Inactivating Mutations in Irc7p Are Common in Wine Yeasts, Attenuating Carbon-Sulfur β-Lyase Activity and Volatile Sulfur Compound Production

Precursors consumption preferences and thiol release capacity of the wine yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Lachancea thermotolerans

The aromatic profile of wine determines its overall final quality, and among the volatile molecules that define it, varietal thiols are responsible for shaping the distinctive character of certain wine varieties. In grape must, these thiols are conjugated to amino acids or small peptides in a non-volatile form. During wine fermentation, yeasts play a principal role in expressing these aromatic compounds as they internalise and cleavage these precursors, releasing the corresponding free and aroma-impacting fraction. Here, we investigate the impact of three wine yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Lachancea thermotolerans) on thiol releasing in synthetic grape must fermentations supplemented with different cysteinylated (Cys-4MSP and Cys-3SH) and glutathionylated (GSH-4MSP and GSH-3SH) precursors. We demonstrate higher consumption levels of cysteinylated precursors, and consequently, higher amounts of thiols are released from them compared to glutathionylated ones. We also report a significant impact of yeast inoculated on the final thiols released. Meanwhile T. delkbrueckii exhibits a great 3SHA releasing capacity, L. thermotolerans stands out because of its high 3SH release. We also highlight the synergic effect of the co-inoculation strategy, especially relevant in the case of S. cerevisiae and L. thermotolerans mixed fermentation, that has an outstanding release of 4MSP thiol. Although our results stem from a specific experimental approach that differs from real winemaking situations, these findings reveal the potential of unravelling the specific role of different yeast species, thiol precursors and their interaction, to improve wine production processes in the context of wine aroma enhancement.

Advancements and challenges for brewing aroma-enhancement fruit wines: Microbial metabolizing and brewing techniques

Aroma, a principal determinant of consumer preference for fruit wines, has recently garnered much attention. Fruit wines brewing was concomitant with complex biochemical reactions, in which a variety of compounds jointly contribute to the aroma quality. To date, the mechanisms underlying the synthesis of aroma compounds and biological regulation methods in fruit wines have remained ambiguous, hindering the further improvement of fruit wines sensory profiles. This review provides a detailed account of the synthesis and regulatory mechanisms of typical aroma compounds and their contributions to the characteristics of wines. Additionally, Comprehensive involves between microflora and the formation of aroma compounds have been emphasized. The microflora-mediated aroma compounds evolution can be controlled by key fermentation techniques to protect and enhance. Meanwhile, the genes impacting key aroma compounds can be identified, which provide references for the rapid screening of aroma-enhanced strains as well as target formation of aroma by modifying relative genes.

QTL mapping reveals novel genes and mechanisms underlying variations in H2S production during alcoholic fermentation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae requirement for reduced sulfur to synthesize methionine and cysteine during alcoholic fermentation, is mainly fulfilled through the sulfur assimilation pathway. Saccharomyces cerevisiae reduces sulfate into sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfide (H2S), whose overproduction is a major issue in winemaking, due to its negative impact on wine aroma. The amount of H2S produced is highly strain-specific and also depends on SO2 concentration, often added to grape must. Applying a bulk segregant analysis to a 96-strain-progeny derived from two strains with different abilities to produce H2S, and comparing allelic frequencies along the genome of pools of segregants producing contrasting H2S quantities, we identified two causative regions involved in H2S production in the presence of SO2. A functional genetic analysis allowed the identification of variants in four genes able to impact H2S formation, viz; ZWF1, ZRT2, SNR2, and YLR125W, and involved in functions and pathways not associated with sulfur metabolism until now. These data point out that, in wine fermentation conditions, redox status, and zinc homeostasis are linked to H2S formation while providing new insights into the regulation of H2S production, and a new vision of the interplay between the sulfur assimilation pathway and cell metabolism.

Whole genome sequencing of Canadian Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from spontaneous wine fermentations reveals a new Pacific West Coast Wine clade

Vineyards in wine regions around the world are reservoirs of yeast with oenological potential. Saccharomyces cerevisiae ferments grape sugars to ethanol and generates flavor and aroma compounds in wine. Wineries place a high-value on identifying yeast native to their region to develop a region-specific wine program. Commercial wine strains are genetically very similar due to a population bottleneck and in-breeding compared to the diversity of S. cerevisiae from the wild and other industrial processes. We have isolated and microsatellite-typed hundreds of S. cerevisiae strains from spontaneous fermentations of grapes from the Okanagan Valley wine region in British Columbia, Canada. We chose 75 S. cerevisiae strains, based on our microsatellite clustering data, for whole genome sequencing using Illumina paired-end reads. Phylogenetic analysis shows that British Columbian S. cerevisiae strains cluster into 4 clades: Wine/European, Transpacific Oak, Beer 1/Mixed Origin, and a new clade that we have designated as Pacific West Coast Wine. The Pacific West Coast Wine clade has high nucleotide diversity and shares genomic characteristics with wild North American oak strains but also has gene flow from Wine/European and Ecuadorian clades. We analyzed gene copy number variations to find evidence of domestication and found that strains in the Wine/European and Pacific West Coast Wine clades have gene copy number variation reflective of adaptations to the wine-making environment. The "wine circle/Region B", a cluster of 5 genes acquired by horizontal gene transfer into the genome of commercial wine strains is also present in the majority of the British Columbian strains in the Wine/European clade but in a minority of the Pacific West Coast Wine clade strains. Previous studies have shown that S. cerevisiae strains isolated from Mediterranean Oak trees may be the living ancestors of European wine yeast strains. This study is the first to isolate S. cerevisiae strains with genetic similarity to nonvineyard North American Oak strains from spontaneous wine fermentations.

Examining How the Fermentation Medium Influences Thiol Expression and Its Perceived Aroma in Commercial Brewing Yeast Strains

In Saccharomyces, the IRC7 gene encodes for a cysteine S-conjugate β-lyase enzyme which can release polyfunctional thiols from their cysteinylated precursor forms, thereby promoting thiol aroma in beer. This study examined the thiol production of 10 commercial yeast strains in two different media, a hopped yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD) medium and a 100% barley malt wort to explore how differences in yeast strain and medium conditions influence the release of polyfunctional thiols. 3-Sulfanylhexan-1-ol was most affected by medium conditions, and its concentrations were highest in wort fermentations. The higher nitrogen content and pH of the YPD medium relative to the wort fermentations were notable differences, and significant correlations between these variables and the extent of free thiol production were observed. A strong association existed between polyfunctional thiol concentrations and the fermentation-derived, malt, and hop-derived compounds 2-phenylethanol, β-damascenone, and β-ionone. The sensory impressions of thiol character in beer were influenced by the presence of other aromatic compounds such as esters and terpene alcohols, and aroma attributes such as "tropical" were not the most suitable for describing beers brewed with yeasts that fully express homozygous IRC7^F. Sensory attributes "sweaty", "vegetal", and "overripe fruit" were more strongly associated with these strains.

Multi-omics network model reveals key genes associated with p-coumaric acid stress response in an industrial yeast strain

The production of ethanol from lignocellulosic sources presents increasingly difficult issues for the global biofuel scenario, leading to increased production costs of current second-generation (2G) ethanol when compared to first-generation (1G) plants. Among the setbacks encountered in industrial processes, the presence of chemical inhibitors from pre-treatment processes severely hinders the potential of yeasts in producing ethanol at peak efficiency. However, some industrial yeast strains have, either naturally or artificially, higher tolerance levels to these compounds. Such is the case of S. cerevisiae SA-1, a Brazilian fuel ethanol industrial strain that has shown high resistance to inhibitors produced by the pre-treatment of cellulosic complexes. Our study focuses on the characterization of the transcriptomic and physiological impact of an inhibitor of this type, p-coumaric acid (pCA), on this strain under chemostat cultivation via RNAseq and quantitative physiological data. It was found that strain SA-1 tend to increase ethanol yield and production rate while decreasing biomass yield when exposed to pCA, in contrast to pCA-susceptible strains, which tend to decrease their ethanol yield and fermentation efficiency when exposed to this substance. This suggests increased metabolic activity linked to mitochondrial and peroxisomal processes. The transcriptomic analysis also revealed a plethora of differentially expressed genes located in co-expressed clusters that are associated with changes in biological pathways linked to biosynthetic and energetical processes. Furthermore, it was also identified 20 genes that act as interaction hubs for these clusters, while also having association with altered pathways and changes in metabolic outputs, potentially leading to the discovery of novel targets for metabolic engineering toward a more robust industrial yeast strain.

Increased volatile thiol release during beer fermentation using constructed interspecies yeast hybrids

Interspecies hybridization has been shown to be a powerful tool for developing and improving brewing yeast in a number of industry-relevant respects. Thanks to the popularity of heavily hopped ‘India Pale Ale’-style beers, there is an increased demand from brewers for strains that can boost hop aroma. Here, we explored whether hybridization could be used to construct strains with an enhanced ability to release hop-derived flavours through β-lyase activity, which releases desirable volatile thiols. Wild Saccharomyces strains were shown to possess high β-lyase activity compared to brewing strains, however, they also produced phenolic off-flavours (POF) and showed poor attenuation. To overcome these limitations, interspecies hybrids were constructed by crossing pairs of one of three brewing and one of three wild Saccharomyces strains (S. uvarum and S. eubayanus). Hybrids were screened for fermentation ability and β-lyase activity, and selected hybrids showed improved fermentation and formation of both volatile thiols (4MMP, 3MH and 3MH-acetate) and aroma-active esters compared to the parent strains. Undesirable traits (e.g. POF) could be removed from the hybrid by sporulation. To conclude, it was possible to boost the release of desirable hop-derived thiols in brewing yeast by hybridization with wild yeast. This allows production of beer with boosted hop aroma with less hops (thus improving sustainability issues).

Genomic Adaptations of Saccharomyces Genus to Wine Niche

Wine yeast have been exposed to harsh conditions for millennia, which have led to adaptive evolutionary strategies. Thus, wine yeasts from Saccharomyces genus are considered an interesting and highly valuable model to study human-drive domestication processes. The rise of whole-genome sequencing technologies together with new long reads platforms has provided new understanding about the population structure and the evolution of wine yeasts. Population genomics studies have indicated domestication fingerprints in wine yeast, including nucleotide variations, chromosomal rearrangements, horizontal gene transfer or hybridization, among others. These genetic changes contribute to genetically and phenotypically distinct strains. This review will summarize and discuss recent research on evolutionary trajectories of wine yeasts, highlighting the domestication hallmarks identified in this group of yeast.

Fruits of their labour: biotransformation reactions of yeasts during brewery fermentation

Abstract

There is a growing appreciation for the role that yeast play in biotransformation of flavour compounds during beverage fermentations. This is particularly the case for brewing due to the continued popularity of aromatic beers produced via the dry-hopping process. Here, we review the current literature pertaining to biotransformation reactions mediated by fermentative yeasts. These reactions are diverse and include the liberation of thiols from cysteine or glutathione-bound adducts, as well as the release of glycosidically bound terpene alcohols. These changes serve generally to increase the fruit and floral aromas in beverages. This is particularly the case for the thiol compounds released via yeast β-lyase activity due to their low flavour thresholds. The role of yeast β-glucosidases in increasing terpene alcohols is less clear, at least with respect to fermentation of brewer’s wort. Yeast acetyl transferase and acetate esterase also have an impact on the quality and perceptibility of flavour compounds. Isomerization and reduction reactions, e.g. the conversion of geraniol (rose) to β-citronellol (citrus), also have potential to alter significantly flavour profiles. A greater understanding of biotransformation reactions is expected to not only facilitate greater control of beverage flavour profiles, but also to allow for more efficient exploitation of raw materials and thereby greater process sustainability.

Key points

• Yeast can alter and boost grape- and hop-derived flavour compounds in wine and beer

• β-lyase activity can release fruit-flavoured thiols with low flavour thresholds

• Floral and citrus-flavoured terpene alcohols can be released or interconverted

Modulation of Volatile Thiol Release during Fermentation of Red Musts by Wine Yeast

During the alcoholic fermentation of grape sugars, wine yeast produces a range of secondary metabolites that play a critical role in the aroma profile of wines. One of the most impactful yeast-modified compound families, particularly in white wines, are the ‘fruity’ polyfunctional thiols, which include 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol (3-MH) and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one (4-MMP). While the formation and stylistic contribution of these thiols have been extensively researched in white wines, little is known about the conditions leading to their formation in red wines. In this study, we explored the ability of yeast strains to modulate the release of these aroma compounds during the fermentation of two red musts. In laboratory-scale Pinot Noir fermentations, the formation of 3-MH strongly correlated with yeast β-lyase activity, particularly with the presence of certain genotypes of the flavour-releasing gene IRC7. Subsequent production of Grenache wine at the pilot scale, with detailed compositional and sensory analysis, was undertaken to confirm laboratory-scale observations. A commercial wine strain used for expressing ‘fruity’ thiols in Sauvignon Blanc was shown to produce wines that exhibited more intense red fruit aromas. These results reveal an opportunity for winemakers to shape red wine aroma and flavour by using yeasts that might typically be considered for white wine production.

Efficient breeding of industrial brewing yeast strains using CRISPR/Cas9-aided mating-type switching

Yeast breeding is a powerful tool for developing and improving brewing yeast in a number of industry-relevant respects. However, breeding of industrial brewing yeast can be challenging, as strains are typically sterile and have large complex genomes. To facilitate breeding, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate double-stranded breaks in the MAT locus, generating transformants with a single specified mating type. The single mating type remained stable even after loss of the Cas9 plasmid, despite the strains being homothallic, and these strains could be readily mated with other brewing yeast transformants of opposite mating type. As a proof of concept, we applied this technology to generate yeast hybrids with an aim to increase β-lyase activity for fermentation of beer with enhanced hop flavour. First, a genetic and phenotypic pre-screening of 38 strains was carried out in order to identify potential parent strains with high β-lyase activity. Mating-competent transformants of eight parent strains were generated, and these were used to generate over 60 hybrids that were screened for β-lyase activity. Selected phenolic off-flavour positive (POF +) hybrids were further sporulated to generate meiotic segregants with high β-lyase activity, efficient wort fermentation, and lack of POF, all traits that are desirable in strains for the fermentation of modern hop-forward beers. Our study demonstrates the power of combining the CRISPR/Cas9 system with classic yeast breeding to facilitate development and diversification of brewing yeast. KEY POINTS: • CRISPR/Cas9-based mating-type switching was applied to industrial yeast strains. • Transformed strains could be readily mated to form intraspecific hybrids. • Hybrids exhibited heterosis for a number of brewing-relevant traits.

Construction and Analysis of a Yeast for the Simultaneous Release and Esterification of the Varietal Thiol 3-Sulfanylhexan-1-ol

Polyfunctional thiols like 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3SH) and its ester 3-sulfanylhexyl acetate (3SHA) are important aroma determinants in wine with exceptionally low odor thresholds. 3SH is largely found in grape must bound to glutathione and cysteine and requires enzymatic action to be perceived sensorially. The wine yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is ineffective in releasing volatile thiols from their precursor configuration. For this purpose, a yeast strain was constructed that expresses the carbon-sulfur lyase encoding the tnaA gene from Escherichia coli and overexpresses its native alcohol acetyltransferase encoding genes, ATF1 and ATF2. The resulting yeast strain, which co-expresses tnaA and ATF1, showed elevated 3SH-releasing capabilities and the esterification of 3SH to its acetate ester 3SHA. Levels of over 7000 ng/L of 3SHA in Sauvignon blanc wines were achieved. Enhanced release and esterification of 3SH were also shown in the fermentation of guava and passionfruit pulp and three hop varieties. This study offers prospects for the development of flavor-enhancing yeast strains with optimized thiol-releasing and esterification capabilities in a diverse set of beverage matrices.

Aromatic Higher Alcohols in Wine: Implication on Aroma and Palate Attributes during Chardonnay Aging

The higher alcohols 2-phenylethanol, tryptophol, and tyrosol are a group of yeast-derived compounds that have been shown to affect the aroma and flavour of fermented beverages. Five variants of the industrial wine strain AWRI796, previously isolated due to their elevated production of the 'rose-like aroma' compound 2-phenylethanol, were characterised during pilot-scale fermentation of a Chardonnay juice. We show that these variants not only increase the concentration of 2-phenylethanol but also modulate the formation of the higher alcohols tryptophol, tyrosol, and methionol, as well as other volatile sulfur compounds derived from methionine, highlighting the connections between yeast nitrogen and sulfur metabolism during fermentation. We also investigate the development of these compounds during wine storage, focusing on the sulfonation of tryptophol. Finally, the sensory properties of wines produced using these strains were quantified at two time points, unravelling differences produced by biologically modulating higher alcohols and the dynamic changes in wine flavour over aging.

Global distribution of IRC7 alleles in Saccharomyces cerevisiae populations: a genomic and phenotypic survey within the wine clade

The adaptation to the different biotic and abiotic factors of wine fermentation has led to the accumulation of numerous genomic hallmarks in Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine strains. IRC7, a gene encoding a cysteine-S-β-lyase enzyme related volatile thiols production in wines, has two alleles: a full-length allele (IRC7^F ) and a mutated one (IRC7^S ), harbouring a 38 bp-deletion. Interestingly, IRC7^S -encoding a less active enzyme - appears widespread amongst wine populations. Studying the global distribution of the IRC7^S allele in different yeast lineages, we confirmed its high prevalence in the Wine clade and demonstrated a minority presence in other domesticated clades (Wine-PDM, Beer and Bread) while it is completely missing in wild clades. Here, we show that IRC7^S -homozygous (HS) strains exhibited both fitness and competitive advantages compared with IRC7^F -homozygous (HF) strains. There are some pieces of evidence of the direct contribution of the IRC7^S allele to the outstanding behaviour of HS strains (i.e., improved response to oxidative stress conditions and higher tolerance to high copper levels); however, we also identified a set of sequence variants with significant co-occurrence patterns with the IRC7^S allele, which can be co-contributing to the fitness and competitive advantages of HS strains in wine fermentations.

Evidence of the Possible Interaction between Ultrasound and Thiol Precursors

The effect of ultrasound (20 kHz, 153 μm) on the prefermentation extraction mechanisms in Sauvignon Blanc grapes was studied, focusing on 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol (3MH) and 4-mercapto-4-methyl-pentan-2-one (4MMP) precursors linked to glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (Cys). The treatment determined a positive extraction trend between the duration (untreated, 3 and 5 min) and the conductivity or the concentration of catechins and total phenols, significantly differentiated after 5 min. Nevertheless, the concentration of the thiol precursors in grape juice not only remained undifferentiated, but that of 3-S-glutathionyl mercaptohexan-1-ol showed a negative trend with the treatment time applied (168 ± 43, 156 ± 36, and 149 ± 32 μg/L, respectively, for control, 3 and 5 min). The divergence on the effect between families of compounds suggests an interaction between the sonication treatment and thiol precursor molecules. In order to evaluate the possible degradation properly, ultrasound was applied in a model solution spiked with 3MH and 4MMP precursors, reproducing the conditions of grapes. Except for Cys-3MH, the mean concentration (n = 5) for the rest of the precursors was significantly lower in treated samples, predominantly in those linked to glutathione (~-22% and ~18% for GSH-3MH and GSH-4MMP) rather than to cysteine (~-6%~-8% for Cys-3MH and Cys-4MMP). The degradation of precursors was associated with a significant increase of 3MH and 4MMP. The formation of volatile thiols following sonication is interesting from a technological point of view, as they are key aroma compounds of wine and potentially exploitable in the wine industry through specific vinification protocols.