from environments ranging from soil and trees, to human clinical isolates. Each of these environments has unique selection pressures that S. cerevisiae must adapt to. Bread dough, for example, requires S. cerevisiae to efficiently utilize the complex sugar maltose; tolerate osmotic stress due to the semi-solid state of dough, high salt, and high sugar content of some doughs; withstand various processing conditions, including freezing and drying; and produce desirable aromas and flavors. In this review, we explore the history of bread that gave rise to modern commercial baking yeast, and the genetic and genomic changes that accompanied this. We illustrate the genetic and phenotypic variation that has been documented in baking strains and wild strains, and how this variation might be used for baking strain improvement. While we continue to improve our understanding of how baking strains have adapted to bread dough, we conclude by highlighting some of the remaining open questions in the field.

The Impact of Chitosan on the Chemical Composition of Wines Fermented with Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

This study investigates the influence of the antimicrobial agent chitosan on a selected Schizosaccharomyces pombe strain during the alcoholic fermentation of ultra-pasteurized grape juice with a high concentration of malic acid. It also studies a selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain as a control. The study examines several parameters relating to wine quality, including volatile and non-volatile compounds. The principal aim of the study is to test the influence of chitosan on the final chemical composition of the wine during alcoholic fermentation, and to compare the two studied fermentative yeasts between them. The results show that chitosan influences the final concentration of acetic acid, ethanol, glycerol, acetaldehyde, pyruvic acid, α-ketoglutarate, higher alcohols, acetate esters, ethyl esters, and fatty acids, depending on the yeast species.

Assessing the Oenological Potential of Nakazawaea ishiwadae, Candida railenensis and Debaryomyces hansenii Strains in Mixed-Culture Grape Must Fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Recently, there has been a growing interest in the role of non-Saccharomyces yeast (NSY) as a coculturing partner with Saccharomyces cerevisiae during grape must fermentation. We investigated three new strains, namely Nakazawaea ishiwadae, Candida railenensis and Debaryomyces hansenii, for their oenological potential in mixed-culture micro-vinifications with S. cerevisiae Vin13 using Muscaris grape must. None of the NSY strains impeded the fermentation performance as all the mixed-culture experiments finished at the same time. Coculturing with N. ishiwadae yielded significantly higher concentrations of ethyl and acetate esters in the final wine product. Apart from higher acetic acid levels, wines produced with C. railenensis and D. hansenii yielded much lower esters concentrations. The concentrations of certain terpenes and norisoprenoids were also significantly modulated in the mixed-culture fermentations. This study reveals the rarely reported species of N. ishiwadae as a promising coculturing partner for increasing aroma-active compounds in a wine.

Yeast-Yeast Interactions: Mechanisms, Methodologies and Impact on Composition

During the winemaking process, alcoholic fermentation is carried out by a consortium of yeasts in which interactions occurs. The consequences of these interactions on the wine matrix have been widely described for several years with the aim of controlling the winemaking process as well as possible. In this review, we highlight the wide diversity of methodologies used to study these interactions, and their underlying mechanisms and consequences on the final wine composition and characteristics. The wide variety of matrix parameters, yeast couples, and culture conditions have led to contradictions between the results of the different studies considered. More recent aspects of modifications in the composition of the matrix are addressed through different approaches that have not been synthesized recently. Non-volatile and volatile metabolomics, as well as sensory analysis approaches are developed in this paper. The description of the matrix composition modification does not appear sufficient to explain interaction mechanisms, making it vital to take an integrated approach to draw definite conclusions on them.