Sample records for halotolerant black yeast

  1. Debaryomyces hansenii: An Osmotolerant and Halotolerant Yeast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aggarwal, Monika; Mondal, Alok K.

    The yeast Debaryomyces hansenii which was isolated from saline environments such as sea water, concentrated brines, salty food, is one of the most halotolerant species. It can grow in media containing as high as 4 M NaCl, while the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is limited in media with more than 1.7 M NaCl. This species is very important for food industry as it is used for surface ripening of cheese and meat products. In the recent past, there is growing interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms of high halotolerance exhibited by D. hansenii. Availability of genome sequence of D. hansenii has opened up new vistas in this direction

  2. Microbiota during fermentation of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) sauce mash inoculated with halotolerant microbial starters: analyses using the plate count method and PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE).

    PubMed

    Yoshikawa, Shuji; Yasokawa, Daisuke; Nagashima, Koji; Yamazaki, Koji; Kurihara, Hideyuki; Ohta, Tomoki; Kawai, Yuji

    2010-06-01

    Nine different combinations of mugi koji (barley steamed and molded with Aspergillus oryzae) and halotolerant microorganisms (HTMs), Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Candida versatilis, and Tetragenococcus halophilus, were inoculated into chum salmon sauce mash under a non-aseptic condition used in industrial fish sauce production and fermented at 35 +/- 2.5 degrees C for 84 days to elucidate the microbial dynamics (i.e., microbial count and microbiota) during fermentation. The viable count of halotolerant yeast (HTY) in fermented chum salmon sauce (FCSS) mash showed various time courses dependent on the combination of the starter microorganisms. Halotolerant lactic acid bacteria (HTL) were detected morphologically and physiologically only from FCSS mash inoculated with T. halophilus alone or with T. halophilus and C. versatilis during the first 28 days of fermentation. Only four fungal species, Z. rouxii, C. versatilis, Pichia guilliermondii, and A. oryzae, were detected throughout the fermentation by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). In FCSS mash, dominant HTMs, especially eumycetes, were nonexistent. However, under the non-aseptic conditions, undesirable wild yeast such as P. guilliermondii grew fortuitously. Therefore, HTY inoculation into FCSS mash at the beginning of fermentation is effective in preventing the growth of wild yeast and the resultant unfavorable flavor. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Use of Non-Conventional Cell Disruption Method for Extraction of Proteins from Black Yeasts

    PubMed Central

    Čolnik, Maja; Primožič, Mateja; Knez, Željko; Leitgeb, Maja

    2016-01-01

    The influence of pressure and treatment time on cells disruption of different black yeasts and on activities of extracted proteins using supercritical carbon dioxide process was studied. The cells of three different black yeasts Phaeotheca triangularis, Trimatostroma salinum, and Wallemia ichthyophaga were exposed to supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO2) by varying pressure at fixed temperature (35°C). The black yeasts cell walls were disrupted, and the content of the cells was spilled into the liquid medium. The impact of SC CO2 conditions on secretion of enzymes and proteins from black yeast cells suspension was studied. The residual activity of the enzymes cellulase, β-glucosidase, α-amylase, and protease was studied by enzymatic assay. The viability of black yeast cells was determined by measuring the optical density of the cell suspension at 600 nm. The total protein concentration in the suspension was determined on UV–Vis spectrophotometer at 595 nm. The release of intracellular and extracellular products from black yeast cells was achieved. Also, the observation by an environmental scanning electron microscopy shows major morphological changes with SC CO2-treated cells. The advantages of the proposed method are in a simple use, which is also possible for heat-sensitive materials on one hand and on the other hand integration of the extraction of enzymes and their use in biocatalytical reactions. PMID:27148527

  4. The primary and subunit structure of a novel type killer toxin produced by a halotolerant yeast, Pichia farinosa.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, C; Nikkuni, S

    1994-01-28

    A halotolerant yeast, Pichia farinosa KK1 strain, produces a unique killer toxin termed SMK toxin (salt-mediated killer toxin) which shows its maximum killer activity in the presence of 2 M NaCl. The toxin consists of two distinct subunits, alpha and beta, which are tightly linked without a disulfide bond under acidic conditions, even in the presence of 6 M urea. Under neutral conditions, however, the alpha subunit precipitates, resulting in the dissociation of the subunits and the loss of killer activity. The nucleotide sequence of the SMK1 gene predicts a 222 amino acid preprotoxin with a typical signal sequence, the hydrophobic alpha, an interstitial gamma polypeptide with a putative glycosylation site, and the hydrophilic beta. Amino acid sequence analyses of peptide fragments including the carboxyl-terminal peptides fragments including the carboxyl-terminal peptides from each subunit suggest that the alpha and beta subunits consist of amino acid residues 19-81 and 146-222 of the preprotoxin, respectively, and the molecular weight of the mature alpha beta dimer is 14,214. The KEX2-like endopeptidase and KEX1-like carboxypeptidase may be involved in the stepwise processing of the SMK preprotoxin. The maturation process and the functions of the SMK toxin are compared with the K1 toxin of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

  5. Effect of halotolerant starter microorganisms on chemical characteristics of fermented chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) sauce.

    PubMed

    Yoshikawa, Shuji; Kurihara, Hideyuki; Kawai, Yuji; Yamazaki, Koji; Tanaka, Akira; Nishikiori, Takafumi; Ohta, Tomoki

    2010-05-26

    Chum salmon sauce mash was inoculated with barley koji (barley steamed and molded with Aspergillus oryzae ) and halotolerant microorganisms (HTMs), Zygosaccharomyces rouxii , Candida versatilis , and Tetragenococcus halophilus , in nine different combinations under non-aseptic conditions similar to the industrial fish sauce production and fermented at 35 +/- 2.5 degrees C for 84 days. The changes in the chemical components, color, and sensory properties during fermentation were investigated. Free amino acid content was increased, and the browning of fish sauce was enhanced by the usage of barley koji during fermentation. The halotolerant yeast (HTY) produced ethanol and repressed the browning by consumption of reducing sugar. Inoculated Z. rouxii in the fish sauce mash produced 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) and 4-hydoxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone (HEMF), and C. versatilis in the fish sauce mash produced 4-ethylguaiacol (4-EG), known as characteristic flavor compounds in soy sauce, adding soy-sauce-like flavor to the fish sauce. Thus, inoculation of HTMs and barley koji was effective for conferring the soy-sauce-like flavor and increasing free amino acid and ethanol contents in fish sauce product.

  6. Halotolerance and effect of salt on hydrophobicity in hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria.

    PubMed

    Longang, Adégilns; Buck, Chris; Kirkwood, Kathlyn M

    2016-01-01

    Hydrocarbon-contaminated environments often also experience co-contamination with elevated levels of salt. This paper investigates the occurrence of halotolerance among several hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, as an initial assessment of the importance of salt contamination to bioremediation strategies. Halotolerance was common, but not ubiquitous, among the 12 hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria tested, with many strains growing at up to 75 or 100 g NaCl L(-1) in rich medium. Greater sensitivity to elevated salt concentrations was observed among aromatics degraders compared to saturates degraders, and in defined medium compared to rich medium. Observed effects of high salt concentrations included increased lag times and decreased maximum growth. Many strains exhibited flocculation at elevated salt concentrations, but this did not correlate to any patterns in cell surface hydrophobicity, measured using the Bacterial Adhesion to Hydrocarbon assay. The occurrence of halotolerance in hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria suggests the potential for native microorganisms to contribute to the bioremediation of oil and salt co-contaminated sites, and indicates the need for a better understanding of the relationship between halotolerance and hydrocarbon biodegradation capabilities.

  7. Rational engineering of a mesohalophilic carbonic anhydrase to an extreme halotolerant biocatalyst

    PubMed Central

    Warden, Andrew C.; Williams, Michelle; Peat, Thomas S.; Seabrook, Shane A.; Newman, Janet; Dojchinov, Greg; Haritos, Victoria S.

    2015-01-01

    Enzymes expressed by highly salt-tolerant organisms show many modifications compared with salt-affected counterparts including biased amino acid and lower α-helix content, lower solvent accessibility and negative surface charge. Here, we show that halotolerance can be generated in an enzyme solely by modifying surface residues. Rational design of carbonic anhydrase II is undertaken in three stages replacing 18 residues in total, crystal structures confirm changes are confined to surface residues. Catalytic activities and thermal unfolding temperatures of the designed enzymes increase at high salt concentrations demonstrating their shift to halotolerance, whereas the opposite response is found in the wild-type enzyme. Molecular dynamics calculations reveal a key role for sodium ions in increasing halotolerant enzyme stability largely through interactions with the highly ordered first Na+ hydration shell. For the first time, an approach to generate extreme halotolerance, a trait with broad application in industrial biocatalysis, in a wild-type enzyme is demonstrated. PMID:26687908

  8. Salt-induced changes in lipid composition and membrane fluidity of halophilic yeast-like melanized fungi.

    PubMed

    Turk, Martina; Méjanelle, Laurence; Sentjurc, Marjeta; Grimalt, Joan O; Gunde-Cimerman, Nina; Plemenitas, Ana

    2004-02-01

    The halophilic melanized yeast-like fungi Hortaea werneckii, Phaeotheca triangularis, and the halotolerant Aureobasidium pullulans, isolated from salterns as their natural environment, were grown at different NaCl concentrations and their membrane lipid composition and fluidity were examined. Among sterols, besides ergosterol, which was the predominant one, 23 additional sterols were identified. Their total content did not change consistently or significantly in response to raised NaCl concentrations in studied melanized fungi. The major phospholipid classes were phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, followed by anionic phospholipids. The most abundant fatty acids in phospholipids contained C16 and C18 chain lengths with a high percentage of C18:2Delta9,12. Salt stress caused an increase in the fatty acid unsaturation in the halophilic H. werneckii and halotolerant A. pullulans but a slight decrease in halophilic P. triangularis. All the halophilic fungi maintained their sterol-to-phospholipid ratio at a significantly lower level than did the salt-sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae and halotolerant A. pullulans. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy measurements showed that the membranes of all halophilic fungi were more fluid than those of the halotolerant A. pullulans and salt-sensitive S. cerevisiae, which is in good agreement with the lipid composition observed in this study.

  9. The novel acidophilic structure of the killer toxin from halotolerant yeast demonstrates remarkable folding similarity with a fungal killer toxin.

    PubMed

    Kashiwagi, T; Kunishima, N; Suzuki, C; Tsuchiya, F; Nikkuni, S; Arata, Y; Morikawa, K

    1997-01-15

    Several strains of yeasts and fungi produce proteinous substances, termed killer toxins, which kill sensitive strains. The SMK toxin, secreted by the halotolerant yeast Pichia farinosa KK1 strain, uniquely exhibits its maximum killer activity under conditions of acidic pH and high salt concentration. The toxin is composed of two distinct subunits, alpha and beta, which tightly interact with each other under acidic conditions. However, they are easily dissociated under neutral conditions and lose the killer activity. The three-dimensional structure of the SMK toxin will provide a better understanding of the mechanism of toxicity of this protein and the cause of its unique pH-dependent stability. Two crystal structures of the SMK toxin have been determined at 1.8 A resolution in different ionic strength conditions. The two subunits, alpha and beta, are jointly folded into an ellipsoidal, single domain structure belonging to the alpha/beta-sandwich family. The folding topology of the SMK toxin is essentially the same as that of the fungal killer toxin, KP4. This shared topology contains two left-handed split betaalphabeta motifs, which are rare in the other proteins. Many acidic residues are clustered at the bottom of the SMK toxin molecule. Some of the carboxyl sidechains interact with each other through hydrogen bonds. The ionic strength difference induces no evident structural change of the SMK toxin except that, in the high ionic strength crystal, a number of sulfate ions are electrostatically bound near the basic residues which are also locally distributed at the bottom of the toxin molecule. The two killer toxins, SMK and KP4, share a unique folding topology which contains a rare structural motif. This observation may suggest that these toxins are evolutionally and/or functionally related. The pH-dependent stability of the SMK toxin is a result of the intensive interactions between the carboxyl groups. This finding is important for protein engineering, for

  10. Culture of a high-chlorophyll-producing and halotolerant Chlorella vulgaris.

    PubMed

    Nakanishi, Koichi; Deuchi, Keiji

    2014-05-01

    In order to increase the value of freshwater algae as raw ingredients for health foods and feed for seawater-based farmed fish, we sought to breed high-chlorophyll halotolerant Chlorella with the objective of generating strains with both high chlorophyll concentrations (≥ 5%) and halotolerance (up to 1% NaCl). We used the Chlorella vulgaris K strain in our research institute culture collection and induced mutations with UV irradiation and acriflavine which is known to effect mutations of mitochondrial DNA that are associated with chlorophyll production. Screenings were conducted on seawater-based "For Chlorella spp." (FC) agar medium, and dark-green-colored colonies were visually selected by macroscopic inspection. We obtained a high-chlorophyll halotolerant strain (designated C. vulgaris M-207A7) that had a chlorophyll concentration of 6.7% (d.m.), a level at least three-fold higher than that of K strain. This isolate also exhibited a greater survival rate in seawater that of K strain. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Environmental isolation of black yeast-like fungi involved in human infection

    PubMed Central

    Vicente, V.A.; Attili-Angelis, D.; Pie, M.R.; Queiroz-Telles, F.; Cruz, L.M.; Najafzadeh, M.J.; de Hoog, G.S.; Zhao, J.; Pizzirani-Kleiner, A.

    2008-01-01

    The present study focuses on potential agents of chromoblastomycosis and other endemic diseases in the state of Paraná, Southern Brazil. Using a highly selective protocol for chaetothyrialean black yeasts and relatives, environmental samples from the living area of symptomatic patients were analysed. Additional strains were isolated from creosote-treated wood and hydrocarbon-polluted environments, as such polluted sites have been supposed to enhance black yeast prevalence. Isolates showed morphologies compatible with the traditional etiological agents of chromoblastomycosis, e.g. Fonsecaea pedrosoi and Phialophora verrucosa, and of agents of subcutaneous or systemic infections like Cladophialophora bantiana and Exophiala jeanselmei. Some agents of mild disease were indeed encountered. However, molecular analysis proved that most environmental strains differed from known etiologic agents of pronounced disease syndromes: they belonged to the same order, but mostly were undescribed species. Agents of chromoblastomycosis and systemic disease thus far are prevalent on the human host. The hydrocarbon-polluted environments yielded yet another spectrum of chaetothyrialean fungi. These observations are of great relevance because they allow us to distinguish between categories of opportunists, indicating possible differences in pathogenicity and virulence. PMID:19287536

  12. Systematic and biotechnological aspects of halophilic and halotolerant actinomycetes.

    PubMed

    Hamedi, Javad; Mohammadipanah, Fatemeh; Ventosa, Antonio

    2013-01-01

    More than 70 species of halotolerant and halophilic actinomycetes belonging to at least 24 genera have been validly described. Halophilic actinomycetes are a less explored source of actinomycetes for discovery of novel bioactive secondary metabolites. Degradation of aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds, detoxification of pollutants, production of new enzymes and other metabolites such as antibiotics, compatible solutes and polymers are other potential industrial applications of halophilic and halotolerant actinomycetes. Especially new bioactive secondary metabolites that are derived from only a small fraction of the investigated halophilic actinomycetes, mainly from marine habitats, have revealed the huge capacity of this physiological group in production of new bioactive chemical entities. Combined high metabolic capacities of actinomycetes and unique features related to extremophilic nature of the halophilic actinomycetes have conferred on them an influential role for future biotechnological applications.

  13. Biotechnological Approaches to Enhance Halotolerance and Photosynthetic Efficacy in the Cyanobacterium, Fremyella diplosiphon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tabatabai, Ben

    Growing concerns over dwindling energy supplies linked to nonrenewable fossil fuels have driven profound interest in biofuels as a clean and sustainable alternative. Cyanobacteria are a promising source of third-generation biofuel due to their fast generation time and high net biomass conversion. In this study, the effect of salinity stress on Fremyella diplosiphon, a model organism for studying photosynthetic pathways, was investigated and nanobiotechnological approaches undertaken to enhance its halotolerance and photosynthetic efficacy. Heat-induced mutagenesis resulted in a mutant strain that could survive in 20 g L-1 sodium chloride (NaCl) with no loss in pigmentation. To further enhance F. diplosiphon halotolerance, expression plasmids harboring the hlyB and mdh genes were overexpressed in the wild type resulting in two transformants that thrived in 35 g L-1 NaCl, the average salinity of sea water. In addition, no significant reduction in photosynthetic efficacy was detected in the halotolerant strains relative to the wild type. Total lipid content and fatty acid methyl ester composition of wild type and halotolerant strains were assessed for their potential as a production-scale biofuel agent. Methyl palmitate, the methyl ester of hexodeconoate (C16:0), was found to be most abundant in the wild type and transformants accounting for 60-70% of total FAMEs produced. Efforts to enhance the photosynthetic efficiency of the strains revealed that gold nanoparticle-derived surface plasmon resonance augmented culture growth and pigment accumulation. Cell-nanoparticles interactions were visualized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Our findings address two key challenges that cyanobacterial biofuel agents need to overcome: enhanced halotolerance and photosynthetic efficacy to minimize freshwater input and artificial light supply. These innovations have paved the way for an efficient cyanobacterial cultivation system for large-scale production of

  14. Cyanobacterial diversity and halotolerance in a variable hypersaline environment.

    PubMed

    Kirkwood, Andrea E; Buchheim, Julie A; Buchheim, Mark A; Henley, William J

    2008-04-01

    The Great Salt Plains (GSP) in north-central Oklahoma, USA is an expansive salt flat (approximately 65 km(2)) that is part of the federally protected Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. The GSP serves as an ideal environment to study the microbial diversity of a terrestrial, hypersaline system that experiences wide fluctuations in freshwater influx and diel temperature. Our study assessed cyanobacterial diversity at the GSP by focusing on the taxonomic and physiological diversity of GSP isolates, and the 16S rRNA phylogenetic diversity of isolates and environmental clones from three sites (north, central, and south). Taxonomic diversity of isolates was limited to a few genera (mostly Phormidium and Geitlerinema), but physiological diversity based on halotolerance ranges was strikingly more diverse, even between strains of the same phylotype. The phylogenetic tree revealed diversity that spanned a number of cyanobacterial lineages, although diversity at each site was dominated by only a few phylotypes. Unlike other hypersaline systems, a number of environmental clones from the GSP were members of the heterocystous lineage. Although a number of cyanobacterial isolates were close matches with prevalent environmental clones, it is not certain if these clones reflect the same halotolerance ranges of their matching isolates. This caveat is based on the notable disparities we found between strains of the same phylotype and their inherent halotolerance. Our findings support the hypothesis that variable or poikilotrophic environments promote diversification, and in particular, select for variation in ecotype more than phylotype.

  15. The influence of ortho- and para-diphenoloxidase substrates on pigment formation in black yeast-like fungi

    PubMed Central

    Yurlova, N.A.; de Hoog, G.S.; Fedorova, L.G.

    2008-01-01

    Dothideaceous black yeast-like fungi (BYF) are known to synthesise DHN-melanin that is inhibited by the systemic fungicide tricyclazole. The final step of the DHN melanin pathway is the conjoining of 1,8-DHN molecules to form the melanin polymer. There are several candidate enzymes for this step, including phenoloxidases such as tyrosinase and laccases, peroxidases, and perhaps also catalases. We analysed the type polyphenoloxidases that are involved in biosynthesis of BYF melanins. For that purpose we used substrates of o-diphenoloxidases (EC 1.10.3.1.): 4-hydroxyphenyl-pyruvic acid, L-β-phenyllactic acid, tyrosine, pyrocatechol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and homogentisic acid, as well as substrates of p-diphenoloxidases (EC 1.10.3.2.): syringaldazine, resorcinol, p-phenylenediamine, phloroglucinol, guaiacol and pyrogallic acid. Fourteen strains of black yeasts originating from different natural biotopes were investigated. The tested strains could be divided into four groups based on their ability to produce dark pigments when cultivated on aromatic substrates of o- and on p-diphenoloxidases. It was established that syringaldazine, pyrogallic acid and 4-hydrophenyl-pyruvic acid, β-phenyllactic acid optimally promote melanin biosynthesis. Average intensity of pigmentation of all strains studied was minimal when guaiacol was used as a substrate. The present investigation indicates that the melanisation process may involve more enzymes and more substrates than those commonly recognised. Black yeasts are likely to contain a multipotent polyphenoloxidase. PMID:19287525

  16. Isolation and identification of halotolerant soil bacteria from coastal Patenga area.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Shafkat Shamim; Siddique, Romana; Tabassum, Nafisa

    2017-10-30

    Halotolerant bacteria have multiple uses viz. fermentation with lesser sterility control and industrial production of bioplastics. Moreover, it may increase the crop productivity of coastal saline lands in Bangladesh by transferring the salt tolerant genes into the plants. The study focused on the isolation and identification of the halotolerant bacteria from three soil samples, collected from coastal Patenga area. The samples were inoculated in nutrient media containing a wide range of salt concentrations. All the samples showed 2, 4 and 6% (w/v) salt tolerance. The isolates from Patenga soil (4, 6%) and beach soil (2%) showed catalase activity and all the isolates showed negative results for oxidase activity, indole production, lactose and motility. All the samples provided positive results for dextrose fermentation. Other tests provided mixed results. Based on the morphological characteristics, biochemical tests and ABIS software analysis the isolates fall within the Enterobacteriaceae, Clostridium and Corynebacterium, with a predominance of Vibrios. Overall the isolates can be considered as mild halotolerant, with the best growth observed at lower salinities and no halophilism detected. Among many possibilities, the genes responsible for the salt tolerant trait in these species can be identified, extracted and inserted into the crop plants to form a transgenic plant to result in higher yield for the rest of the year.

  17. Halophilic and halotolerant actinomycetes from a marine saltern of Goa, India producing anti-bacterial metabolites.

    PubMed

    Ballav, Shuvankar; Kerkar, Savita; Thomas, Sabu; Augustine, Nimmy

    2015-03-01

    Marine salterns are estuarine ecosystems in Goa, receiving inputs from riverine and marine waters. The Salinity fluctuates between 0 and 300 psu which makes it a conducive niche for salt tolerant and salt loving Actinomycetales. Halotolerant and halophilic Actinomycetales producing anti-bacterial metabolites were studied from crystallizer pond sediments of Ribandar saltern, Goa. Three media viz. Starch casein, R2A and Inorganic salt starch agar at four different salinities (35, 50, 75 and 100 psu) were used for isolation. R2A agar at 35 psu was the most preferred by hypersaline actinomycetes. The dominant group was halotolerant Streptomyces spp. others being rare actinomycetes viz. Nocardiopsis, Micromonospora and Kocuria spp. More than 50% of the isolates showed anti-bacterial activity against one or more of the fifteen human pathogens tested. Eight strains from 4 genera showed consistent anti-bacterial activity and studied in detail. Most halotolerant isolates grew from 0 to 75 psu, with optimum antibiotic production at 35 psu whereas halophiles grew at 20 to 100 psu with optimum antibiotic production at 35 psu. Four Streptomyces strains showed multiple inhibition against test organisms while four rare actinomycetes were specific in their inhibitory activity. This is the first report of a halophilic Kocuria sp., Nocardiopsis sp., and halotolerant Micromonospora sp. producing anti-bacterial compound(s) against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus citreus, and Vibrio cholerae, respectively. Sequential extraction with varying polarity of organic solvents showed that the extracts inhibited different test pathogens. These results suggest that halophilic and halotolerant actinomycetes from marine salterns are a potential source of anti-bacterial compounds. Copyright © 2014 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Distinct Osmoadaptation Strategies in the Strict Halophilic and Halotolerant Bacteria Isolated from Lunsu Salt Water Body of North West Himalayas.

    PubMed

    Vaidya, Shivani; Dev, Kamal; Sourirajan, Anuradha

    2018-07-01

    Two strict halophilic bacterial strains, Halobacillus trueperi SS1, and Halobacillus trueperi SS3, and three halotolerant bacterial strains, Shewanella algae SS2, Halomonas venusta SS5, and Marinomonas sp. SS8 of Lunsu salt water body, Himachal Pradesh, India, were selected to study the mechanism of salt tolerance and the role of osmolytes therein. A combination of flame photometry, chromatographic and colorimetric assays was used to study the mechanism of salt tolerance in the selected strict halophilic and halotolerant bacterial strains. The strict halophiles and, one of the halotolerants, Marinomonas sp. SS8 were found to utilize both "salt-in strategy" and "accumulation of compatible solutes strategy" for osmoregulation in hypersaline conditions. On the contrary, the remaining two halotolerants used "accumulation of compatible solutes strategy" under saline stress and not the "salt-in strategy". The present study suggests towards distinct mechanisms of salt tolerance in the two classes, wherein strict halophiles accumulate compatible solutes as well as adopt salt-in strategy, while the halotolerant bacteria accumulate a range of compatible solutes, except Marinomonas sp. SS8, which utilizes both the strategies to combat salt stress.

  19. [Secondary metabolites of halotolerant fungus Penicillium chrysogenum HK14-01 from the Yellow River Delta area].

    PubMed

    Qu, Peng; Liu, Peipei; Fu, Peng; Wang, Yi; Zhu, Weiming

    2012-09-04

    To search for structurally novel and biologically active compounds from the secondary metabolites of halotolerant fungi from the Yellow River Delta area. We screened halotolerant fungi with rich chemical diversity and antitumor or antimicrobial activity by means of integrated chemical and biological method. We cultured halotolerant fungi under different conditions at first. Then we investigated the chemical diversity and the bioactivity of the EtOAc extracts of the fermentation broth by HPLC and TLC, and cytotoxic assay or antimicrobial assay. We selected Penicillium chrysogenum HK14-01 to further study for the large yield, producing alkaloids and cytotoxicity on P388 cells in YMDP culture medium containing 10% NaCl. We fermented P. chrysogenum HK14-01 on a large scale; we isolated and purified the compounds by column chromatography over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and semipreparative HPLC; and we identified the structures by spectroscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction (Mo-Kalpha), CD spectra and the time-dependent density functional theory electronic circular dichroism (TDDFT ECD) calculation. We isolated and identified a halotolerant fungal strain, P. chrysogenum HK14-01, from the sediments collected in the Yellow River Delta area. From the fermentation broth of P. chrysogenum HK14-01, we isolated and identified eight compounds, i.e. (2S,3R)-oxaline (1, a major product), (3R, 4R)-3,4,8-trihydroxy-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1 (2H)-one (2), (Z)-N-(4-hydroxy styryl) formamide (3), (E)-N-(4-hydroxystyryl) formamide (4), emodin (5), 4-(2-hydroxyethyl) benzene-1,2-diol (6), methyl 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetate (7), and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetonitrile (8). Bioactive compounds can be obtained from the secondary metabolites of halotolerant microorganisms from the Yellow River Delta area.

  20. Halophilic & halotolerant prokaryotes in humans.

    PubMed

    Seck, El Hadji; Dufour, Jean-Charles; Raoult, Didier; Lagier, Jean-Christophe

    2018-05-04

    Halophilic prokaryotes are described as microorganisms living in hypersaline environments. Here, we list the halotolerant and halophilic bacteria which have been isolated in humans. Of the 52 halophilic prokaryotes, 32 (61.54%) were moderately halophilic, 17 (32.69%) were slightly halophilic and three (5.76%) were extremely halophilic prokaryotes. At the phylum level, 29 (54.72%) belong to Firmicutes, 15 (28.84%) to Proteobacteria, four (7.69%) to Actinobacteria, three (5.78%) to Euryarchaeota and one (1.92%) belongs to Bacteroidetes. Halophilic prokaryotes are rarely pathogenic: of these 52 halophilic prokaryotes only two (3.92%) species were classified in Risk Group 2 (Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus) and one (1.96%), species in Risk Group 3 (Bacillus anthracis).

  1. Arxula adeninivorans (Blastobotrys adeninivorans) — A Dimorphic Yeast of Great Biotechnological Potential

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Böer, Erik; Steinborn, Gerhard; Florschütz, Kristina; Körner, Martina; Gellissen, Gerd; Kunze, Gotthard

    The dimorphic ascomycetous yeast Arxula adeninivorans exhibits some unusual properties. Being a thermo- and halotolerant species it is able to assimilate and ferment many compounds as sole carbon and/or nitrogen source. It utilises n-alkanes and is capable of degrading starch. Due to these unusual biochemical properties A. adeninivorans can be exploited as a gene donor for the production of enzymes with attractive biotechnological characteristics. Examples of A. adeninivorans-derived genes that are overexpressed include the ALIP1 gene encoding a secretory lipase, the AINV encoding invertase, the AXDH encoding xylitol dehydrogenase and the APHY encoding a secretory phosphatase with phytase activity.

  2. Biodecoloration of Reactive Black 5 by the methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii MM 4035.

    PubMed

    Martorell, María M; Pajot, Hipólito F; Ahmed, Pablo M; de Figueroa, Lucía I C

    2017-03-01

    Azo dyes are extensively used in textile dyeing and other industries. Effluents of dying industries are specially colored and could cause severe damage to the environment. The anaerobic treatment of textile dying effluents is nowadays the preferred option, but it could generate carcinogenic aromatic amines. Recently, yeasts have become a promising alternative, combining unicellular growth with oxidative mechanisms. This work reports the characterization of the first methylotrophic yeast with dye decolorizing ability, Candida boidinii MM 4035 and some insights into its decoloration mechanism. The analysis of two selected media revealed a possible two stages mechanism of Reactive Black 5 decoloration. In glucose poor media, decoloration is incomplete and only the first stage proceeds, leading to the accumulation of a purple compound. In media with higher glucose concentrations, the yeast is able to decolorize totally an initial concentration of 200mg/L. The entire process is co-metabolic, being largely dependent on glucose concentration but being able to proceed with several nitrogen sources. Manganese dependent peroxidase but not laccase activity could be detected during decoloration. Aromatic amines do not accumulate in culture media, supporting an oxidative decoloration mechanism of unknown ecophysiological relevance. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Hanseniaspora nodinigri, a new yeast species found in black knots (Dibotryon morbosum) of Prunus virginiana.

    PubMed

    Lachance, M A

    1981-07-01

    The new yeast species Hanseniaspora nodinigri is described to accommodate members of the genus Hanseniaspora that are unable to assimilate glucono-sigma-lactone and isolated from stromatal tissue of black knots (Dobotryon morbosum) of chokecherry, Prunus virginiana. The newly described taxon shows much resemblance, by other criteria, to H. vineae van der Walt et Tscheuschner and H. osmophila (Niehaus) Phaff, Miller et Shifrine.

  4. Anaerosalibacter bizertensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a halotolerant bacterium isolated from sludge.

    PubMed

    Rezgui, Raja; Maaroufi, Abderrazak; Fardeau, Marie-Laure; Ben Ali Gam, Zouhaier; Cayol, Jean-Luc; Ben Hamed, Saïd; Labat, Marc

    2012-10-01

    A strictly anaerobic, halotolerant and thermotolerant strain, designated C5BEL(T), was isolated in north Tunisia from storage tanks holding waste generated by the recycling of discarded motor oils. Cells of strain C5BEL(T) were Gram-stain-positive, motile by laterally inserted flagella, straight, and spore-forming. Their two major fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(15 : 0) dimethyl acetal. Growth was observed at temperatures of 25-55 °C (optimum, 40 °C) and at pH 6-9 (optimum, pH 7.5). The salinity range for growth was 0-100 g l(-1) NaCl (optimum, 5 g l(-1)). Yeast extract was required for growth. Strain C5BEL(T) was heterotrophic, able to use glucose, pyruvate, succinate, yeast extract, bio-trypticase and peptone, but unable to grow on Casamino acids. Sulfate, thiosulfate, sulfite, elemental sulfur, fumarate, nitrate and nitrite were not reduced. The DNA G+C content of strain C5BEL(T) was 31.1 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain C5BEL(T) was a member of the family Clostridiaceae, class Clostridia, phylum Firmicutes and was most closely related to Sporanaerobacter acetigenes Lup33(T) ( = DSM 13106(T)) (92.4 % similarity). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons and physiological characteristics, strain C5BEL(T) can be classified as a novel species in a new genus, for which the name Anaerosalibacter bizertensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is C5BEL(T) ( = DSM 23801(T) = JCM 17239(T)).

  5. Insights into metabolism and sodium chloride adaptability of carbaryl degrading halotolerant Pseudomonas sp. strain C7.

    PubMed

    Trivedi, Vikas D; Bharadwaj, Anahita; Varunjikar, Madhushri S; Singha, Arminder K; Upadhyay, Priya; Gautam, Kamini; Phale, Prashant S

    2017-08-01

    Pseudomonas sp. strain C7 isolated from sediment of Thane creek near Mumbai, India, showed the ability to grow on glucose and carbaryl in the presence of 7.5 and 3.5% of NaCl, respectively. It also showed good growth in the absence of NaCl indicating the strain to be halotolerant. Increasing salt concentration impacted the growth on carbaryl; however, the specific activity of various enzymes involved in the metabolism remained unaffected. Among various enzymes, 1-naphthol 2-hydroxylase was found to be sensitive to chloride as compared to carbaryl hydrolase and gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase. The intracellular concentration of Cl - ions remained constant (6-8 mM) for cells grown on carbaryl either in the presence or absence of NaCl. Thus the ability to adapt to the increasing concentration of NaCl is probably by employing chloride efflux pump and/or increase in the concentration of osmolytes as mechanism for halotolerance. The halotolerant nature of the strain will be beneficial to remediate carbaryl from saline agriculture fields, ecosystems and wastewaters.

  6. Halotolerance, ligninase production and herbicide degradation ability of basidiomycetes strains.

    PubMed

    Arakaki, R L; Monteiro, D A; Boscolo, M; Dasilva, R; Gomes, E

    2013-12-01

    Fungi have been recently recognized as organisms able to grow in presence of high salt concentration with halophilic and halotolerance properties and their ligninolytic enzyme complex have an unspecific action enabling their use to degradation of a number of xenobiotic compounds. In this work, both the effect of salt and polyols on growth of the basidiomycetes strains, on their ability to produce ligninolytic enzyme and diuron degradation were evaluated. Results showed that the presence of NaCl in the culture medium affected fungal specimens in different ways. Seven out of ten tested strains had growth inhibited by salt while Dacryopinax elegans SXS323, Polyporus sp MCA128 and Datronia stereoides MCA167 fungi exhibited higher biomass production in medium containing 0.5 and 0.6 mol.L(-1) of NaCl, suggesting to be halotolerant. Polyols such as glycerol and mannitol added into the culture media improved the biomass and ligninases production by D. elegans but the fungus did not reveal consumption of these polyols from media. This fungus degraded diuron in medium control, in presence of NaCl as well as polyols, produced MnP, LiP and laccase.

  7. Alleviation of salt stress by halotolerant and halophilic plant growth-promoting bacteria in wheat (Triticum aestivum).

    PubMed

    Orhan, Furkan

    2016-01-01

    In the current study, 18 halotolerant and halophilic bacteria have been investigated for their plant growth promoting abilities in vitro and in a hydroponic culture. The bacterial strains have been investigated for ammonia, indole-3-acetic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate-deaminase production, phosphate solubilisation and nitrogen fixation activities. Of the tested bacteria, eight were inoculated with Triticum aestivum in a hydroponic culture. The investigated bacterial strains were found to have different plant-growth promoting activities in vitro. Under salt stress (200mM NaCl), the investigated bacterial strains significantly increased the root and shoot length and total fresh weight of the plants. The growth rates of the plants inoculated with bacterial strains ranged from 62.2% to 78.1%. Identifying of novel halophilic and halotolerant bacteria that promote plant growth can be used as alternatives for salt sensitive plants. Extensive research has been conducted on several halophilic and halotolerant bacterial strains to investigate their plant growth promoting activities. However, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first study to inoculate these bacterial strains with wheat. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  8. Halotolerant bacteria in the São Paulo Zoo composting process and their hydrolases and bioproducts

    PubMed Central

    Oliveira, Lilian C.G.; Ramos, Patricia Locosque; Marem, Alyne; Kondo, Marcia Y.; Rocha, Rafael C.S.; Bertolini, Thiago; Silveira, Marghuel A.V.; da Cruz, João Batista; de Vasconcellos, Suzan Pantaroto; Juliano, Luiz; Okamoto, Debora N.

    2015-01-01

    Halophilic microorganisms are able to grow in the presence of salt and are also excellent source of enzymes and biotechnological products, such as exopolysaccharides (EPSs) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Salt-tolerant bacteria were screened in the Organic Composting Production Unit (OCPU) of São Paulo Zoological Park Foundation, which processes 4 ton/day of organic residues including plant matter from the Atlantic Rain Forest, animal manure and carcasses and mud from water treatment. Among the screened microorganisms, eight halotolerant bacteria grew at NaCl concentrations up to 4 M. These cultures were classified based on phylogenetic characteristics and comparative partial 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis as belonging to the genera Staphylococcus, Bacillus and Brevibacterium. The results of this study describe the ability of these halotolerant bacteria to produce some classes of hydrolases, namely, lipases, proteases, amylases and cellulases, and biopolymers. The strain characterized as of Brevibacterium avium presented cellulase and amylase activities up to 4 M NaCl and also produced EPSs and PHAs. These results indicate the biotechnological potential of certain microorganisms recovered from the composting process, including halotolerant species, which have the ability to produce enzymes and biopolymers, offering new perspectives for environmental and industrial applications. PMID:26273248

  9. Candida olivae sp. nov., a novel yeast species from 'Greek-style' black olive fermentation.

    PubMed

    Nisiotou, Aspasia A; Panagou, Efstathios Z; Nychas, George-John E

    2010-05-01

    Two yeast strains (FMCC Y-1(T) and FMCC Y-2) were recovered during a survey of the yeast biota associated with fermenting black olives, collected from an olive tree (Olea europaea L. cv. 'Conservolea') orchard in Central Greece. Phylogenetic analysis based on rRNA gene sequences (18S, 26S, and 5.8S-ITS) indicated that the two strains represent a separate species within the Candida membranifaciens clade, in close relation to Candida blattariae NRRL Y-27703(T). Electrophoretic karyotyping and physiological analysis support the affiliation of the two strains to a novel species as Candida olivae sp. nov. The novel strains are conspecific with two Candida sp. strains previously isolated from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal fields [Gadanho & Sampaio (2005). Microb Ecol 50, 408-417], indicating that Candida olivae sp. nov. may occupy diverse ecological niches. FMCC Y-1(T) (=CBS 11171(T) =ATCC MYA-4568(T)) is the type strain.

  10. Barcode Identifiers as a Practical Tool for Reliable Species Assignment of Medically Important Black Yeast Species

    PubMed Central

    Heinrichs, Guido; de Hoog, G. Sybren

    2012-01-01

    Herpotrichiellaceous black yeasts and relatives comprise severe pathogens flanked by nonpathogenic environmental siblings. Reliable identification by conventional methods is notoriously difficult. Molecular identification is hampered by the sequence variability in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) domain caused by difficult-to-sequence homopolymeric regions and by poor taxonomic attribution of sequences deposited in GenBank. Here, we present a potential solution using short barcode identifiers (27 to 50 bp) based on ITS2 ribosomal DNA (rDNA), which allows unambiguous definition of species-specific fragments. Starting from proven sequences of ex-type and authentic strains, we were able to describe 103 identifiers. Multiple BLAST searches of these proposed barcode identifiers in GenBank revealed uniqueness for 100 taxonomic entities, whereas the three remaining identifiers each matched with two entities, but the species of these identifiers could easily be discriminated by differences in the remaining ITS regions. Using the proposed barcode identifiers, a 4.1-fold increase of 100% matches in GenBank was achieved in comparison to the classical approach using the complete ITS sequences. The proposed barcode identifiers will be made accessible for the diagnostic laboratory in a permanently updated online database, thereby providing a highly practical, reliable, and cost-effective tool for identification of clinically important black yeasts and relatives. PMID:22785187

  11. In Vitro Evaluation of the Probiotic Potential of Halotolerant Lactobacilli Isolated from a Ripened Tropical Mexican Cheese.

    PubMed

    Melgar-Lalanne, Guiomar; Rivera-Espinoza, Yadira; Reyes Méndez, Ana Itzel; Hernández-Sánchez, Humberto

    2013-12-01

    Three halotolerant lactobacilli (Lactobacillus plantarum, L. pentosus, and L. acidipiscis) isolated from a ripened Mexican tropical cheese (double cream Chiapas cheese) were evaluated as potential probiotics and compared with two commercial probiotic strains (L. casei Shirota and L. plantarum 299v) from human origin. All the strains survived the in vitro gastrointestinal simulation from the oral cavity to the ileum. During the stomach simulation, all the strains survived in satiety conditions (60 min, pH 3.0, 3 g/L pepsin, 150 rpm) and only L. pentosus could not survive under fasting conditions (60 min, pH 2.0, 3 g/L pepsin, 150 rpm). All the strains showed a strong hydrophilic character with low n-hexadecane and a variable chloroform affinity. L. plantarum showed a mucin adhesion rate similar to that of L. plantarum 299v and L. casei Shirota, while L. pentosus and L. acidipiscis had a lower mucin adhesion. The isolated halotolerant lactobacilli exhibited similar antimicrobial activity against some gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens in comparison with the two commercial strains. In addition, the proteinaceous character of the antimicrobial agents against the most pathogenic strains was demonstrated. The compounds showed a low molecular weight (less than 10 kDa). Besides, L. plantarum and L. acidipiscis were able to produce the enzyme β-galactosidase. Finally, L. pentosus was able to deconjugate taurocholic, taurodeoxycholic, glycocholic, and glycodeoxycholic acids better than the two commercial strains analyzed. All these results suggest that the halotolerant lactobacilli isolated from this ripened Mexican cheese could be potentially probiotic. This is the first time that halotolerant lactic acid bacteria have been shown to have probiotic properties.

  12. Characterization of butter spoiling yeasts and their inhibition by some spices.

    PubMed

    Sagdic, Osman; Ozturk, Ismet; Bayram, Okan; Kesmen, Zulal; Yilmaz, Mustafa Tahsin

    2010-01-01

    This study was designed to identify the yeasts in packaged and unpackaged butters and screen antiyeast activity of spices, including marjoram (Origanum majorana L.), summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.), and black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) against the most dominant yeast species in the packaged and unpackaged butters. Mean total yeast populations were 5.40 log CFU/g in unpackaged butter samples and 2.22 log CFU/g in packaged butter samples, indicating better hygienic quality of packaged samples. Forty-nine yeast species were isolated and identified from butter samples with the most prevalent isolates belonging to genera Candida-C. kefyr, C. zeylanoides, and C. lambica-and with moderate number of isolates belonging to genera Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, and Zygosaccharomyces. Black cumin exhibited the highest antiyeast activity against C. zeylanoides and C. lambica species, even inhibited these species, while summer savory inhibited C. kefyr. The results of this study revealed clear antimicrobial potential of black cumin against the yeast species isolated from butters. Marjoram, summer savory, and black cumin could be used as natural antimicrobial agents against spoilage yeasts in food preservation, especially in butter. © 2010 Institute of Food Technologists®

  13. Selection of yeasts with multifunctional features for application as starters in natural black table olive processing.

    PubMed

    Bonatsou, S; Benítez, A; Rodríguez-Gómez, F; Panagou, E Z; Arroyo-López, F N

    2015-04-01

    Yeasts are unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms with a great importance in the elaboration on many foods and beverages. In the last years, researches have focused their attention to determine the favourable effects that these microorganisms could provide to table olive processing. In this context, the present study assesses, at laboratory scale, the potential technological (resistance to salt, lipase, esterase and β-glucosidase activities) and probiotic (phytase activity, survival to gastric and pancreatic digestions) features of 12 yeast strains originally isolated from Greek natural black table olive fermentations. The multivariate classification analysis carried out with all information obtained (a total of 336 quantitative input data), revealed that the most promising strains (clearly discriminated from the rest of isolates) were Pichia guilliermondii Y16 (which showed overall the highest resistance to salt and simulated digestions) and Wickerhamomyces anomalus Y18 (with the overall highest technological enzymatic activities), while the rest of strains were grouped together in two clearly differentiated clusters. Thus, this work opens the possibility for the evaluation of these two selected yeasts as multifunctional starters, alone or in combination with lactic acid bacteria, in real table olive fermentations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. The Black Yeast Exophiala dermatitidis and Other Selected Opportunistic Human Fungal Pathogens Spread from Dishwashers to Kitchens

    PubMed Central

    Zupančič, Jerneja; Novak Babič, Monika; Zalar, Polona; Gunde-Cimerman, Nina

    2016-01-01

    We investigated the diversity and distribution of fungi in nine different sites inside 30 residential dishwashers. In total, 503 fungal strains were isolated, which belong to 10 genera and 84 species. Irrespective of the sampled site, 83% of the dishwashers were positive for fungi. The most frequent opportunistic pathogenic species were Exophiala dermatitidis, Candida parapsilosis sensu stricto, Exophiala phaeomuriformis, Fusarium dimerum, and the Saprochaete/Magnusiomyces clade. The black yeast E. dermatitidis was detected in 47% of the dishwashers, primarily at the dishwasher rubber seals, at up to 106 CFU/cm2; the other fungi detected were in the range of 102 to 105 CFU/cm2. The other most heavily contaminated dishwasher sites were side nozzles, doors and drains. Only F. dimerum was isolated from washed dishes, while dishwasher waste water contained E. dermatitidis, Exophiala oligosperma and Sarocladium killiense. Plumbing systems supplying water to household appliances represent the most probable route for contamination of dishwashers, as the fungi that represented the core dishwasher mycobiota were also detected in the tap water. Hot aerosols from dishwashers contained the human opportunistic yeast C. parapsilosis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and E. dermatitidis (as well as common air-borne genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Trichoderma and Cladosporium). Comparison of fungal contamination of kitchens without and with dishwashers revealed that virtually all were contaminated with fungi. In both cases, the most contaminated sites were the kitchen drain and the dish drying rack. The most important difference was higher prevalence of black yeasts (E. dermatitidis in particular) in kitchens with dishwashers. In kitchens without dishwashers, C. parapsilosis strongly prevailed with negligible occurrence of E. dermatitidis. F. dimerum was isolated only from kitchens with dishwashers, while Saprochaete/Magnusiomyces isolates were only found within dishwashers. We

  15. Draft Genome Sequence of Pontibacter sp. nov. BAB1700, a Halotolerant, Industrially Important Bacterium

    PubMed Central

    Joshi, M. N.; Sharma, A. C.; Pandya, R. V.; Patel, R. P.; Saiyed, Z. M.; Saxena, A. K.

    2012-01-01

    Pontibacter sp. nov. BAB1700 is a halotolerant, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, pink-pigmented, menaquinone-7-producing bacterium isolated from sediments of a drilling well. The draft genome sequence of the strain, consisting of one chromosome of 4.5 Mb, revealed vital gene clusters involved in vitamin biosynthesis and resistance against various metals and antibiotics. PMID:23105068

  16. Insertion of a specific fungal 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphatase motif into a plant homologue improves halotolerance and drought tolerance of plants.

    PubMed

    Gašparič, Meti Buh; Lenassi, Metka; Gostinčar, Cene; Rotter, Ana; Plemenitaš, Ana; Gunde-Cimerman, Nina; Gruden, Kristina; Zel, Jana

    2013-01-01

    Soil salinity and drought are among the most serious agricultural and environmental problems of today. Therefore, investigations of plant resistance to abiotic stress have received a lot of attention in recent years. In this study, we identified the complete coding sequence of a 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphatase protein, ApHal2, from the halotolerant yeast Aureobasidium pullulans. Expression of the ApHAL2 gene in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae hal2 mutant complemented the mutant auxotrophy for methionine, and rescued the growth of the hal2 mutant in media with high NaCl concentrations. A 21-amino-acids-long region of the ApHal2 enzyme was inserted into the Arabidopsis thaliana homologue of Hal2, the SAL1 phosphatase. The inserted sequence included the META motif, which has previously been implicated in increased sodium tolerance of the Hal2 homologue from a related fungal species. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing this modified SAL1 (mSAL1) showed improved halotolerance and drought tolerance. In a medium with an elevated salt concentration, mSAL1-expressing plants were twice as likely to have roots in a higher length category in comparison with the wild-type Arabidopsis and with plants overexpressing the native SAL1, and had 5% to 10% larger leaf surface area under moderate and severe salt stress, respectively. Similarly, after moderate drought exposure, the mSAL1-expressing plants showed 14% increased dry weight after revitalisation, with no increase in dry weight of the wild-type plants. With severe drought, plants overexpressing native SAL1 had the worst rehydration success, consistent with the recently proposed role of SAL1 in severe drought. This was not observed for plants expressing mSAL1. Therefore, the presence of this fungal META motif sequence is beneficial under conditions of increased salinity and moderate drought, and shows no drawbacks for plant survival under severe drought. This demonstrates that adaptations of extremotolerant fungi should

  17. Marine Isolates of Trichoderma spp. as Potential Halotolerant Agents of Biological Control for Arid-Zone Agriculture ▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Gal-Hemed, Inbal; Atanasova, Lea; Komon-Zelazowska, Monika; Druzhinina, Irina S.; Viterbo, Ada; Yarden, Oded

    2011-01-01

    The scarcity of fresh water in the Mediterranean region necessitates the search for halotolerant agents of biological control of plant diseases that can be applied in arid-zone agriculture irrigated with saline water. Among 29 Trichoderma strains previously isolated from Mediterranean Psammocinia sp. sponges, the greatest number of isolates belong to the Trichoderma longibrachiatum-Hypocrea orientalis species pair (9), H. atroviridis/T. atroviride (9), and T. harzianum species complex (7), all of which are known for high mycoparasitic potential. In addition, one isolate of T. asperelloides and two putative new species, Trichoderma sp. O.Y. 14707 and O.Y. 2407, from Longibrachiatum and Strictipilosa clades, respectively, have been identified. In vitro salinity assays showed that the ability to tolerate increasing osmotic pressure (halotolerance) is a strain- or clade-specific property rather than a feature of a species. Only a few isolates were found to be sensitive to increased salinity, while others either were halotolerant or even demonstrated improved growth in increasingly saline conditions. In vitro antibiosis assays revealed strong antagonistic activity toward phytopathogens due to the production of both soluble and volatile metabolites. Two marine-derived Trichoderma isolates, identified as T. atroviride and T. asperelloides, respectively, effectively reduced Rhizoctonia solani damping-off disease on beans and also induced defense responses in cucumber seedlings against Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrimans. This is the first inclusive evaluation of marine fungi as potential biocontrol agents. PMID:21666030

  18. Discovery and Characterization of a Thermostable and Highly Halotolerant GH5 Cellulase from an Icelandic Hot Spring Isolate

    PubMed Central

    Zarafeta, Dimitra; Kissas, Dimitrios; Sayer, Christopher; Gudbergsdottir, Sóley R.; Ladoukakis, Efthymios; Isupov, Michail N.; Chatziioannou, Aristotelis; Peng, Xu; Littlechild, Jennifer A.; Skretas, Georgios; Kolisis, Fragiskos N.

    2016-01-01

    With the ultimate goal of identifying robust cellulases for industrial biocatalytic conversions, we have isolated and characterized a new thermostable and very halotolerant GH5 cellulase. This new enzyme, termed CelDZ1, was identified by bioinformatic analysis from the genome of a polysaccharide-enrichment culture isolate, initiated from material collected from an Icelandic hot spring. Biochemical characterization of CelDZ1 revealed that it is a glycoside hydrolase with optimal activity at 70°C and pH 5.0 that exhibits good thermostability, high halotolerance at near-saturating salt concentrations, and resistance towards metal ions and other denaturing agents. X-ray crystallography of the new enzyme showed that CelDZ1 is the first reported cellulase structure that lacks the defined sugar-binding 2 subsite and revealed structural features which provide potential explanations of its biochemical characteristics. PMID:26741138

  19. In vitro antifungal effect of black cumin seed quinones against dairy spoilage yeasts at different acidity levels.

    PubMed

    Halamova, Katerina; Kokoska, Ladislav; Flesar, Jaroslav; Sklenickova, Olga; Svobodova, Blanka; Marsik, Petr

    2010-12-01

    The antiyeast activity of the black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) quinones dithymoquinone, thymohydroquinone (THQ), and thymoquinone (TQ) were evaluated in vitro with a broth microdilution method against six dairy spoilage yeast species. Antifungal effects of the quinones were compared with those of preservatives commonly used in milk products (calcium propionate, natamycin, and potassium sorbate) at two pH levels (4.0 and 5.5). THQ and TQ possessed significant antiyeast activity and affected the growth of all strains tested at both pH levels, with MICs ranging from 8 to 128 μg/ml. With the exception of the antibiotic natamycin, the inhibitory effects of all food preservatives against the yeast strains tested in this study were strongly affected by differences in pH, with MICs of ≥16 and ≥512 μg/ml at pH 4.0 and 5.5, respectively. These findings suggest that HQ and TQ are effective antiyeast agents that could be used in the dairy industry as chemical preservatives of natural origin.

  20. The flavoprotein Tah18-dependent NO synthesis confers high-temperature stress tolerance on yeast cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nishimura, Akira; Kawahara, Nobuhiro; Takagi, Hiroshi, E-mail: hiro@bs.naist.jp

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NO is produced from L-arginine in response to elevated temperature in yeast. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Tah18 was first identified as the yeast protein involved in NO synthesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Tah18-dependent NO synthesis confers tolerance to high-temperature on yeast cells. -- Abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is a ubiquitous signaling molecule involved in the regulation of a large number of cellular functions. In the unicellular eukaryote yeast, NO may be involved in stress response pathways, but its role is poorly understood due to the lack of mammalian NO synthase (NOS) orthologues. Previously, we have proposed the oxidative stress-induced L-arginine synthesis and its physiologicalmore » role under stress conditions in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, our experimental results indicated that increased conversion of L-proline into L-arginine led to NO production in response to elevated temperature. We also showed that the flavoprotein Tah18, which was previously reported to transfer electrons to the Fe-S cluster protein Dre2, was involved in NO synthesis in yeast. Gene knockdown analysis demonstrated that Tah18-dependent NO synthesis confers high-temperature stress tolerance on yeast cells. As it appears that such a unique cell protection mechanism is specific to yeasts and fungi, it represents a promising target for antifungal activity.« less

  1. A new perylenequinone from a halotolerant fungus, Alternaria sp. M6.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Song-Ya; Li, Zhan-Lin; Bai, Jiao; Wang, Yu; Zhang, Li-Min; Wu, Xin; Hua, Hui-Ming

    2012-01-01

    To study the metabolites of a halotolerant fungus Alternaria sp. M6. The metabolites were isolated and purified by various chromatographic techniques. Their structures were determined on the basis of physical properties and spectroscopic data. Nine compounds were isolated and identified as 8β-chloro-3, 6aα, 7β, 9β, 10-pentahydroxy-9, 8, 7, 6a-tetrahydroperylen-4(6aH)-one (1), alterperylenol (2), dihydroalterperylenol (3), adenine (4), adenosine (5), deoxyadenosine (6), guanosine (7), tryptophan (8), and hexadecanoic acid (9). Compound 1 is a new perylenequinone. Copyright © 2012 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. The neurotropic black yeast Exophiala dermatitidis has a possible origin in the tropical rain forest

    PubMed Central

    Sudhadham, M.; Prakitsin, S.; Sivichai, S.; Chaiyarat, R.; Dorrestein, G. M.; Menken, S.B.J.; de Hoog, G.S.

    2008-01-01

    The black yeast Exophiala dermatitidis is known as a rare etiologic agent of neurotropic infections in humans, occurring particularly in East and Southeast Asia. In search of its natural habitat, a large sampling was undertaken in temperate as well as in tropical climates. Sampling sites were selected on the basis of the origins of previously isolated strains, and on the basis of physiological properties of the species, which also determined a selective isolation protocol. The species was absent from outdoor environments in the temperate climate, but present at low abundance in comparable habitats in the tropics. Positive outdoor sites particularly included faeces of frugivorous birds and bats, in urban as well as in natural areas. Tropical fruits were found E. dermatitidis positive at low incidence. Of the human-made environments sampled, railway ties contaminated by human faeces and oily debris in the tropics were massively positive, while the known abundance of the fungus in steam baths was confirmed. On the basis of the species' oligotrophy, thermotolerance, acidotolerance, moderate osmotolerance, melanization and capsular yeast cells a natural life cycle in association with frugivorous animals in foci in the tropical rain forest, involving passage of living cells through the intestinal tract was hypothesized. The human-dominated environment may have become contaminated by ingestion of wild berries carrying fungal propagules PMID:19287537

  3. Proteins contribute insignificantly to the intrinsic buffering capacity of yeast cytoplasm

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Poznanski, Jaroslaw; Szczesny, Pawel; Institute of Experimental Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We predicted buffering capacity of yeast proteome from protein abundance data. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We measured total buffering capacity of yeast cytoplasm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We showed that proteins contribute insignificantly to buffering capacity. -- Abstract: Intracellular pH is maintained by a combination of the passive buffering of cytoplasmic dissociable compounds and several active systems. Over the years, a large portion of and possibly most of the cell's intrinsic (i.e., passive non-bicarbonate) buffering effect was attributed to proteins, both in higher organisms and in yeast. This attribution was not surprising, given that the concentration of proteins with multiple protonable/deprotonable groups in themore » cell exceeds the concentration of free protons by a few orders of magnitude. Using data from both high-throughput experiments and in vitro laboratory experiments, we tested this concept. We assessed the buffering capacity of the yeast proteome using protein abundance data and compared it to our own titration of yeast cytoplasm. We showed that the protein contribution is less than 1% of the total intracellular buffering capacity. As confirmed with NMR measurements, inorganic phosphates play a crucial role in the process. These findings also shed a new light on the role of proteomes in maintaining intracellular pH. The contribution of proteins to the intrinsic buffering capacity is negligible, and proteins might act only as a recipient of signals for changes in pH.« less

  4. Draft Genome Sequence of the Acidophilic, Halotolerant, and Iron/Sulfur-Oxidizing Acidihalobacter prosperus DSM 14174 (Strain V6).

    PubMed

    Khaleque, Himel Nahreen; Ramsay, Joshua P; Murphy, Riley J T; Kaksonen, Anna H; Boxall, Naomi J; Watkin, Elizabeth L J

    2017-01-19

    The principal genomic features of Acidihalobacter prosperus DSM 14174 (strain V6) are presented here. This is a mesophilic, halotolerant, and iron/sulfur-oxidizing acidophile that was isolated from seawater at Vulcano, Italy. It has potential for use in biomining applications in regions where high salinity exists in the source water and ores. Copyright © 2017 Khaleque et al.

  5. Halotolerance and survival kinetics of lactic acid bacteria isolated from jalapeño pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fermentation.

    PubMed

    González-Quijano, Génesis Karendash; Dorantes-Alvarez, Lidia; Hernández-Sánchez, Humberto; Jaramillo-Flores, María Eugenia; de Jesús Perea-Flores, María; Vera-Ponce de León, Arturo; Hernández-Rodríguez, César

    2014-08-01

    The microbiota associated with spontaneous fermentation of vegetables in a saline substrate may represent an important group of bacteria in the food industry. In this work, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Weissella cibaria, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paraplantarum, and Leuconostoc citreum were identified by partial 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. In addition, entophytic bacteria such as Pantoea eucalypti, Pantoea anthophila, Enterobacter cowanii, and Enterobacter asburiae were detected, but they were irrelevant for the fermentation process and were inhibited after 12 h of fermentation when the pH decreased from 6.5 to 4.9. Moreover, 2 species of yeast were isolated and identified as Hanseniaspora pseudoguilliermondii and Kodamaea ohmeri by their partial 26S rRNA gene sequence. The growth of LAB was evaluated at different sodium chloride contents. L. citreum was the most halotolerant species followed by L. plantarum and W. cibaria with a concentration index to obtain a 50% population reduction (IC(50)) of 7.2%, 6.6%, and 5.2%, respectively. Furthermore, the growth of LAB and Escherichia coli O157:H7 was evaluated in the presence of the main phenylpropanoids from chilli peppers such as p-coumaric and ferulic acid. It was determined that LAB can grow in both acids at 4 mM, unlike E. coli O157:H7, whose growth is inhibited in the presence of these acids. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  6. Mining Halophytes for Plant Growth-Promoting Halotolerant Bacteria to Enhance the Salinity Tolerance of Non-halophytic Crops

    PubMed Central

    Etesami, Hassan; Beattie, Gwyn A.

    2018-01-01

    Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic stresses limiting crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Interest is increasing in the application of PGPRs (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria) to ameliorate stresses such as salinity stress in crop production. The identification of salt-tolerant, or halophilic, PGPRs has the potential to promote saline soil-based agriculture. Halophytes are a useful reservoir of halotolerant bacteria with plant growth-promoting capabilities. Here, we review recent studies on the use of halophilic PGPRs to stimulate plant growth and increase the tolerance of non-halophytic crops to salinity. These studies illustrate that halophilic PGPRs from the rhizosphere of halophytic species can be effective bio-inoculants for promoting the production of non-halophytic species in saline soils. These studies support the viability of bioinoculation with halophilic PGPRs as a strategy for the sustainable enhancement of non-halophytic crop growth. The potential of this strategy is discussed within the context of ensuring sustainable food production for a world with an increasing population and continuing climate change. We also explore future research needs for using halotolerant PGPRs under salinity stress. PMID:29472908

  7. Black Yeasts and Their Filamentous Relatives: Principles of Pathogenesis and Host Defense

    PubMed Central

    Netea, Mihai G.; Mouton, Johan W.; Melchers, Willem J. G.; Verweij, Paul E.; de Hoog, G. Sybren

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY Among the melanized fungi, the so-called “black yeasts” and their filamentous relatives are particularly significant as agents of severe phaeohyphomycosis, chromoblastomycosis, and mycetoma in humans and animals. The pathogenicity and virulence of these fungi may differ significantly between closely related species. The factors which probably are of significance for pathogenicity include the presence of melanin and carotene, formation of thick cell walls and meristematic growth, presence of yeast-like phases, thermo- and perhaps also osmotolerance, adhesion, hydrophobicity, assimilation of aromatic hydrocarbons, and production of siderophores. Host defense has been shown to rely mainly on the ingestion and elimination of fungal cells by cells of the innate immune system, especially neutrophils and macrophages. However, there is increasing evidence supporting a role of T-cell-mediated immune responses, with increased interleukin-10 (IL-10) and low levels of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) being deleterious during the infection. There are no standardized therapies for treatment. It is therefore important to obtain in vitro susceptibilities of individual patients' fungal isolates in order to provide useful information for selection of appropriate treatment protocols. This article discusses the pathogenesis and host defense factors for these fungi and their severity, chronicity, and subsequent impact on treatment and prevention of diseases in human or animal hosts. PMID:24982320

  8. Salt Stress Induced Changes in the Exoproteome of the Halotolerant Bacterium Tistlia consotensis Deciphered by Proteogenomics

    PubMed Central

    Rubiano-Labrador, Carolina; Bland, Céline; Miotello, Guylaine; Armengaud, Jean; Baena, Sandra

    2015-01-01

    The ability of bacteria to adapt to external osmotic changes is fundamental for their survival. Halotolerant microorganisms, such as Tistlia consotensis, have to cope with continuous fluctuations in the salinity of their natural environments which require effective adaptation strategies against salt stress. Changes of extracellular protein profiles from Tistlia consotensis in conditions of low and high salinities were monitored by proteogenomics using a bacterial draft genome. At low salinity, we detected greater amounts of the HpnM protein which is involved in the biosynthesis of hopanoids. This may represent a novel, and previously unreported, strategy by halotolerant microorganisms to prevent the entry of water into the cell under conditions of low salinity. At high salinity, proteins associated with osmosensing, exclusion of Na+ and transport of compatible solutes, such as glycine betaine or proline are abundant. We also found that, probably in response to the high salt concentration, T. consotensis activated the synthesis of flagella and triggered a chemotactic response neither of which were observed at the salt concentration which is optimal for growth. Our study demonstrates that the exoproteome is an appropriate indicator of adaptive response of T. consotensis to changes in salinity because it allowed the identification of key proteins within its osmoadaptive mechanism that had not previously been detected in its cell proteome. PMID:26287734

  9. Isolation and characterization of two novel halotolerant Catechol 2, 3-dioxygenases from a halophilic bacterial consortium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Guang; Fang, Tingting; Wang, Chongyang; Huang, Yong; Tian, Fang; Cui, Qijia; Wang, Hui

    2015-12-01

    Study of enzymes in halophiles will help to understand the mechanism of aromatic hydrocarbons degradation in saline environment. In this study, two novel catechol 2,3-dioxygenases (C23O1 and C23O2) were cloned and overexpressed from a halophilic bacterial consortium enriched from an oil-contaminated saline soil. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the novel C23Os and their relatives formed a new branch in subfamily I.2.A of extradiol dioxygenases and the sequence differences were further analyzed by amino acid sequence alignment. Two enzymes with the halotolerant feature were active over a range of 0-30% salinity and they performed more stable at high salinity than in the absence of salt. Surface electrostatic potential and amino acids composition calculation suggested high acidic residues content, accounting for their tolerance to high salinity. Moreover, two enzymes were further characterized. The enzymes activity both increased in the presence of Fe3+, Fe2+, Cu2+ and Al3+ and showed no significant inhibition by other tested metal ions. The optimal temperatures for the C23Os were 40 °C and 60 °C and their best substrates were catechol and 4-methylcatechol respectively. As the firstly isolated and characterized catechol dioxygenases from halophiles, the two halotolerant C23Os presented novel characteristics suggesting their potential application in aromatic hydrocarbons biodegradation.

  10. Ecology of extremophile yeasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vishniac, Helen S.

    1998-07-01

    Capsular Cryptococcus spp. dominate in desert soils. The most extreme conditions are encountered by Cryptococcus vishniacii which dominates in the arid highlands of the Ross desert of Antarctica by virtue of its ability to grow at low temperatures, minimal nutritional requirements, tolerance of low population densities, and survival skills, although this species is neither osmo-nor halotolerant, characters which are associated with higher energy requirements.

  11. Halotolerant and halophilic bacteria in the oceans of the icy satellites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramirez, S. I.; Montoya, L.; Avendaño, R.

    2013-05-01

    Halotolerant and halophilic prokaryotes require salt concentrations equal to or higher than those present at terrestrial oceans (Rothschild and Mancinelli, 2001). They are a particular kind of extremophiles and as expected, their halotolerance is mainly expressed in terms of a certain NaCl percentage, at least on Earth. With the discovery of putative salty liquid oceans beneath the iced surfaces of some of the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn (Mueller and McKinnon, 1988; Kargel et al., 2000; Zolotov, 2007), information about the impact of other types of salts, different from NaCl, on the growth of complex biological systems is necessary. We have found that when three specific bacteria strains are growing in media enriched with salts containing chaotropic and kosmotropic ions, their specific optimal growth value is modified (Montoya et al., 2010). The changes can be broadly explained in terms of the Hofmeister series (Zhang and Cremer, 2006). These results can be used to infer an extension in the limits of biological activity. For terrestrial organisms there is scarce information to determine the impact of another salt in the growth of an organism. In these sense we have found that when media enriched with magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) at water activity values (aw) similar to those reported as optimal for NaCl, their growth and tolerance is considerably enhanced. On the other hand, the combination of chaotropic and kosmotropic ions result in salts of astrobiological importance such as the sulphate already mentioned, carbonates or chlorides that can tentatively exist in the putative ocean of Europa, Ganymedes, or Enceladus or even at the subsurface of Mars. In this frame, we studied the growth rate of Halomonas halodurans, H. magadiensis and Bacillus pumillus when exposed to media enriched with NaCl, MgSO4, Mg(NO3)2, MgCl2, Na2SO4 and NH4SO4. Equivalent values of water activity (aw) for each salt were compared and correlated with microbial activity (Montoya et al., 2010

  12. Effect of autochthonous bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis on bacterial population dynamics and growth of halotolerant bacteria in Brazilian charqui.

    PubMed

    Biscola, Vanessa; Abriouel, Hikmate; Todorov, Svetoslav Dimitrov; Capuano, Verena Sant'Anna Cabral; Gálvez, Antonio; Franco, Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo

    2014-12-01

    Charqui is a fermented, salted and sun-dried meat product, widely consumed in Brazil and exported to several countries. Growth of microorganisms in this product is unlikely due to reduced Aw, but halophilic and halotolerant bacteria may grow and cause spoilage. Charqui is a good source of lactic acid bacteria able to produce antimicrobial bacteriocins. In this study, an autochthonous bacteriocinogenic strain (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 69), isolated from charqui, was added to the meat used for charqui manufacture and evaluated for its capability to prevent the growth of spoilage bacteria during storage up to 45 days. The influence of L. lactis 69 on the bacterial diversity during the manufacturing of the product was also studied, using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). L. lactis 69 did not affect the counts and diversity of lactic acid bacteria during manufacturing and storage, but influenced negatively the populations of halotolerant microorganisms, reducing the spoilage potential. The majority of tested virulence genes was absent, evidencing the safety and potential technological application of this strain as an additional hurdle to inhibit undesirable microbial growth in this and similar fermented meat products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Effects of black yeast-derived β-1,3-1,6-glucan on serum cytokine and microRNA expression in transplanted sarcoma in mice.

    PubMed

    Li, Wei; Zhang, Yaru; Cong, Fengsong

    2013-01-01

    β-1,3-1,6-glucans are the most abundant glucose polymers in the cell walls of fungi. Previous studies have shown that β-1,3-1,6-glucans derived from fungi possess immunomodulating activitivies. Antitumor effects of these compounds have also been reported in animal models. Current studies mainly focus on the direct effects of β-1,3-1,6-glucans on immune systems, but no data are available to address the underlying molecular events in tumor cells. β-1,3-1,6-glucan purified from black yeast at 5 mg/100 g body weight (study group) or saline (control group) was intragastrically administered on a daily basis to subcutaneously-injected mice with mouse S180 sarcoma cells. Tumor sizes, tumor weights, serum concentrations of cytokines and levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) in transplanted tumors were compared between the treated and control groups. The volumes and weights of transplanted tumors were significantly lower in the treatment groups compared to the control groups by ∼150% and 70%, respectively. The treated mice demonstrated significantly higher levels of cytokines, including IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12, compared to the control mice. Notably, the expression of several miRNAs in transplanted tumor tissues also markedly changed. These data suggest that black yeast-derived β-1,3-1,6-glucan, not only stimulates cytokine release from immune cells, but also changes the expression profiles of miRNAs in transplanted tumors.

  14. Effects of black yeast-derived β-1,3-1,6-glucan on serum cytokine and microRNA expression in transplanted sarcoma in mice

    PubMed Central

    LI, WEI; ZHANG, YARU; CONG, FENGSONG

    2013-01-01

    β-1,3-1,6-glucans are the most abundant glucose polymers in the cell walls of fungi. Previous studies have shown that β-1,3-1,6-glucans derived from fungi possess immunomodulating activitivies. Antitumor effects of these compounds have also been reported in animal models. Current studies mainly focus on the direct effects of β-1,3-1,6-glucans on immune systems, but no data are available to address the underlying molecular events in tumor cells. β-1,3-1,6-glucan purified from black yeast at 5 mg/100 g body weight (study group) or saline (control group) was intragastrically administered on a daily basis to subcutaneously-injected mice with mouse S180 sarcoma cells. Tumor sizes, tumor weights, serum concentrations of cytokines and levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) in transplanted tumors were compared between the treated and control groups. The volumes and weights of transplanted tumors were significantly lower in the treatment groups compared to the control groups by ∼150% and 70%, respectively. The treated mice demonstrated significantly higher levels of cytokines, including IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12, compared to the control mice. Notably, the expression of several miRNAs in transplanted tumor tissues also markedly changed. These data suggest that black yeast-derived β-1,3-1,6-glucan, not only stimulates cytokine release from immune cells, but also changes the expression profiles of miRNAs in transplanted tumors. PMID:24648910

  15. Yeast and Macroinvertebrate Communities Associated with Leaf Litter Decomposition in a Second Order Stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sampaio, Ana; Cortes, Rui; Leão, Cecília

    2004-11-01

    The composition of yeast and macroinvertebrate communities was studied on black alder, blue gum eucalyptus and English oak leaves decaying in a stream during a six-month period. ANOVA analysis showed significantly different values (p < 0.0001) of yeast and macroinvertebrate densities among the three leaf litters. Some yeast species such as Cryptococcus albidus (Saito), C. laurentii (Kufferath), Rhodothorula glutinis (Fresenius), R. colostri (Castelli), and Debaryomyces hansenii (Lodder and Kreger-van Rij) were present in all litter types. Other yeasts were restricted to a specific type of litter. Macroinvertebrates were dominated by collectors-gatherers on oak and eucalyptus leaves. Shredders reached highest densities in alder leaves. (

  16. Core Flood study for enhanced oil recovery through ex-situ bioaugmentation with thermo- and halo-tolerant rhamnolipid produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM 5514.

    PubMed

    Varjani, Sunita J; Upasani, Vivek N

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this work was to study the Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) employing core field model ex-situ bioaugmenting a thermo- and halo-tolerant rhamnolipid produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) revealed that the biosurfactant produced was rhamnolipid type. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analysis showed that the purified rhamnolipids comprised two principal rhamnolipid homologues, i.e., Rha-Rha-C10-C14:1 and Rha-C8-C10. The rhamnolipid was stable under wide range of temperature (4°C, 30-100°C), pH (2.0-10.0) and NaCl concentration (0-18%, w/v). Core Flood model was designed for oil recovery operations using rhamnolipid. The oil recovery enhancement over Residual Oil Saturation was 8.82% through ex-situ bioaugmentation with rhamnolipid. The thermal stability of rhamnolipid shows promising scope for its application at conditions where high temperatures prevail in oil recovery processes, whereas its halo-tolerant nature increases its application in marine environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. The yeast spectrum of the 'tea fungus Kombucha'.

    PubMed

    Mayser, P; Fromme, S; Leitzmann, C; Gründer, K

    1995-01-01

    The tea fungus 'Kombucha' is a symbiosis of Acetobacter, including Acetobacter xylinum as a characteristic species, and various yeasts. A characteristic yeast species or genus has not yet been identified. Kombucha is mainly cultivated in sugared black tea to produce a slightly acidulous effervescent beverage that is said to have several curative effects. In addition to sugar, the beverage contains small amounts of alcohol and various acids, including acetic acid, gluconic acid and lactic acid, as well as some antibiotic substances. To characterize the yeast spectrum with special consideration given to facultatively pathogenic yeasts, two commercially available specimens of tea fungus and 32 from private households in Germany were analysed by micromorphological and biochemical methods. Yeasts of the genera Brettanomyces, Zygosaccharomyces and Saccharomyces were identified in 56%, 29% and 26% respectively. The species Saccharomycodes ludwigii and Candida kefyr were only demonstrated in isolated cases. Furthermore, the tests revealed pellicle-forming yeasts such as Candida krusei or Issatchenkia orientalis/occidentalis as well as species of the apiculatus yeasts (Kloeckera, Hanseniaspora). Thus, the genus Brettanomyces may be a typical group of yeasts that are especially adapted to the environment of the tea fungus. However, to investigate further the beneficial effects of tea fungus, a spectrum of the other typical genera must be defined. Only three specimens showed definite contaminations. In one case, no yeasts could be isolated because of massive contamination with Penicillium spp. In the remaining two samples (from one household), Candida albicans was demonstrated. The low rate of contamination might be explained by protective mechanisms, such as formation of organic acids and antibiotic substances. Thus, subjects with a healthy metabolism do not need to be advised against cultivating Kombucha. However, those suffering from immunosuppression should preferably

  18. Halotolerant extremophile bacteria from the Great Salt Lake for recycling pollutants in microbial fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grattieri, Matteo; Suvira, Milomir; Hasan, Kamrul; Minteer, Shelley D.

    2017-07-01

    The treatment of hypersaline wastewater (approximately 5% of the wastewater worldwide) cannot be performed by classical biological techniques. Herein the halotolerant extremophile bacteria obtained from the Great Salt Lake (Utah) were explored in single chamber microbial fuel cells with Pt-free cathodes for more than 18 days. The bacteria samples collected in two different locations of the lake (Stansbury Bay and Antelope Island) showed different electrochemical performances. The maximum achieved power output of 36 mW m-2 was from the microbial fuel cell based on the sample originated from Stansbury Bay, at a current density of 820 mA m-2. The performances throughout the long-term operation are discussed and a bioelectrochemical mechanism is proposed.

  19. Characterization of the native form and the carboxy-terminally truncated halotolerant form of α-amylases from Bacillus subtilis strain FP-133.

    PubMed

    Takenaka, Shinji; Miyatake, Ayaka; Tanaka, Kosei; Kuntiya, Ampin; Techapun, Charin; Leksawasdi, Noppol; Seesuriyachan, Phisit; Chaiyaso, Thanongsak; Watanabe, Masanori; Yoshida, Ken-ichi

    2015-06-01

    Two amylases, amylase I and amylase II from Bacillus subtilis strain FP-133, were purified to homogeneity and characterized. Their stabilities toward temperature, pH, and organic solvents, and their substrate specificities toward polysaccharides and oligosaccharides were similar. Under moderately high salt conditions, both amylases were more stable than commercial B. licheniformis amylase, and amylase I retained higher amylase activity than amylase II. The N-terminal amino acid sequence, genomic southern blot analysis, and MALDI-TOFF-MS analysis indicated that the halotolerant amylase I was produced by limited carboxy-terminal truncation of the amylase II peptide. The deduced amino acid sequence of amylase II was >95% identical to that of previously reported B. subtilis α-amylases, but their carboxy-terminal truncation points differed. Three recombinant amylases--full-length amylase corresponding to amylase II, an artificially truncated amylase corresponding to amylase I, and an amylase with a larger artificial C-terminal truncation--were expressed in B. subtilis. The artificially truncated recombinant amylases had the same high amylase activity as amylase I under moderately high salt conditions. Sequence comparisons indicated that an increased ratio of Asp/Glu residues in the enzyme may be one factor responsible for increasing halotolerance. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Extracellular enzymatic activities and physiological profiles of yeasts colonizing fruit trees.

    PubMed

    Molnárová, Jana; Vadkertiová, Renáta; Stratilová, Eva

    2014-07-01

    Yeasts form a significant and diverse part of the phyllosphere microbiota. Some yeasts that inhabit plants have been found to exhibit extracellular enzymatic activities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of yeasts isolated from leaves, fruits, and blossoms of fruit trees cultivated in Southwest Slovakia to produce extracellular enzymes, and to discover whether the yeasts originating from these plant organs differ from each other in their physiological properties. In total, 92 strains belonging to 29 different species were tested for: extracellular protease, β-glucosidase, lipase, and polygalacturonase activities; fermentation abilities; the assimilation of xylose, saccharose and alcohols (methanol, ethanol, glycerol); and for growth in a medium with 33% glucose. The black yeast Aureobasidium pullulans showed the largest spectrum of activities of all the species tested. Almost 70% of the strains tested demonstrated some enzymatic activity, and more than 90% utilized one of the carbon compounds tested. Intraspecies variations were found for the species of the genera Cryptococcus and Pseudozyma. Interspecies differences of strains exhibiting some enzymatic activities and utilizing alcohols were also noted. The largest proportion of the yeasts exhibited β-glucosidase activity and assimilated alcohols independently of their origin. The highest number of strains positive for all activities tested was found among the yeasts associated with leaves. Yeasts isolated from blossoms assimilated saccharose and D-xylose the most frequently of all the yeasts tested. The majority of the fruit-inhabiting yeasts grew in the medium with higher osmotic pressure. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. The potential of halophilic and halotolerant bacteria for the production of antineoplastic enzymes: L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase

    PubMed Central

    Shirazian, Pejman; Asad, Sedigheh; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali

    2016-01-01

    L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase can be effectively used for the treatment of patients who suffer from accute lymphoblastic leukemia and tumor cells. Microbial sources are the best source for the bulk production of these enzymes. However, their long-term administration may cause immunological responses, so screening for new enzymes with novel properties is required. Halophilic and halotolerant bacteria with novel enzymatic characteristics can be considered as a potential source for production of enzymes with different immunological properties. In this study, L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production by halophilic bacteria isolated from Urmia salt lake was studied. Out of the 85 isolated halophilic and halotolerant bacterial strains, 16 (19 %) showed L-asparaginase activity and 3 strains (3.5 %) showed L-glutaminase activity. Strains with the highest activities were selected for further studies. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, it was shown that the selected isolates for L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production belong to the genus Bacillus and Salicola, respectively. Both enzymes were produced extracellularly. The strain with the most L-asparaginase production did not show L-glutaminase production which is medically important. The effects of key parameters including temperature, initial pH of the solution, and concentrations of glucose, asparagine or glutamine, and sodium chloride were evaluated by means of response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize enzymes production. Under the obtained optimal conditions, L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production was increased up to 1.5 (61.7 unit/mL) and 2.6 fold (46.4 unit/mL), respectively. PMID:27330530

  2. The potential of halophilic and halotolerant bacteria for the production of antineoplastic enzymes: L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase.

    PubMed

    Shirazian, Pejman; Asad, Sedigheh; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali

    2016-01-01

    L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase can be effectively used for the treatment of patients who suffer from accute lymphoblastic leukemia and tumor cells. Microbial sources are the best source for the bulk production of these enzymes. However, their long-term administration may cause immunological responses, so screening for new enzymes with novel properties is required. Halophilic and halotolerant bacteria with novel enzymatic characteristics can be considered as a potential source for production of enzymes with different immunological properties. In this study, L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production by halophilic bacteria isolated from Urmia salt lake was studied. Out of the 85 isolated halophilic and halotolerant bacterial strains, 16 (19 %) showed L-asparaginase activity and 3 strains (3.5 %) showed L-glutaminase activity. Strains with the highest activities were selected for further studies. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, it was shown that the selected isolates for L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production belong to the genus Bacillus and Salicola, respectively. Both enzymes were produced extracellularly. The strain with the most L-asparaginase production did not show L-glutaminase production which is medically important. The effects of key parameters including temperature, initial pH of the solution, and concentrations of glucose, asparagine or glutamine, and sodium chloride were evaluated by means of response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize enzymes production. Under the obtained optimal conditions, L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase production was increased up to 1.5 (61.7 unit/mL) and 2.6 fold (46.4 unit/mL), respectively.

  3. Yeasts associated with the curculionid beetle Xyloterinus politus: Candida xyloterini sp. nov., Candida palmyrensis sp. nov. and three common ambrosia yeasts.

    PubMed

    Suh, Sung-Oui; Zhou, Jianlong

    2010-07-01

    Seven yeast strains were isolated from the body surface and galleries of Xyloterinus politus, the ambrosia beetle that attacks black oak trees. Based on rDNA sequence comparisons and other taxonomic characteristics, five of the strains were identified as members of the species Saccharomycopsis microspora, Wickerhamomyces hampshirensis and Candida mycetangii, which have been reported previously as being associated with insects. The remaining two yeast strains were proposed as representatives of two novel species, Candida xyloterini sp. nov. (type strain ATCC 62898(T)=CBS 11547(T)) and Candida palmyrensis sp. nov. (type strain ATCC 62899(T)=CBS 11546(T)). C. xyloterini sp. nov. is a close sister taxon to Ogataea dorogensis and assimilates methanol as a sole carbon source but lacks ascospores. On the other hand, C. palmyrensis sp. nov. is phylogenetically distinct from any other ambrosia yeast reported so far. The species was placed near Candida sophiae-reginae and Candida beechii based on DNA sequence analyses, but neither of these were close sister taxa to C. palmyrensis sp. nov.

  4. A halotolerant thermostable lipase from the marine bacterium Oceanobacillus sp. PUMB02 with an ability to disrupt bacterial biofilms

    PubMed Central

    Seghal Kiran, George; Nishanth Lipton, Anuj; Kennedy, Jonathan; Dobson, Alan DW; Selvin, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    A halotolerant thermostable lipase was purified and characterized from the marine bacterium Oceanobacillus sp. PUMB02. This lipase displayed a high degree of stability over a wide range of conditions including pH, salinity, and temperature. It was optimally active at 30 °C and pH 8.0 respectively and was stable at higher temperatures (50–70 °C) and alkaline pH. The molecular mass of the lipase was approximately 31 kDa based on SDS-PAGE and MALDI-ToF fingerprint analysis. Conditions for enhanced production of lipase by Oceanobacillus sp. PUMB02 were attained in response surface method-guided optimization with factors such as olive oil, sucrose, potassium chromate, and NaCl being evaluated, resulting in levels of 58.84 U/ml being achieved. The biofilm disruption potential of the PUMB02 lipase was evaluated and compared with a marine sponge metagenome derived halotolerant lipase Lpc53E1. Good biofilm disruption activity was observed with both lipases against potential food pathogens such as Bacillus cereus MTCC1272, Listeria sp. MTCC1143, Serratia sp. MTCC4822, Escherichia coli MTCC443, Pseudomonas fluorescens MTCC1748, and Vibrio parahemolyticus MTCC459. Phase contrast microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy showed very effective disruption of pathogenic biofilms. This study reveals that marine derived hydrolytic enzymes such as lipases may have potential utility in inhibiting biofilm formation in a food processing environment and is the first report of the potential application of lipases from the genus Oceanobacillus in biofilm disruption strategies. PMID:25482232

  5. Biosurfactant production by halotolerant Rhodococcus fascians from Casey Station, Wilkes Land, Antarctica.

    PubMed

    Gesheva, Victoria; Stackebrandt, Erko; Vasileva-Tonkova, Evgenia

    2010-08-01

    Isolate A-3 from Antarctic soil in Casey Station, Wilkes Land, was characterized for growth on hydrocarbons. Use of glucose or kerosene as a sole carbon source in the culture medium favoured biosynthesis of surfactant which, by thin-layer chromatography, indicated the formation of a rhamnose-containing glycolipid. This compound lowered the surface tension at the air/water interface to 27 mN/m as well as inhibited the growth of B. subtilis ATCC 6633 and exhibited hemolytic activity. A highly hydrophobic surface of the cells suggests that uptake occurs via a direct cell-hydrocarbon substrate contact. Strain A-3 is Gram-positive, halotolerant, catalase positive, urease negative and has rod-coccus shape. Its cell walls contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. Phylogenetic analysis based on comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain A-3 is closely related to Rhodococcus fascians with which it shares 100% sequence similarity. This is the first report on rhamnose-containing biosurfactant production by Rhodococcus fascians isolated from Antarctic soil.

  6. Yeast Identification During Fermentation of Turkish Gemlik Olives.

    PubMed

    Mujdeci, Gamze; Arévalo-Villena, María; Ozbas, Z Yesim; Briones Pérez, Ana

    2018-05-01

    Naturally fermented black table olives of the Gemlik variety are one of the most consumed fermented products in Turkey. The objective of this work was to identify yeast strains isolated during their natural fermentation by using Restriction Fragments Lengths Polymorphism-Polimerase Chain Reaction (RFLP-PCR) and DNA sequencing methods. The study also focused on determining the effect of regional differences on yeast microflora of naturally fermented Gemlik olives. A total of 47 yeast strains belonging to 12 different species which had been previously isolated from the natural brine of Akhisar and Iznik-Gemlik cv. olives were characterized by molecular methods. Forty-two of the tested strains could be identified by RFLP-PCR to species level. These yeast species were determined as Candida mycetangi, Candida hellenica, Candida membranaefaciens, Candida famata, Candida pelliculosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Zygosaccharomyces mrakii. Five strains were identified by DNA sequencing. These strains belonged to three different species: Aureobasidium pullulans, Kloeckera apiculate, and Cryptococcus saitoi. The most frequent species were C. famata and C. pelliculosa in both regions. This work studies the yeasts from Turkish table olives which could prove to be of importance to the food industry in that area. On the other hand, it compares identification by molecular and classical biochemical methods and offers an idea about the differences between the ecosystems of Gemlik olives in the Akhisar (AO) and Iznik (IO) regions. The study could be useful in characterizing a very important product and, in this way, could help to promote its marketing. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  7. Isolation of hydroquinone (benzene-1,4-diol) metabolite from halotolerant Bacillus methylotrophicus MHC10 and its inhibitory activity towards bacterial pathogens.

    PubMed

    Jeyanthi, Venkadapathi; Anbu, Periasamy; Vairamani, Mariappanadar; Velusamy, Palaniyandi

    2016-03-01

    A halotolerant bacterial isolate-MHC10 with broad spectrum antibacterial activity against clinical pathogens was isolated from saltpans located in Tuticorin and Chennai (India). 16S rRNA gene analysis of MHC10 revealed close similarity to that of Bacillus methylotrophicus. The culture conditions of B. methylotrophicus MHC10 strain were optimized for antibacterial production using different carbon and nitrogen sources, as well as varying temperature, pH, sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations and incubation periods. The maximum antibacterial activity of B. methylotrophicus MHC10 was attained when ZMB was optimized with 1 % (w/v) glucose, 0.1 % (w/v) soybean meal which corresponded to a C/N ratio of 38.83, temperature at 37 °C, pH 7.0 and 8 % NaCl. The activity remained stable between 72 and 96 h and then drastically decreased after 96 h. Solvent extraction followed by chromatographic purification steps led to the isolation of hydroquinone (benzene-1,4-diol). The structure of the purified compound was elucidated based on FTIR, (1)H NMR, and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The compound exhibited efficient antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Gram-positive pathogens ranged from 15.625 to 62.5 µg/mL(-1), while it was between 7.81 and 250 µg/mL(-1) for Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. This is the first report of hydroquinone produced by halotolerant B. methylotrophicus exhibiting promising antibacterial activity.

  8. Yeast hnRNP-related proteins contribute to the maintenance of telomeres

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lee-Soety, Julia Y., E-mail: jlee04@sju.edu; Jones, Jennifer; MacGibeny, Margaret A.

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Yeast hnRNP-related proteins are able to prevent faster senescence in telomerase-null cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The conserved RRMs in Npl3 are important for telomere maintenance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Human hnRNP A1 is unable to complement the lack of NPL3 in yeast. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Npl3 and Cbc2 may work as telomere capping proteins. -- Abstract: Telomeres protect the ends of linear chromosomes, which if eroded to a critical length can become uncapped and lead to replicative senescence. Telomerase maintains telomere length in some cells, but inappropriate expression facilitates the immortality of cancer cells. Recently, proteins involved in RNA processing and ribosome assembly, such asmore » hnRNP (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein) A1, have been found to participate in telomere maintenance in mammals. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Npl3 shares significant amino acid sequence similarities with hnRNP A1. We found that deleting NPL3 accelerated the senescence of telomerase null cells. The highly conserved RNA recognition motifs (RRM) in Npl3 appear to be important for preventing faster senescence. Npl3 preferentially binds telomere sequences in vitro, suggesting that Npl3 may affect telomeres directly. Despite similarities between the two proteins, human hnRNP A1 is unable to complement the lack of Npl3 to rescue accelerated senescence in tlc1 npl3 cells. Deletion of CBC2, which encodes another hnRNP-related protein that associates with Npl3, also accelerates senescence. Potential mechanisms by which hnRNP-related proteins maintain telomeres are discussed.« less

  9. An improved high-throughput Nile red fluorescence assay for estimating intracellular lipids in a variety of yeast species

    PubMed Central

    Sitepu, I.R.; Ignatia, L.; Franz, A. K.; Wong, D. M.; Faulina, S.A.; Tsui, M.; Kanti, A.; Boundy-Mills, K.

    2012-01-01

    A rapid and inexpensive method for estimating lipid content of yeasts is needed for screening large numbers of yeasts samples. Nile red is a fluorescent lipophilic dye used for detection and quantification of intracellular lipid droplets in various biological system including algae, yeasts and filamentous fungi. However, a published assay for yeast is affected by variable diffusion across the cell membrane, and variation in the time required to reach maximal fluorescence emission. In this study, parameters that may influence the emission were varied to determine optimal assay conditions. An improved assay with a high-throughput capability was developed that includes the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent to improve cell permeability, elimination of the washing step, the reduction of Nile red concentration, kinetic readings rather than single time-point reading, and utilization of a black 96-well microplate. The improved method was validated by comparison to gravimetric determination of lipid content of a broad variety of ascomycete and basidiomycete yeast species. PMID:22985718

  10. Removal of toluene in a vapor-phase bioreactor containing a strain of the dimorphic black yeast Exophiala lecanii-corni.

    PubMed

    Woertz, J R; Kinney, K A; McIntosh, N D; Szaniszlo, P J

    2001-12-05

    Stricter regulations on volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants have increased the demand for abatement technologies. Biofiltration, a process in which contaminated air is passed through a biologically active bed, can be used to remove these pollutants from air streams. In this study, a fungal vapor-phase bioreactor containing a strain of the dimorphic black yeast, Exophiala lecanii-corni, was used to treat a gas stream contaminated with toluene. The maximum toluene elimination capacity in short-term tests was 270 g m(-3) h(-1), which is 2 to 7 times greater than the toluene elimination capacities typically reported for bacterial systems. The fungal bioreactor also maintained toluene removal efficiencies of greater than 95% throughout the 175-day study. Harsh operating conditions such as low moisture content, acidic biofilms, and nitrogen limitation did not adversely affect performance. The fungal bioreactor also rapidly reestablished high toluene removal efficiencies after an 8-day shutdown period. These results indicate that fungal bioreactors may be an effective alternative to conventional abatement technologies for treating high concentrations of pollutants in waste gas streams. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  11. Yeast Based Sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shimomura-Shimizu, Mifumi; Karube, Isao

    Since the first microbial cell sensor was studied by Karube et al. in 1977, many types of yeast based sensors have been developed as analytical tools. Yeasts are known as facultative anaerobes. Facultative anaerobes can survive in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The yeast based sensor consisted of a DO electrode and an immobilized omnivorous yeast. In yeast based sensor development, many kinds of yeast have been employed by applying their characteristics to adapt to the analyte. For example, Trichosporon cutaneum was used to estimate organic pollution in industrial wastewater. Yeast based sensors are suitable for online control of biochemical processes and for environmental monitoring. In this review, principles and applications of yeast based sensors are summarized.

  12. Proteogenomic insights into salt tolerance by a halotolerant alpha-proteobacterium isolated from an Andean saline spring.

    PubMed

    Rubiano-Labrador, Carolina; Bland, Céline; Miotello, Guylaine; Guérin, Philippe; Pible, Olivier; Baena, Sandra; Armengaud, Jean

    2014-01-31

    Tistlia consotensis is a halotolerant Rhodospirillaceae that was isolated from a saline spring located in the Colombian Andes with a salt concentration close to seawater (4.5%w/vol). We cultivated this microorganism in three NaCl concentrations, i.e. optimal (0.5%), without (0.0%) and high (4.0%) salt concentration, and analyzed its cellular proteome. For assigning tandem mass spectrometry data, we first sequenced its genome and constructed a six reading frame ORF database from the draft sequence. We annotated only the genes whose products (872) were detected. We compared the quantitative proteome data sets recorded for the three different growth conditions. At low salinity general stress proteins (chaperons, proteases and proteins associated with oxidative stress protection), were detected in higher amounts, probably linked to difficulties for proper protein folding and metabolism. Proteogenomics and comparative genomics pointed at the CrgA transcriptional regulator as a key-factor for the proteome remodeling upon low osmolarity. In hyper-osmotic condition, T. consotensis produced in larger amounts proteins involved in the sensing of changes in salt concentration, as well as a wide panel of transport systems for the transport of organic compatible solutes such as glutamate. We have described here a straightforward procedure in making a new environmental isolate quickly amenable to proteomics. The bacterium Tistlia consotensis was isolated from a saline spring in the Colombian Andes and represents an interesting environmental model to be compared with extremophiles or other moderate organisms. To explore the halotolerance molecular mechanisms of the bacterium T. consotensis, we developed an innovative proteogenomic strategy consisting of i) genome sequencing, ii) quick annotation of the genes whose products were detected by mass spectrometry, and iii) comparative proteomics of cells grown in three salt conditions. We highlighted in this manuscript how efficient

  13. Tamilnaduibacter salinus gen. nov., sp. nov., a halotolerant gammaproteobacterium within the family Alteromonadaceae, isolated from a salt pan in Tamilnadu, India.

    PubMed

    Verma, Ashish; Mual, Poonam; Mayilraj, Shanmugam; Krishnamurthi, Srinivasan

    2015-10-01

    Two novel Gram-stain-negative, slow-growing, halotolerant strains with rod-shaped cells, designated as strains Mi-7T and Mi-8, which formed pin-point colonies on halophilic media were isolated during a study into the microbial diversity of a salt pan in the state of Tamilnadu, India. Both the strains had an obligate requirement for 1 % (w/v) NaCl for growth and were halotolerant, growing at NaCl concentrations of up to 20 % (w/v) in media. The strains, however, showed an inability to utilize the majority of substrates tested as sole carbon sources for growth and in fermentation reactions. Molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed their closest phylogenetic neighbours to be members of the genus Marinobacter, with whom they showed the highest sequence similarity of 93.6 % and even less with the type strain of the type species, Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus DSM 8798T (91.1 %). Similarities with other genera within the family Alteromonadaceae were below 91.0 %. However, the two strains were very closely related to each other with 99.9 % sequence similarity, and DNA–DNA hybridization analyses confirmed their placement in the same species. The DNA G+C content of both strains was 65 mol%. Using the polyphasic taxonomic data obtained from this study, strains Mi-7T and Mi-8 represent two strains of the same species of a novel genus for which the name Tamilnaduibacter salinus gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed; the type strain of the novel species is Mi-7T ( = MTCC 12009T = DSM 28688T).

  14. Extracellular Polysaccharides Produced by Yeasts and Yeast-Like Fungi

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Bogaert, Inge N. A.; de Maeseneire, Sofie L.; Vandamme, Erick J.

    Several yeasts and yeast-like fungi are known to produce extracellular polysaccharides. Most of these contain D-mannose, either alone or in combination with other sugars or phosphate. A large chemical and structural variability is found between yeast species and even among different strains. The types of polymers that are synthesized can be chemically characterized as mannans, glucans, phosphoman-nans, galactomannans, glucomannans and glucuronoxylomannans. Despite these differences, almost all of the yeast exopolysaccharides display some sort of biological activity. Some of them have already applications in chemistry, pharmacy, cosmetics or as probiotic. Furthermore, some yeast exopolysaccharides, such as pullulan, exhibit specific physico-chemical and rheological properties, making them useful in a wide range of technical applications. A survey is given here of the production, the characteristics and the application potential of currently well studied yeast extracellular polysaccharides.

  15. Yeast Infection (Vaginal)

    MedlinePlus

    Yeast infection (vaginal) Overview A vaginal yeast infection is a fungal infection that causes irritation, discharge and intense itchiness ... symptoms Causes The fungus candida causes a vaginal yeast infection. Your vagina naturally contains a balanced mix of yeast, including ...

  16. Adaptation of the Black Yeast Wangiella dermatitidis to Ionizing Radiation: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms

    PubMed Central

    Robertson, Kelly L.; Mostaghim, Anahita; Cuomo, Christina A.; Soto, Carissa M.; Lebedev, Nikolai; Bailey, Robert F.; Wang, Zheng

    2012-01-01

    Observations of enhanced growth of melanized fungi under low-dose ionizing radiation in the laboratory and in the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor suggest they have adapted the ability to survive or even benefit from exposure to ionizing radiation. However, the cellular and molecular mechanism of fungal responses to such radiation remains poorly understood. Using the black yeast Wangiella dermatitidis as a model, we confirmed that ionizing radiation enhanced cell growth by increasing cell division and cell size. Using RNA-seq technology, we compared the transcriptomic profiles of the wild type and the melanin-deficient wdpks1 mutant under irradiation and non-irradiation conditions. It was found that more than 3000 genes were differentially expressed when these two strains were constantly exposed to a low dose of ionizing radiation and that half were regulated at least two fold in either direction. Functional analysis indicated that many genes for amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism and cell cycle progression were down-regulated and that a number of antioxidant genes and genes affecting membrane fluidity were up-regulated in both irradiated strains. However, the expression of ribosomal biogenesis genes was significantly up-regulated in the irradiated wild-type strain but not in the irradiated wdpks1 mutant, implying that melanin might help to contribute radiation energy for protein translation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that long-term exposure to low doses of radiation significantly increased survivability of both the wild-type and the wdpks1 mutant, which was correlated with reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased production of carotenoid and induced expression of genes encoding translesion DNA synthesis. Our results represent the first functional genomic study of how melanized fungal cells respond to low dose ionizing radiation and provide clues for the identification of biological processes, molecular pathways and individual genes

  17. Distinct Domestication Trajectories in Top-Fermenting Beer Yeasts and Wine Yeasts.

    PubMed

    Gonçalves, Margarida; Pontes, Ana; Almeida, Pedro; Barbosa, Raquel; Serra, Marta; Libkind, Diego; Hutzler, Mathias; Gonçalves, Paula; Sampaio, José Paulo

    2016-10-24

    Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages and is produced by the fermentation of sugars derived from starches present in cereal grains. Contrary to lager beers, made by bottom-fermenting strains of Saccharomyces pastorianus, a hybrid yeast, ale beers are closer to the ancient beer type and are fermented by S. cerevisiae, a top-fermenting yeast. Here, we use population genomics to investigate (1) the closest relatives of top-fermenting beer yeasts; (2) whether top-fermenting yeasts represent an independent domestication event separate from those already described; (3) whether single or multiple beer yeast domestication events can be inferred; and (4) whether top-fermenting yeasts represent non-recombinant or recombinant lineages. Our results revealed that top-fermenting beer yeasts are polyphyletic, with a main clade composed of at least three subgroups, dominantly represented by the German, British, and wheat beer strains. Other beer strains were phylogenetically close to sake, wine, or bread yeasts. We detected genetic signatures of beer yeast domestication by investigating genes previously linked to brewing and using genome-wide scans. We propose that the emergence of the main clade of beer yeasts is related with a domestication event distinct from the previously known cases of wine and sake yeast domestication. The nucleotide diversity of the main beer clade more than doubled that of wine yeasts, which might be a consequence of fundamental differences in the modes of beer and wine yeast domestication. The higher diversity of beer strains could be due to the more intense and different selection regimes associated to brewing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Drosophila Regulate Yeast Density and Increase Yeast Community Similarity in a Natural Substrate

    PubMed Central

    Stamps, Judy A.; Yang, Louie H.; Morales, Vanessa M.; Boundy-Mills, Kyria L.

    2012-01-01

    Drosophila melanogaster adults and larvae, but especially larvae, had profound effects on the densities and community structure of yeasts that developed in banana fruits. Pieces of fruit exposed to adult female flies previously fed fly-conditioned bananas developed higher yeast densities than pieces of the same fruits that were not exposed to flies, supporting previous suggestions that adult Drosophila vector yeasts to new substrates. However, larvae alone had dramatic effects on yeast density and species composition. When yeast densities were compared in pieces of the same fruits assigned to different treatments, fruits that developed low yeast densities in the absence of flies developed significantly higher yeast densities when exposed to larvae. Across all of the fruits, larvae regulated yeast densities within narrow limits, as compared to a much wider range of yeast densities that developed in pieces of the same fruits not exposed to flies. Larvae also affected yeast species composition, dramatically reducing species diversity across fruits, reducing variation in yeast communities from one fruit to the next (beta diversity), and encouraging the consistent development of a yeast community composed of three species of yeast (Candida californica, C. zemplinina, and Pichia kluvyeri), all of which were palatable to larvae. Larvae excreted viable cells of these three yeast species in their fecal pools, and discouraged the growth of filamentous fungi, processes which may have contributed to their effects on the yeast communities in banana fruits. These and other findings suggest that D. melanogaster adults and their larval offspring together engage in ‘niche construction’, facilitating a predictable microbial environment in the fruit substrates in which the larvae live and develop. PMID:22860093

  19. Enhancement of DNaseI Salt Tolerance by Mimicking the Domain Structure of DNase from an Extremely Halotolerant Bacterium Thioalkalivibrio sp. K90mix

    PubMed Central

    Alzbutas, Gediminas; Kaniusaite, Milda; Lagunavicius, Arunas

    2016-01-01

    In our previous work we showed that DNaseI-like protein from an extremely halotolerant bacterium Thioalkalivibrio sp. K90mix retained its activity at salt concentrations as high as 4 M NaCl and the key factor allowing this was the C-terminal DNA-binding domain, which comprised two HhH (helix-hairpin-helix) motifs. The further investigations revealed that this domain originated from proteins related to bacterial competence ComEA/ComE proteins. It is likely that in the course of evolution the DNA-binding domain from these proteins was fused to a metallo-β-lactamase superfamily domain. Very likely such domain organization having proteins subsequently “donated” the DNA-binding domain to bacterial DNases. In this study we have mimicked this evolutionary step by fusing bovine DNaseI and DNA-binding domains. We have created two fusions: one harboring the DNA-binding domain of DNaseI-like protein from Thioalkalivibrio sp. K90mix and the second one harboring the DNA-binding domain of bacterial competence protein ComEA from Bacillus subtilis. Both domains enhanced salt tolerance of DNaseI, albeit to different extent. Molecular modeling revealed the essential differences between their interaction with DNA shedding some light on the differences in salt tolerance. In this study we have enhanced salt tolerance of bovine DNaseI; thus, we successfully mimicked the Nature’s evolutionary engineering that created the extremely halotolerant bacterial DNase. We have demonstrated that the newly engineered DNaseI variants can be successfully used in applications where activity of the wild type bovine DNaseI is impeded by buffers used. PMID:26939122

  20. Yeasts and coliform bacteria of water accumulated in bromeliads of mangrove and sand dune ecosystems of southeast Brazil.

    PubMed

    Hagler, A N; Rosa, C A; Morais, P B; Mendonça-Hagler, L C; Franco, G M; Araujo, F V; Soares, C A

    1993-10-01

    Yeasts and coliform bacteria were isolated from water that accumulated in the central cups and adjacent leaf axilae of two bromeliads, Neoregelia cruenta of a coastal sand dune and Quesnelia quesneliana of a mangrove ecosystem near the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The mean total coliform counts were above 10,000 per 100 mL for waters of both plants, but the mean fecal coliform counts were only 74 per 100 mL for Q. quesneliana and mostly undetected in water from N. cruenta. Of 90 fecal coliform isolates, 51 were typical of Escherichia coli in colony morphology and indol, methyl red, Volges-Proskauer, and citrate (IMViC) tests. Seven representatives of the typical E. coli cultures were identified as this species, but the identifications of nine other coliform bacteria were mostly dubious. The yeast community of N. cruenta was typical of plant surfaces with basidiomycetous yeasts anamorphs, and the black yeast Aureobasidium pullulans was prevalent. Quesnelia quesneliana had a substantial proportion of ascomycetous yeasts and their anamorphs, including a probable new biotype of Saccharomyces unisporus. Our results suggested that the microbial communities in bromeliad waters are typically autochtonous and not contaminants.

  1. Prions in Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Liebman, Susan W.; Chernoff, Yury O.

    2012-01-01

    The concept of a prion as an infectious self-propagating protein isoform was initially proposed to explain certain mammalian diseases. It is now clear that yeast also has heritable elements transmitted via protein. Indeed, the “protein only” model of prion transmission was first proven using a yeast prion. Typically, known prions are ordered cross-β aggregates (amyloids). Recently, there has been an explosion in the number of recognized prions in yeast. Yeast continues to lead the way in understanding cellular control of prion propagation, prion structure, mechanisms of de novo prion formation, specificity of prion transmission, and the biological roles of prions. This review summarizes what has been learned from yeast prions. PMID:22879407

  2. A mutation of the fission yeast EB1 overcomes negative regulation by phosphorylation and stabilizes microtubules

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Iimori, Makoto; Ozaki, Kanako; Chikashige, Yuji

    2012-02-01

    Mal3 is a fission yeast homolog of EB1, a plus-end tracking protein (+ TIP). We have generated a mutation (89R) replacing glutamine with arginine in the calponin homology (CH) domain of Mal3. Analysis of the 89R mutant in vitro has revealed that the mutation confers a higher affinity to microtubules and enhances the intrinsic activity to promote the microtubule-assembly. The mutant Mal3 is no longer a + TIP, but binds strongly the microtubule lattice. Live cell imaging has revealed that while the wild type Mal3 proteins dissociate from the tip of the growing microtubules before the onset of shrinkage, themore » mutant Mal3 proteins persist on microtubules and reduces a rate of shrinkage after a longer pausing period. Consequently, the mutant Mal3 proteins cause abnormal elongation of microtubules composing the spindle and aster. Mal3 is phosphorylated at a cluster of serine/threonine residues in the linker connecting the CH and EB1-like C-terminal motif domains. The phosphorylation occurs in a microtubule-dependent manner and reduces the affinity of Mal3 to microtubules. We propose that because the 89R mutation is resistant to the effect of phosphorylation, it can associate persistently with microtubules and confers a stronger stability of microtubules likely by reinforcing the cylindrical structure. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We characterize a mutation (mal3-89R) in fission yeast homolog of EB1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The mutation enhances the activity to assemble microtubules. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mal3 is phosphorylated in a microtubule-dependent manner. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The phosphorylation negatively regulates the Mal3 activity.« less

  3. Yeast for virus research

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Richard Yuqi

    2017-01-01

    Budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) are two popular model organisms for virus research. They are natural hosts for viruses as they carry their own indigenous viruses. Both yeasts have been used for studies of plant, animal and human viruses. Many positive sense (+) RNA viruses and some DNA viruses replicate with various levels in yeasts, thus allowing study of those viral activities during viral life cycle. Yeasts are single cell eukaryotic organisms. Hence, many of the fundamental cellular functions such as cell cycle regulation or programed cell death are highly conserved from yeasts to higher eukaryotes. Therefore, they are particularly suited to study the impact of those viral activities on related cellular activities during virus-host interactions. Yeasts present many unique advantages in virus research over high eukaryotes. Yeast cells are easy to maintain in the laboratory with relative short doubling time. They are non-biohazardous, genetically amendable with small genomes that permit genome-wide analysis of virologic and cellular functions. In this review, similarities and differences of these two yeasts are described. Studies of virologic activities such as viral translation, viral replication and genome-wide study of virus-cell interactions in yeasts are highlighted. Impacts of viral proteins on basic cellular functions such as cell cycle regulation and programed cell death are discussed. Potential applications of using yeasts as hosts to carry out functional analysis of small viral genome and to develop high throughput drug screening platform for the discovery of antiviral drugs are presented. PMID:29082230

  4. Vaginal yeast infections while deployed in Southwest/Central Asia, active component females, U.S. Armed Forces, 2008-2013.

    PubMed

    2014-08-01

    In field settings, female service members may not have adequate access to bathrooms, showers, laundry, or sanitary products necessary to maintain adequate feminine hygiene; therefore, service women may be at risk for vaginal yeast infections while deployed. During the 6-year surveillance period, nearly 3,000 U.S. military service women were diagnosed with at least one clinically significant yeast infection while supporting combat operations in Southwest/Central Asia. The crude overall incidence rate was 35.1 per 1,000 person-years (p-yrs). Overall incidence rates were higher among black, non-Hispanic service women, and among those in the Army and Air Force, in enlisted grades, and in communications/intelligence and motor transport occupations. The yearly rate of yeast infections was relatively stable from 2008 through 2010, then decreased in 2011 through 2013. Prior to deploying to austere operational settings, female service members should be provided practical and useful information, realistic training, and material support to decrease the risk of acquiring and increase the effectiveness of treating clinically and military operationally significant yeast infections.

  5. L-arabinose fermenting yeast

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Min; Singh, Arjun; Suominen, Pirkko

    An L-arabinose utilizing yeast strain is provided for the production of ethanol by introducing and expressing bacterial araA, araB and araD genes. L-arabinose transporters are also introduced into the yeast to enhance the uptake of arabinose. The yeast carries additional genomic mutations enabling it to consume L-arabinose, even as the only carbon source, and to produce ethanol. A yeast strain engineered to metabolize arabinose through a novel pathway is also disclosed. Methods of producing ethanol include utilizing these modified yeast strains.

  6. L-arabinose fermenting yeast

    DOEpatents

    Zhang, Min; Singh, Arjun; Suominen, Pirkko; Knoshaug, Eric; Franden, Mary Ann; Jarvis, Eric

    2014-09-23

    An L-arabinose utilizing yeast strain is provided for the production of ethanol by introducing and expressing bacterial araA, araB and araD genes. L-arabinose transporters are also introduced into the yeast to enhance the uptake of arabinose. The yeast carries additional genomic mutations enabling it to consume L-arabinose, even as the only carbon source, and to produce ethanol. A yeast strain engineered to metabolize arabinose through a novel pathway is also disclosed. Methods of producing ethanol include utilizing these modified yeast strains.

  7. Prevention of Yeast Spoilage in Feed and Food by the Yeast Mycocin HMK

    PubMed Central

    Lowes, K. F.; Shearman, C. A.; Payne, J.; MacKenzie, D.; Archer, D. B.; Merry, R. J.; Gasson, M. J.

    2000-01-01

    The yeast Williopsis mrakii produces a mycocin or yeast killer toxin designated HMK; this toxin exhibits high thermal stability, high pH stability, and a broad spectrum of activity against other yeasts. We describe construction of a synthetic gene for mycocin HMK and heterologous expression of this toxin in Aspergillus niger. Mycocin HMK was fused to a glucoamylase protein carrier, which resulted in secretion of biologically active mycocin into the culture media. A partial purification protocol was developed, and a comparison with native W. mrakii mycocin showed that the heterologously expressed mycocin had similar physiological properties and an almost identical spectrum of biological activity against a number of yeasts isolated from silage and yoghurt. Two food and feed production systems prone to yeast spoilage were used as models to assess the ability of mycocin HMK to act as a biocontrol agent. The onset of aerobic spoilage in mature maize silage was delayed by application of A. niger mycocin HMK on opening because the toxin inhibited growth of the indigenous spoilage yeasts. This helped maintain both higher lactic acid levels and a lower pH. In yoghurt spiked with dairy spoilage yeasts, A. niger mycocin HMK was active at all of the storage temperatures tested at which yeast growth occurred, and there was no resurgence of resistant yeasts. The higher the yeast growth rate, the more effective the killing action of the mycocin. Thus, mycocin HMK has potential applications in controlling both silage spoilage and yoghurt spoilage caused by yeasts. PMID:10698773

  8. Isolation and partial characterization of halotolerant lactic acid bacteria from two Mexican cheeses.

    PubMed

    Morales, Fredy; Morales, Jesús I; Hernández, César H; Hernández-Sánchez, Humberto

    2011-07-01

    Isolated strains of halotolerant or halophilic lactic acid bacteria (HALAB) from Cotija and doble crema cheeses were identified and partially characterized by phenotypic and genotypic methods, and their technological abilities were studied in order to test their potential use as dairy starter components. Humidity, a(w), pH, and salt concentration of cheeses were determined. Genotypic diversity was evaluated by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction. Molecular identification and phylogenetic reconstructions based on 16S rRNA gene sequences were performed. Additional technological abilities such as salt tolerance, acidifying, and proteolytic and lipolytic activities were also investigated. The differences among strains reflected the biodiversity of HALAB in both types of cheeses. Lactobacillus acidipiscis, Tetragenococcus halophilus, Weissella thailandensis, and Lactobacillus pentosus from Cotija cheese, and L. acidipiscis, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus farciminis, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus from doble crema cheese were identified based on 16S rRNA. Quantitative and qualitative assessments showed strains of T. halophilus and L. plantarum to be proteolytic, along with E. faecium, L. farciminis, and L. pentosus to a lesser extent. Lipolytic activity could be demonstrated in strains of E. faecium, L. pentosus, L. plantarum, and T. halophilus. Strains belonging to the species L. pentosus, L. plantarum, and E. faecium were able to acidify the milk media. This study evidences the presence of HALAB that may play a role in the ripening of cheeses.

  9. Effect of wine yeast monoculture practice on the biodiversity of non-Saccharomyces yeasts.

    PubMed

    Ganga, M A; Martínez, C

    2004-01-01

    The objective of this work was to study the effect of the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae monocultures over the biodiversity of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in wine-producing areas in Chile. Microvinifications were carried out with grape musts of two areas. In one of them, the fermentation is carried out mainly in a spontaneous manner, whereas in the other the musts are inoculated with commercial yeasts. The isolated yeasts were identified by the internal transcribed (ITS)/restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. In the industrial production area less variability of yeast genera was observed as compared with the traditional area, an observation that is greatest at the end of the fermentation. Furthermore, a study of the production of extracellular enzymes was done. The majority of the yeasts showed at least one of the activities assayed with the exception of beta-glycosidase. The results suggest that in the industrialized area the diversity of yeasts is less in the traditional area. Likewise, the potentiality of the non-Saccharomyces yeasts as enzyme producers with industrial interest has been confirmed. This study shows the negative effect of the use of monocultures over the biodiversity of yeasts in wine-producing regions.

  10. Halotolerant microbial consortia able to degrade highly recalcitrant plant biomass substrate.

    PubMed

    Cortes-Tolalpa, Larisa; Norder, Justin; van Elsas, Jan Dirk; Falcao Salles, Joana

    2018-03-01

    The microbial degradation of plant-derived compounds under salinity stress remains largely underexplored. The pretreatment of lignocellulose material, which is often needed to improve the production of lignocellulose monomers, leads to high salt levels, generating a saline environment that raises technical considerations that influence subsequent downstream processes. Here, we constructed halotolerant lignocellulose degrading microbial consortia by enriching a salt marsh soil microbiome on a recalcitrant carbon and energy source, i.e., wheat straw. The consortia were obtained after six cycles of growth on fresh substrate (adaptation phase), which was followed by four cycles on pre-digested (highly-recalcitrant) substrate (stabilization phase). The data indicated that typical salt-tolerant bacteria made up a large part of the selected consortia. These were "trained" to progressively perform better on fresh substrate, but a shift was observed when highly recalcitrant substrate was used. The most dominant bacteria in the consortia were Joostella marina, Flavobacterium beibuense, Algoriphagus ratkowskyi, Pseudomonas putida, and Halomonas meridiana. Interestingly, fungi were sparsely present and negatively affected by the change in the substrate composition. Sarocladium strictum was the single fungal strain recovered at the end of the adaptation phase, whereas it was deselected by the presence of recalcitrant substrate. Consortia selected in the latter substrate presented higher cellulose and lignin degradation than consortia selected on fresh substrate, indicating a specialization in transforming the recalcitrant regions of the substrate. Moreover, our results indicate that bacteria have a prime role in the degradation of recalcitrant lignocellulose under saline conditions, as compared to fungi. The final consortia constitute an interesting source of lignocellulolytic haloenzymes that can be used to increase the efficiency of the degradation process, while decreasing

  11. Yeast cell differentiation: Lessons from pathogenic and non-pathogenic yeasts.

    PubMed

    Palková, Zdena; Váchová, Libuše

    2016-09-01

    Yeasts, historically considered to be single-cell organisms, are able to activate different differentiation processes. Individual yeast cells can change their life-styles by processes of phenotypic switching such as the switch from yeast-shaped cells to filamentous cells (pseudohyphae or true hyphae) and the transition among opaque, white and gray cell-types. Yeasts can also create organized multicellular structures such as colonies and biofilms, and the latter are often observed as contaminants on surfaces in industry and medical care and are formed during infections of the human body. Multicellular structures are formed mostly of stationary-phase or slow-growing cells that diversify into specific cell subpopulations that have unique metabolic properties and can fulfill specific tasks. In addition to the development of multiple protective mechanisms, processes of metabolic reprogramming that reflect a changed environment help differentiated individual cells and/or community cell constituents to survive harmful environmental attacks and/or to escape the host immune system. This review aims to provide an overview of differentiation processes so far identified in individual yeast cells as well as in multicellular communities of yeast pathogens of the Candida and Cryptococcus spp. and the Candida albicans close relative, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Molecular mechanisms and extracellular signals potentially involved in differentiation processes are also briefly mentioned. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. L-arabinose fermenting yeast

    DOEpatents

    Zhang, Min; Singh, Arjun; Knoshaug, Eric; Franden, Mary Ann; Jarvis, Eric; Suominen, Pirkko

    2010-12-07

    An L-arabinose utilizing yeast strain is provided for the production of ethanol by introducing and expressing bacterial araA, araB and araD genes. L-arabinose transporters are also introduced into the yeast to enhance the uptake of arabinose. The yeast carries additional genomic mutations enabling it to consume L-arabinose, even as the only carbon source, and to produce ethanol. Methods of producing ethanol include utilizing these modified yeast strains. ##STR00001##

  13. Nitrile Metabolizing Yeasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhalla, Tek Chand; Sharma, Monica; Sharma, Nitya Nand

    Nitriles and amides are widely distributed in the biotic and abiotic components of our ecosystem. Nitrile form an important group of organic compounds which find their applications in the synthesis of a large number of compounds used as/in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, plastics, dyes, etc>. Nitriles are mainly hydro-lyzed to corresponding amide/acid in organic chemistry. Industrial and agricultural activities have also lead to release of nitriles and amides into the environment and some of them pose threat to human health. Biocatalysis and biotransformations are increasingly replacing chemical routes of synthesis in organic chemistry as a part of ‘green chemistry’. Nitrile metabolizing organisms or enzymes thus has assumed greater significance in all these years to convert nitriles to amides/ acids. The nitrile metabolizing enzymes are widely present in bacteria, fungi and yeasts. Yeasts metabolize nitriles through nitrilase and/or nitrile hydratase and amidase enzymes. Only few yeasts have been reported to possess aldoxime dehydratase. More than sixty nitrile metabolizing yeast strains have been hither to isolated from cyanide treatment bioreactor, fermented foods and soil. Most of the yeasts contain nitrile hydratase-amidase system for metabolizing nitriles. Transformations of nitriles to amides/acids have been carried out with free and immobilized yeast cells. The nitrilases of Torulopsis candida>and Exophiala oligosperma>R1 are enantioselec-tive and regiospecific respectively. Geotrichum>sp. JR1 grows in the presence of 2M acetonitrile and may have potential for application in bioremediation of nitrile contaminated soil/water. The nitrilase of E. oligosperma>R1 being active at low pH (3-6) has shown promise for the hydroxy acids. Immobilized yeast cells hydrolyze some additional nitriles in comparison to free cells. It is expected that more focus in future will be on purification, characterization, cloning, expression and immobilization of nitrile metabolizing

  14. Genome dynamics and evolution in yeasts: A long-term yeast-bacteria competition experiment

    PubMed Central

    Katz, Michael; Knecht, Wolfgang; Compagno, Concetta; Piškur, Jure

    2018-01-01

    There is an enormous genetic diversity evident in modern yeasts, but our understanding of the ecological basis of such diversifications in nature remains at best fragmented so far. Here we report a long-term experiment mimicking a primordial competitive environment, in which yeast and bacteria co-exist and compete against each other. Eighteen yeasts covering a wide phylogenetic background spanning approximately 250 million years of evolutionary history were used to establish independent evolution lines for at most 130 passages. Our collection of hundreds of modified strains generated through such a rare two-species cross-kingdom competition experiment re-created the appearance of large-scale genomic rearrangements and altered phenotypes important in the diversification history of yeasts. At the same time, the methodology employed in this evolutionary study would also be a non-gene-technological method of reprogramming yeast genomes and then selecting yeast strains with desired traits. Cross-kingdom competition may therefore be a method of significant value to generate industrially useful yeast strains with new metabolic traits. PMID:29624585

  15. Thalassospira permensis sp. nov., a new terrestrial halotolerant bacterium isolated from a naphthalene-utilizing microbial consortium.

    PubMed

    Plotnikova, E G; Anan'ina, L N; Krausova, V I; Ariskina, E V; Prisyazhnaya, N V; Lebedev, A T; Demakov, V A; Evtushenko, L I

    2011-01-01

    A halotolerant bacterium, strain SMB34T, was isolated from a naphthalene-utilizing bacterial consortium obtained from primitive technogeneous soil (Vrkhnekamsk salt deposit, Perm region, Russia) by enrichment procedure. The strain itself was unable to degrade naphthalene and grew at NaCl concentrations up to 11% (w/v). The 16S rRNA-based phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain belongs to the genus Thalassospira. The DNA-DNA hybridization values between SMB34T and the type strains of phylogenetically closest species (T. xiamenensis, T. profundimaris and T. tepidiphila) did not exceed 50%. The novel strain could be distinguished from the above species by the cell motility, MALDI/TOF mass spectra of whole cells and a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. SMB34T also considerably differs from the recently described species T. xianhensis, with the most striking differences in the DNA G + C content (53.7 +/- 1.0 vs. 61.2 +/- 1.0 mol.%) and predominant ubiquinones (Q-10 vs. Q-9). The data obtained suggest strain SMB34T (=VKM B-2527T = NBRC 106175T), designated as the type strain, represents a novel species, named Thalassospira permensis sp. nov.

  16. New yeasts-new brews: modern approaches to brewing yeast design and development.

    PubMed

    Gibson, B; Geertman, J-M A; Hittinger, C T; Krogerus, K; Libkind, D; Louis, E J; Magalhães, F; Sampaio, J P

    2017-06-01

    The brewing industry is experiencing a period of change and experimentation largely driven by customer demand for product diversity. This has coincided with a greater appreciation of the role of yeast in determining the character of beer and the widespread availability of powerful tools for yeast research. Genome analysis in particular has helped clarify the processes leading to domestication of brewing yeast and has identified domestication signatures that may be exploited for further yeast development. The functional properties of non-conventional yeast (both Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces) are being assessed with a view to creating beers with new flavours as well as producing flavoursome non-alcoholic beers. The discovery of the psychrotolerant S. eubayanus has stimulated research on de novo S. cerevisiae × S. eubayanus hybrids for low-temperature lager brewing and has led to renewed interest in the functional importance of hybrid organisms and the mechanisms that determine hybrid genome function and stability. The greater diversity of yeast that can be applied in brewing, along with an improved understanding of yeasts' evolutionary history and biology, is expected to have a significant and direct impact on the brewing industry, with potential for improved brewing efficiency, product diversity and, above all, customer satisfaction. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Vaginal yeast infection

    MedlinePlus

    Yeast infection - vagina; Vaginal candidiasis; Monilial vaginitis ... Most women have a vaginal yeast infection at some time. Candida albicans is a common type of fungus. It is often found in small amounts in the ...

  18. Schizosaccharomyces japonicus: the fission yeast is a fusion of yeast and hyphae.

    PubMed

    Niki, Hironori

    2014-03-01

    The clade of Schizosaccharomyces includes 4 species: S. pombe, S. octosporus, S. cryophilus, and S. japonicus. Although all 4 species exhibit unicellular growth with a binary fission mode of cell division, S. japonicus alone is dimorphic yeast, which can transit from unicellular yeast to long filamentous hyphae. Recently it was found that the hyphal cells response to light and then synchronously activate cytokinesis of hyphae. In addition to hyphal growth, S. japonicas has many properties that aren't shared with other fission yeast. Mitosis of S. japonicas is referred to as semi-open mitosis because dynamics of nuclear membrane is an intermediate mode between open mitosis and closed mitosis. Novel genetic tools and the whole genomic sequencing of S. japonicas now provide us with an opportunity for revealing unique characters of the dimorphic yeast. © 2013 The Author. Yeast Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Marine yeast isolation and industrial application.

    PubMed

    Zaky, Abdelrahman Saleh; Tucker, Gregory A; Daw, Zakaria Yehia; Du, Chenyu

    2014-09-01

    Over the last century, terrestrial yeasts have been widely used in various industries, such as baking, brewing, wine, bioethanol and pharmaceutical protein production. However, only little attention has been given to marine yeasts. Recent research showed that marine yeasts have several unique and promising features over the terrestrial yeasts, for example higher osmosis tolerance, higher special chemical productivity and production of industrial enzymes. These indicate that marine yeasts have great potential to be applied in various industries. This review gathers the most recent techniques used for marine yeast isolation as well as the latest applications of marine yeast in bioethanol, pharmaceutical and enzyme production fields. © 2014 The Authors FEMS Yeast Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

  20. Yeast ecology of Kombucha fermentation.

    PubMed

    Teoh, Ai Leng; Heard, Gillian; Cox, Julian

    2004-09-01

    Kombucha is a traditional fermentation of sweetened tea, involving a symbiosis of yeast species and acetic acid bacteria. Despite reports of different yeast species being associated with the fermentation, little is known of the quantitative ecology of yeasts in Kombucha. Using oxytetracycline-supplemented malt extract agar, yeasts were isolated from four commercially available Kombucha products and identified using conventional biochemical and physiological tests. During the fermentation of each of the four products, yeasts were enumerated from both the cellulosic pellicle and liquor of the Kombucha. The number and diversity of species varied between products, but included Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. While these yeast species are known to occur in Kombucha, the enumeration of each species present throughout fermentation of each of the four Kombucha cultures demonstrated for the first time the dynamic nature of the yeast ecology. Kombucha fermentation is, in general, initiated by osmotolerant species, succeeded and ultimately dominated by acid-tolerant species.

  1. Marine yeast isolation and industrial application

    PubMed Central

    Zaky, Abdelrahman Saleh; Tucker, Gregory A; Daw, Zakaria Yehia; Du, Chenyu

    2014-01-01

    Over the last century, terrestrial yeasts have been widely used in various industries, such as baking, brewing, wine, bioethanol and pharmaceutical protein production. However, only little attention has been given to marine yeasts. Recent research showed that marine yeasts have several unique and promising features over the terrestrial yeasts, for example higher osmosis tolerance, higher special chemical productivity and production of industrial enzymes. These indicate that marine yeasts have great potential to be applied in various industries. This review gathers the most recent techniques used for marine yeast isolation as well as the latest applications of marine yeast in bioethanol, pharmaceutical and enzyme production fields. PMID:24738708

  2. Wine yeasts for the future.

    PubMed

    Fleet, Graham H

    2008-11-01

    International competition within the wine market, consumer demands for newer styles of wines and increasing concerns about the environmental sustainability of wine production are providing new challenges for innovation in wine fermentation. Within the total production chain, the alcoholic fermentation of grape juice by yeasts is a key process where winemakers can creatively engineer wine character and value through better yeast management and, thereby, strategically tailor wines to a changing market. This review considers the importance of yeast ecology and yeast metabolic reactions in determining wine quality, and then discusses new directions for exploiting yeasts in wine fermentation. It covers criteria for selecting and developing new commercial strains, the possibilities of using yeasts other than those in the genus of Saccharomyces, the prospects for mixed culture fermentations and explores the possibilities for high cell density, continuous fermentations.

  3. Alternative splicing by participation of the group II intron ORF in extremely halotolerant and alkaliphilic Oceanobacillus iheyensis.

    PubMed

    Chee, Gab-Joo; Takami, Hideto

    2011-01-01

    Group II introns inserted into genes often undergo splicing at unexpected sites, and participate in the transcription of host genes. We identified five copies of a group II intron, designated Oi.Int, in the genome of an extremely halotolerant and alkaliphilic bacillus, Oceanobacillus iheyensis. The Oi.Int4 differs from the Oi.Int3 at four bases. The ligated exons of the Oi.Int4 could not be detected by RT-PCR assays in vivo or in vitro although group II introns can generally self-splice in vitro without the involvement of an intron-encoded open reading frame (ORF). In the Oi.Int4 mutants with base substitutions within the ORF, ligated exons were detected by in vitro self-splicing. It was clear that the ligation of exons during splicing is affected by the sequence of the intron-encoded ORF since the splice sites corresponded to the joining sites of the intron. In addition, the mutant introns showed unexpected multiple products with alternative 5' splice sites. These findings imply that alternative 5' splicing which causes a functional change of ligated exons presumably has influenced past adaptations of O. iheyensis to various environmental changes.

  4. Performance of an alkalophilic and halotolerant laccase from gamma-proteobacterium JB in the presence of industrial pollutants.

    PubMed

    Singh, Gursharan; Sharma, Prince; Capalash, Neena

    2009-08-01

    An alkalophilic and halotolerant laccase from gamma-proteobacterium JB catalyzed in high concentrations of organic solvents and various salts. The enzyme retained 80-100% activity in 10% concentration of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), ethanol, acetone or methanol; 100, 85 and 50% activity in 20 mM MgCl(2), 5.0 mM MnCl(2) and 0.1 mM CuCl(2); 140, 120 and 110% activity in 5.0 mM MnSO(4), 10 mM MgSO(4) and 1mM CaSO(4), respectively. Sodium halides inhibited the enzyme in the order: F(-)> Br(-)> I(-)> Cl(-). In 0.5 M NaCl, pH 6.0, laccase was approximately 60% active. Decolorization of indigo carmine by laccase at pH 9.0 was not inhibited even in the presence of 0.5 M NaCl. Release of chromophoric, reducing and hydrophobic compounds during biobleaching of straw rich-soda pulp by laccase was not inhibited when the enzyme was applied in the presence of 1 M NaCl at pH 8.0. Laccase retained 50% residual activity even when incubated with 5% calcium hypochlorite for 30 min.

  5. Discussion of teleomorphic and anamorphic Ascomycetous yeasts and yeast-like taxa

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The relationship of ascomycetous yeasts with other members of the ascomycete fungi (Ascomycota) has been controversial for over 100 years. Because yeasts are morphologically simple, it was proposed that they represent primitive forms of ascomycetes (e.g., Guilliermond 1912). Alternatively, the ide...

  6. Yeasts and yeast-like organisms associated with fruits and blossoms of different fruit trees.

    PubMed

    Vadkertiová, Renáta; Molnárová, Jana; Vránová, Dana; Sláviková, Elena

    2012-12-01

    Yeasts are common inhabitants of the phyllosphere, but our knowledge of their diversity in various plant organs is still limited. This study focused on the diversity of yeasts and yeast-like organisms associated with matured fruits and fully open blossoms of apple, plum, and pear trees, during 2 consecutive years at 3 localities in southwest Slovakia. The occurrence of yeasts and yeast-like organisms in fruit samples was 2½ times higher and the yeast community more diverse than that in blossom samples. Only 2 species (Aureobasidium pullulans and Metschnikowia pulcherrima) occurred regularly in the blossom samples, whereas Galactomyces candidus, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, M. pulcherrima, Pichia kluyveri, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were the most frequently isolated species from the fruit samples. The ratio of the number of samples where only individual species were present to the number of samples where 2 or more species were found (consortium) was counted. The occurrence of individual species in comparison with consortia was much higher in blossom samples than in fruit samples. In the latter, consortia predominated. Aureobasidium pullulans, M. pulcherrima, and S. cerevisiae, isolated from both the fruits and blossoms, can be considered as resident yeast species of various fruit tree species cultivated in southwest Slovakia localities.

  7. Forces in yeast flocculation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Kirat-Chatel, Sofiane; Beaussart, Audrey; Vincent, Stéphane P.; Abellán Flos, Marta; Hols, Pascal; Lipke, Peter N.; Dufrêne, Yves F.

    2015-01-01

    In the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cell-cell adhesion (``flocculation'') is conferred by a family of lectin-like proteins known as the flocculin (Flo) proteins. Knowledge of the adhesive and mechanical properties of flocculins is important for understanding the mechanisms of yeast adhesion, and may help controlling yeast behaviour in biotechnology. We use single-molecule and single-cell atomic force microscopy (AFM) to explore the nanoscale forces engaged in yeast flocculation, focusing on the role of Flo1 as a prototype of flocculins. Using AFM tips labelled with mannose, we detect single flocculins on Flo1-expressing cells, showing they are widely exposed on the cell surface. When subjected to force, individual Flo1 proteins display two distinct force responses, i.e. weak lectin binding forces and strong unfolding forces reflecting the force-induced extension of hydrophobic tandem repeats. We demonstrate that cell-cell adhesion bonds also involve multiple weak lectin interactions together with strong unfolding forces, both associated with Flo1 molecules. Single-molecule and single-cell data correlate with microscale cell adhesion behaviour, suggesting strongly that Flo1 mechanics is critical for yeast flocculation. These results favour a model in which not only weak lectin-sugar interactions are involved in yeast flocculation but also strong hydrophobic interactions resulting from protein unfolding.

  8. The yeast actin cytoskeleton.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Mithilesh; Huang, Junqi; Balasubramanian, Mohan K

    2014-03-01

    The actin cytoskeleton is a complex network of dynamic polymers, which plays an important role in various fundamental cellular processes, including maintenance of cell shape, polarity, cell division, cell migration, endocytosis, vesicular trafficking, and mechanosensation. Precise spatiotemporal assembly and disassembly of actin structures is regulated by the coordinated activity of about 100 highly conserved accessory proteins, which nucleate, elongate, cross-link, and sever actin filaments. Both in vivo studies in a wide range of organisms from yeast to metazoans and in vitro studies of purified proteins have helped shape the current understanding of actin dynamics and function. Molecular genetics, genome-wide functional analysis, sophisticated real-time imaging, and ultrastructural studies in concert with biochemical analysis have made yeast an attractive model to understand the actin cytoskeleton, its molecular dynamics, and physiological function. Studies of the yeast actin cytoskeleton have contributed substantially in defining the universal mechanism regulating actin assembly and disassembly in eukaryotes. Here, we review some of the important insights generated by the study of actin cytoskeleton in two important yeast models the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. [Thermoresistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts].

    PubMed

    Kaliuzhin, V A

    2011-01-01

    Under natural conditions, yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae reproduce, as a rule, on the surface of solid or liquid medium. Thus, life cycle of yeast populations is substantially influenced by diurnal changes in ambient temperature. The pattern in the response of unrestricted yeast S. cerevisiae culture to changes in the temperature of cultivation is revealed experimentally. Yeast population, in the absence of environmental constraints on the functioning of cell chemosmotic bioenergetic system, demonstrates the ability of thermoresistance when the temperature of cultivation switches from the range of 12-36 degrees C to 37.5-40 degrees C. During the transient period that is associated with the temperature switching and lasts from 1 to 4 turnover cycles, yeast reproduction rate remains 1.5-2 times higher than under stationary conditions. This is due to evolutionary acquired adaptive activity of cell chemosmotic system. After the adaptive resources exhausting, yeast thermoresistance fully recovers at the temperature range of 12-36 degrees C within one generation time under conditions of both restricted and unrestricted nourishment. Adaptive significance of such thermoresistance seems obvious enough--it allows maintaining high reproduction rate in yeast when ambient temperature is reaching a brief maximum shortly after noon.

  10. Interaction Between Yeasts and Zinc

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nicola, Raffaele De; Walker, Graeme

    Zinc is an essential trace element in biological systems. For example, it acts as a cellular membrane stabiliser, plays a critical role in gene expression and genome modification and activates nearly 300 enzymes, including alcohol dehydrogenase. The present chapter will be focused on the influence of zinc on cell physiology of industrial yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with special regard to the uptake and subsequent utilisation of this metal. Zinc uptake by yeast is metabolism-dependent, with most of the available zinc translocated very quickly into the vacuole. At cell division, zinc is distributed from mother to daughter cells and this effectively lowers the individual cellular zinc concentration, which may become zinc depleted at the onset of the fermentation. Zinc influences yeast fermentative performance and examples will be provided relating to brewing and wine fermentations. Industrial yeasts are subjected to several stresses that may impair fermentation performance. Such stresses may also impact on yeast cell zinc homeostasis. This chapter will discuss the practical implications for the correct management of zinc bioavailability for yeast-based biotechnologies aimed at improving yeast growth, viability, fermentation performance and resistance to environmental stresses

  11. 21 CFR 172.896 - Dried yeasts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Dried yeasts. 172.896 Section 172.896 Food and... PERMITTED FOR DIRECT ADDITION TO FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Multipurpose Additives § 172.896 Dried yeasts. Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast (Candida utilis...

  12. Global Microarray Analysis of Alkaliphilic Halotolerant Bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 Salt Stress Adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Yin, Liang; Xue, Yanfen; Ma, Yanhe

    2015-01-01

    The alkaliphilic halotolerant bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 is often exposed to salt stress in its natural habitats. In this study, we used one-colour microarrays to investigate adaptive responses of Bacillus sp. N16-5 transcriptome to long-term growth at different salinity levels (0%, 2%, 8%, and 15% NaCl) and to a sudden salt increase from 0% to 8% NaCl. The common strategies used by bacteria to survive and grow at high salt conditions, such as K+ uptake, Na+ efflux, and the accumulation of organic compatible solutes (glycine betaine and ectoine), were observed in Bacillus sp. N16-5. The genes of SigB regulon involved in general stress responses and chaperone-encoding genes were also induced by high salt concentration. Moreover, the genes regulating swarming ability and the composition of the cytoplasmic membrane and cell wall were also differentially expressed. The genes involved in iron uptake were down-regulated, whereas the iron homeostasis regulator Fur was up-regulated, suggesting that Fur may play a role in the salt adaption of Bacillus sp. N16-5. In summary, we present a comprehensive gene expression profiling of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5 cells exposed to high salt stress, which would help elucidate the mechanisms underlying alkaliphilic Bacillus spp. survival in and adaptation to salt stress. PMID:26030352

  13. 21 CFR 172.896 - Dried yeasts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Dried yeasts. 172.896 Section 172.896 Food and... Multipurpose Additives § 172.896 Dried yeasts. Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast (Candida utilis) may be safely used in food provided the total folic acid...

  14. 21 CFR 172.896 - Dried yeasts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Dried yeasts. 172.896 Section 172.896 Food and... Multipurpose Additives § 172.896 Dried yeasts. Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast (Candida utilis) may be safely used in food provided the total folic acid...

  15. 21 CFR 172.896 - Dried yeasts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Dried yeasts. 172.896 Section 172.896 Food and... Multipurpose Additives § 172.896 Dried yeasts. Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast (Candida utilis) may be safely used in food provided the total folic acid...

  16. 21 CFR 172.896 - Dried yeasts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Dried yeasts. 172.896 Section 172.896 Food and... Multipurpose Additives § 172.896 Dried yeasts. Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast (Candida utilis) may be safely used in food provided the total folic acid...

  17. Yeast flocculation: New story in fuel ethanol production.

    PubMed

    Zhao, X Q; Bai, F W

    2009-01-01

    Yeast flocculation has been used in the brewing industry to facilitate biomass recovery for a long time, and thus its mechanism of yeast flocculation has been intensively studied. However, the application of flocculating yeast in ethanol production garnered attention mainly in the 1980s and 1990s. In this article, updated research progress in the molecular mechanism of yeast flocculation and the impact of environmental conditions on yeast flocculation are reviewed. Construction of flocculating yeast strains by genetic approach and utilization of yeast flocculation for ethanol production from various feedstocks were presented. The concept of self-immobilized yeast cells through their flocculation is revisited through a case study of continuous ethanol fermentation with the flocculating yeast SPSC01, and their technical and economic advantages are highlighted by comparing with yeast cells immobilized with supporting materials and regular free yeast cells as well. Taking the flocculating yeast SPSC01 as an example, the ethanol tolerance of the flocculating yeast was also discussed.

  18. Brewing characteristics of piezosensitive sake yeasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nomura, Kazuki; Hoshino, Hirofumi; Igoshi, Kazuaki; Onozuka, Haruka; Tanaka, Erika; Hayashi, Mayumi; Yamazaki, Harutake; Takaku, Hiroaki; Iguchi, Akinori; Shigematsu, Toru

    2018-04-01

    Application of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment to food processing is expected as a non-thermal fermentation regulation technology that supresses over fermentation. However, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae used for Japanese rice wine (sake) brewing shows high tolerance to HHP. Therefore, we aimed to generate pressure-sensitive (piezosensitive) sake yeast strains by mating sake with piezosensitive yeast strains to establish an HHP fermentation regulation technology and extend the shelf life of fermented foods. The results of phenotypic analyses showed that the generated yeast strains were piezosensitive and exhibited similar fermentation ability compared with the original sake yeast strain. In addition, primary properties of sake brewed using these strains, such as ethanol concentration, sake meter value and sake flavor compounds, were almost equivalent to those obtained using the sake yeast strain. These results suggest that the piezosensitive strains exhibit brewing characteristics essentially equivalent to those of the sake yeast strain.

  19. 21 CFR 172.898 - Bakers yeast glycan.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Bakers yeast glycan. 172.898 Section 172.898 Food... Bakers yeast glycan. Bakers yeast glycan may be safely used in food in accordance with the following conditions: (a) Bakers yeast glycan is the comminuted, washed, pasteurized, and dried cell walls of the yeast...

  20. Opportunistic Pathogenic Yeasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Banerjee, Uma

    Advances in medical research, made during the last few decades, have improved the prophylactic, diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities for variety of infections/diseases. However, many of the prophylactic and therapeutic procedures have been seen in many instances to exact a price of host-vulnerability to an expanding group of opportunistic pathogens and yeasts are one of the important members in it. Fortunately amongst the vast majority of yeasts present in nature only few are considered to have the capability to cause infections when certain opportunities predisposes and these are termed as ‘opportunistic pathogenic yeasts.’ However, the term ‘pathogenic’ is quite tricky, as it depends of various factors of the host, the ‘bug’ and the environment to manifest the clinical infection. The borderline is expanding. In the present century with unprecedented increase in number of immune-compromised host in various disciplines of health care settings, where any yeast, which has the capability to grow at 37 ° C (normal body temperature of human), can be pathogenic and cause infection in particular situation

  1. Yeast Droplets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nguyen, Baochi; Upadhyaya, Arpita; van Oudenaarden, Alexander; Brenner, Michael

    2002-11-01

    It is well known that the Young's law and surface tension govern the shape of liquid droplets on solid surfaces. Here we address through experiments and theory the shape of growing aggregates of yeast on agar substrates, and assess whether these ideas still hold. Experiments are carried out on Baker's yeast, with different levels of expressions of an adhesive protein governing cell-cell and cell-substrate adhesion. Changing either the agar concentration or the expression of this protein modifies the local contact angle of a yeast droplet. When the colony is small, the shape is a spherical cap with the contact angle obeying Young's law. However, above a critical volume this structure is unstable, and the droplet becomes nonspherical. We present a theoretical model where this instability is caused by bulk elastic effects. The model predicts that the transition depends on both volume and contact angle, in a manner quantitatively consistent with our experiments.

  2. Not your ordinary yeast: non-Saccharomyces yeasts in wine production uncovered.

    PubMed

    Jolly, Neil P; Varela, Cristian; Pretorius, Isak S

    2014-03-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae and grape juice are 'natural companions' and make a happy wine marriage. However, this relationship can be enriched by allowing 'wild' non-Saccharomyces yeast to participate in a sequential manner in the early phases of grape must fermentation. However, such a triangular relationship is complex and can only be taken to 'the next level' if there are no spoilage yeast present and if the 'wine yeast' - S. cerevisiae - is able to exert its dominance in time to successfully complete the alcoholic fermentation. Winemakers apply various 'matchmaking' strategies (e.g. cellar hygiene, pH, SO2 , temperature and nutrient management) to keep 'spoilers' (e.g. Dekkera bruxellensis) at bay, and allow 'compatible' wild yeast (e.g. Torulaspora delbrueckii, Pichia kluyveri, Lachancea thermotolerans and Candida/Metschnikowia pulcherrima) to harmonize with potent S. cerevisiae wine yeast and bring the best out in wine. Mismatching can lead to a 'two is company, three is a crowd' scenario. More than 40 of the 1500 known yeast species have been isolated from grape must. In this article, we review the specific flavour-active characteristics of those non-Saccharomyces species that might play a positive role in both spontaneous and inoculated wine ferments. We seek to present 'single-species' and 'multi-species' ferments in a new light and a new context, and we raise important questions about the direction of mixed-fermentation research to address market trends regarding so-called 'natural' wines. This review also highlights that, despite the fact that most frontier research and technological developments are often focussed primarily on S. cerevisiae, non-Saccharomyces research can benefit from the techniques and knowledge developed by research on the former. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The histamine content of dried flying fish products in Taiwan and the isolation of halotolerant histamine-forming bacteria.

    PubMed

    Kung, Hsien-Feng; Huang, Chun-Yung; Lin, Chia-Min; Liaw, Lon-Hsiu; Lee, Yi-Chen; Tsai, Yung-Hsiang

    2015-06-01

    Thirty dried flying fish products were purchased from fishing village stores in Taiwan and tested to detect the presence of histamine and histamine-forming bacteria. Except for histamine and cadaverine, the average content of various biogenic amines in the tested samples was less than 3.5 mg/100 g. Eight (26.6%) dried flying fish samples had histamine levels greater than the United States Food and Drug Administration guideline of 5 mg/100 g for scombroid fish and/or scombroid products, whereas four (13.3%) samples contained more than the hazard action level of 50 mg/100 g. One histamine-producing bacterial isolate was identified as Staphylococcus xylosus by 16S rDNA sequencing with polymerase chain reaction amplification. This isolate was capable of producing 507.8 ppm of histamine in trypticase soy broth supplemented with 1.0% l-histidine (TSBH). The S. xylosus isolate was a halotolerant bacterium that had a consistent ability to produce more than 300 ppm of histamine at 3% sodium chloride concentration in TSBH medium after 72 hours. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Lager Yeast Comes of Age

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Alcoholic fermentations have accompanied human civilizations throughout our history. Lager yeasts have a several-century-long tradition of providing fresh beer with clean taste. The yeast strains used for lager beer fermentation have long been recognized as hybrids between two Saccharomyces species. We summarize the initial findings on this hybrid nature, the genomics/transcriptomics of lager yeasts, and established targets of strain improvements. Next-generation sequencing has provided fast access to yeast genomes. Its use in population genomics has uncovered many more hybridization events within Saccharomyces species, so that lager yeast hybrids are no longer the exception from the rule. These findings have led us to propose network evolution within Saccharomyces species. This “web of life” recognizes the ability of closely related species to exchange DNA and thus drain from a combined gene pool rather than be limited to a gene pool restricted by speciation. Within the domesticated lager yeasts, two groups, the Saaz and Frohberg groups, can be distinguished based on fermentation characteristics. Recent evidence suggests that these groups share an evolutionary history. We thus propose to refer to the Saaz group as Saccharomyces carlsbergensis and to the Frohberg group as Saccharomyces pastorianus based on their distinct genomes. New insight into the hybrid nature of lager yeast will provide novel directions for future strain improvement. PMID:25084862

  5. Black-boxing and cause-effect power

    PubMed Central

    Albantakis, Larissa; Tononi, Giulio

    2018-01-01

    Reductionism assumes that causation in the physical world occurs at the micro level, excluding the emergence of macro-level causation. We challenge this reductionist assumption by employing a principled, well-defined measure of intrinsic cause-effect power–integrated information (Φ), and showing that, according to this measure, it is possible for a macro level to “beat” the micro level. Simple systems were evaluated for Φ across different spatial and temporal scales by systematically considering all possible black boxes. These are macro elements that consist of one or more micro elements over one or more micro updates. Cause-effect power was evaluated based on the inputs and outputs of the black boxes, ignoring the internal micro elements that support their input-output function. We show how black-box elements can have more common inputs and outputs than the corresponding micro elements, revealing the emergence of high-order mechanisms and joint constraints that are not apparent at the micro level. As a consequence, a macro, black-box system can have higher Φ than its micro constituents by having more mechanisms (higher composition) that are more interconnected (higher integration). We also show that, for a given micro system, one can identify local maxima of Φ across several spatiotemporal scales. The framework is demonstrated on a simple biological system, the Boolean network model of the fission-yeast cell-cycle, for which we identify stable local maxima during the course of its simulated biological function. These local maxima correspond to macro levels of organization at which emergent cause-effect properties of physical systems come into focus, and provide a natural vantage point for scientific inquiries. PMID:29684020

  6. Yeast killer systems.

    PubMed Central

    Magliani, W; Conti, S; Gerloni, M; Bertolotti, D; Polonelli, L

    1997-01-01

    The killer phenomenon in yeasts has been revealed to be a multicentric model for molecular biologists, virologists, phytopathologists, epidemiologists, industrial and medical microbiologists, mycologists, and pharmacologists. The surprisingly widespread occurrence of the killer phenomenon among taxonomically unrelated microorganisms, including prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens, has engendered a new interest in its biological significance as well as its theoretical and practical applications. The search for therapeutic opportunities by using yeast killer systems has conceptually opened new avenues for the prevention and control of life-threatening fungal diseases through the idiotypic network that is apparently exploited by the immune system in the course of natural infections. In this review, the biology, ecology, epidemiology, therapeutics, serology, and idiotypy of yeast killer systems are discussed. PMID:9227858

  7. Yeasts as distinct life forms of fungi

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This review describes all presently recognized genera of the Ascomycete yeasts (Saccharomycotina, budding yeasts, and the Taphrinomycotina, fission yeasts and related) as well as all currently recognized genera of the Basidiomycete yeasts. This update will be the lead chapter for a book entitled “Ye...

  8. Study of amyloids using yeast

    PubMed Central

    Wickner, Reed B.; Kryndushkin, Dmitry; Shewmaker, Frank; McGlinchey, Ryan; Edskes, Herman K.

    2012-01-01

    Summary Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been a useful model organism in such fields as the cell cycle, regulation of transcription, protein trafficking and cell biology, primarily because of its ease of genetic manipulation. This is no less so in the area of amyloid studies. The endogenous yeast amyloids described to date include prions, infectious proteins (Table 1), and some cell wall proteins (1). and amyloids of humans and a fungal prion have also been studied using the yeast system. Accordingly, the emphasis of this chapter will be on genetic, biochemical, cell biological and physical methods particularly useful in the study of yeast prions and other amyloids studied in yeast. We limit our description of these methods to those aspects which have been most useful in studying yeast prions, citing more detailed expositions in the literature. Volumes on yeast genetics methods (2–4), and on amyloids and prions (5, 6) are useful, and Masison has edited a volume of Methods on “Identification, analysis and characterization of fungal prions” which covers some of this territory (7). We also outline some useful physical methods, pointing the reader to more extensive and authoratative descriptions. PMID:22528100

  9. Evolutionary History of Ascomyceteous Yeasts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Haridas, Sajeet; Riley, Robert; Salamov, Asaf

    2014-06-06

    Yeasts are important for many industrial and biotechnological processes and show remarkable diversity despite morphological similarities. We have sequenced the genomes of 16 ascomycete yeasts of taxonomic and industrial importance including members of Saccharomycotina and Taphrinomycotina. A comparison of these with several other previously published yeast genomes have added increased confidence to the phylogenetic positions of previously poorly placed species including Saitoella complicata, Babjeviella inositovora and Metschnikowia bicuspidata. Phylogenetic analysis also showed that yeasts with alternative nuclear codon usage where CUG encodes serine instead of leucine are monophyletic within the Saccharomycotina. Most of the yeasts have compact genomes with amore » large fraction of single exon genes with Lipomyces starkeyi and the previously published Pneumocystis jirovecii being notable exceptions. Intron analysis suggests that early diverging species have more introns. We also observed a large number of unclassified lineage specific non-simple repeats in these genomes.« less

  10. Eighteen new oleaginous yeast species.

    PubMed

    Garay, Luis A; Sitepu, Irnayuli R; Cajka, Tomas; Chandra, Idelia; Shi, Sandy; Lin, Ting; German, J Bruce; Fiehn, Oliver; Boundy-Mills, Kyria L

    2016-07-01

    Of 1600 known species of yeasts, about 70 are known to be oleaginous, defined as being able to accumulate over 20 % intracellular lipids. These yeasts have value for fundamental and applied research. A survey of yeasts from the Phaff Yeast Culture Collection, University of California Davis was performed to identify additional oleaginous species within the Basidiomycota phylum. Fifty-nine strains belonging to 34 species were grown in lipid inducing media, and total cell mass, lipid yield and triacylglycerol profiles were determined. Thirty-two species accumulated at least 20 % lipid and 25 species accumulated over 40 % lipid by dry weight. Eighteen of these species were not previously reported to be oleaginous. Triacylglycerol profiles were suitable for biodiesel production. These results greatly expand the number of known oleaginous yeast species, and reveal the wealth of natural diversity of triacylglycerol profiles within wild-type oleaginous Basidiomycetes.

  11. Oral yeast colonization throughout pregnancy

    PubMed Central

    Rio, Rute; Simões-Silva, Liliana; Garro, Sofia; Silva, Mário-Jorge; Azevedo, Álvaro

    2017-01-01

    Background Recent studies suggest that placenta may harbour a unique microbiome that may have origin in maternal oral microbiome. Although the major physiological and hormonal adjustments observed in pregnant women lead to biochemical and microbiological modifications of the oral environment, very few studies evaluated the changes suffered by the oral microbiota throughout pregnancy. So, the aim of our study was to evaluate oral yeast colonization throughout pregnancy and to compare it with non-pregnant women. Material and Methods The oral yeast colonization was assessed in saliva of 30 pregnant and non-pregnant women longitudinally over a 6-months period. Demographic information was collected, a non-invasive intra-oral examination was performed and saliva flow and pH were determined. Results Pregnant and non-pregnant groups were similar regarding age and level of education. Saliva flow rate did not differ, but saliva pH was lower in pregnant than in non-pregnant women. Oral yeast prevalence was higher in pregnant than in non-pregnant women, either in the first or in the third trimester, but did not attain statistical significance. In individuals colonized with yeast, the total yeast quantification (Log10CFU/mL) increase from the 1st to the 3rd trimester in pregnant women, but not in non-pregnant women. Conclusions Pregnancy may favour oral yeast growth that may be associated with an acidic oral environment. Key words:Oral yeast, fungi, pregnancy, saliva pH. PMID:28160578

  12. Biomedical applications of yeast- a patent view, part one: yeasts as workhorses for the production of therapeutics and vaccines.

    PubMed

    Roohvand, Farzin; Shokri, Mehdi; Abdollahpour-Alitappeh, Meghdad; Ehsani, Parastoo

    2017-08-01

    Yeasts, as Eukaryotes, offer unique features for ease of growth and genetic manipulation possibilities, making it an exceptional microbial host. Areas covered: This review provides general and patent-oriented insights into production of biopharmaceuticals by yeasts. Patents, wherever possible, were correlated to the original or review articles. The review describes applications of major GRAS (generally regarded as safe) yeasts for the production of therapeutic proteins and subunit vaccines; additionally, immunomodulatory properties of yeast cell wall components were reviewed for use of whole yeast cells as a new vaccine platform. The second part of the review will discuss yeast- humanization strategies and innovative applications. Expert opinion: Biomedical applications of yeasts were initiated by utilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for production of leavened (fermented) products, and advanced to serve to produce biopharmaceuticals. Higher biomass production and expression/secretion yields, more similarity of glycosylation patterns to mammals and possibility of host-improvement strategies through application of synthetic biology might enhance selection of Pichia pastoris (instead of S. cerevisiae) as a host for production of biopharmaceutical in future. Immunomodulatory properties of yeast cell wall β-glucans and possibility of intracellular expression of heterologous pathogen/tumor antigens in yeast cells have expanded their application as a new platform, 'Whole Yeast Vaccines'.

  13. Nutrient supplements boost yeast transformation efficiency

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Sheng-Chun; Dawson, Alexander; Henderson, Alyssa C.; Lockyer, Eloise J.; Read, Emily; Sritharan, Gayathri; Ryan, Marjah; Sgroi, Mara; Ngou, Pok M.; Woodruff, Rosie; Zhang, Ruifeng; Ren Teen Chia, Travis; Liu, Yu; Xiang, Yiyu; Spanu, Pietro D.

    2016-01-01

    Efficiency of yeast transformation is determined by the rate of yeast endocytosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of introducing amino acids and other nutrients (inositol, adenine, or p-aminobenzoic acid) in the transformation medium to develop a highly efficient yeast transformation protocol. The target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) kinase signalling complex influences the rate of yeast endocytosis. TORC signaling is induced by amino acids in the media. Here, we found that increasing the concentration of amino acids and other nutrients in the growth media lead to an increase yeast transformation efficiency up to 107 CFU per μg plasmid DNA and per 108 cells with a 13.8 kb plasmid DNA. This is over 130 times that of current published methods. This improvement may facilitate more efficient experimentation in which transformation efficiency is critical, such as yeast two-hybrid screening. PMID:27760994

  14. From the Tunnels into the Treetops: New Lineages of Black Yeasts from Biofilm in the Stockholm Metro System and Their Relatives among Ant-Associated Fungi in the Chaetothyriales

    PubMed Central

    Hubka, Vit; Thureborn, Olle; Lundberg, Johannes; Sallstedt, Therese; Wedin, Mats; Ivarsson, Magnus

    2016-01-01

    Rock-inhabiting fungi harbour species-rich, poorly differentiated, extremophilic taxa of polyphyletic origin. Their closest relatives are often well-known species from various biotopes with significant pathogenic potential. Speleothems represent a unique rock-dwelling habitat, whose mycobiota are largely unexplored. Isolation of fungi from speleothem biofilm covering bare granite walls in the Kungsträdgården metro station in Stockholm yielded axenic cultures of two distinct black yeast morphotypes. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences from six nuclear loci, ITS, nuc18S and nuc28S rDNA, rpb1, rpb2 and β-tubulin, support their placement in the Chaetothyriales (Ascomycota). They are described as a new genus Bacillicladium with the type species B. lobatum, and a new species Bradymyces graniticola. Bacillicladium is distantly related to the known five chaetothyrialean families and is unique in the Chaetothyriales by variable morphology showing hyphal, meristematic and yeast-like growth in vitro. The nearest relatives of Bacillicladium are recruited among fungi isolated from cardboard-like construction material produced by arboricolous non-attine ants. Their sister relationship is weakly supported by the Maximum likelihood analysis, but strongly supported by Bayesian inference. The genus Bradymyces is placed amidst members of the Trichomeriaceae and is ecologically undefined; it includes an opportunistic animal pathogen while two other species inhabit rock surfaces. ITS rDNA sequences of three species accepted in Bradymyces and other undescribed species and environmental samples were subjected to phylogenetic analysis and in-depth comparative analysis of ITS1 and ITS2 secondary structures in order to study their intraspecific variability. Compensatory base change criterion in the ITS2 secondary structure supported delimitation of species in Bradymyces, which manifest a limited number of phenotypic features useful for species recognition. The role of fungi in the

  15. From the Tunnels into the Treetops: New Lineages of Black Yeasts from Biofilm in the Stockholm Metro System and Their Relatives among Ant-Associated Fungi in the Chaetothyriales.

    PubMed

    Réblová, Martina; Hubka, Vit; Thureborn, Olle; Lundberg, Johannes; Sallstedt, Therese; Wedin, Mats; Ivarsson, Magnus

    2016-01-01

    Rock-inhabiting fungi harbour species-rich, poorly differentiated, extremophilic taxa of polyphyletic origin. Their closest relatives are often well-known species from various biotopes with significant pathogenic potential. Speleothems represent a unique rock-dwelling habitat, whose mycobiota are largely unexplored. Isolation of fungi from speleothem biofilm covering bare granite walls in the Kungsträdgården metro station in Stockholm yielded axenic cultures of two distinct black yeast morphotypes. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences from six nuclear loci, ITS, nuc18S and nuc28S rDNA, rpb1, rpb2 and β-tubulin, support their placement in the Chaetothyriales (Ascomycota). They are described as a new genus Bacillicladium with the type species B. lobatum, and a new species Bradymyces graniticola. Bacillicladium is distantly related to the known five chaetothyrialean families and is unique in the Chaetothyriales by variable morphology showing hyphal, meristematic and yeast-like growth in vitro. The nearest relatives of Bacillicladium are recruited among fungi isolated from cardboard-like construction material produced by arboricolous non-attine ants. Their sister relationship is weakly supported by the Maximum likelihood analysis, but strongly supported by Bayesian inference. The genus Bradymyces is placed amidst members of the Trichomeriaceae and is ecologically undefined; it includes an opportunistic animal pathogen while two other species inhabit rock surfaces. ITS rDNA sequences of three species accepted in Bradymyces and other undescribed species and environmental samples were subjected to phylogenetic analysis and in-depth comparative analysis of ITS1 and ITS2 secondary structures in order to study their intraspecific variability. Compensatory base change criterion in the ITS2 secondary structure supported delimitation of species in Bradymyces, which manifest a limited number of phenotypic features useful for species recognition. The role of fungi in the

  16. Heterologous Expression Implicates a GATA Factor in Regulation of Nitrogen Metabolic Genes and Ion Homeostasis in the Halotolerant Yeast Debaryomyces hansenii†

    PubMed Central

    García-Salcedo, Raúl; Casamayor, Antonio; Ruiz, Amparo; González, Asier; Prista, Catarina; Loureiro-Dias, Maria C.; Ramos, José; Ariño, Joaquín

    2006-01-01

    The yeast Debaryomyces hansenii has a remarkable capacity to proliferate in salty and alkaline environments such as seawater. A screen for D. hansenii genes able to confer increased tolerance to high pH when overexpressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yielded a single gene, named here DhGZF3, encoding a putative negative GATA transcription factor related to S. cerevisiae Dal80 and Gzf3. Overexpression of this gene in wild-type S. cerevisiae increased caffeine and rapamycin tolerance, blocked growth in low glucose concentrations and nonfermentable carbon sources, and resulted in lithium- and sodium-sensitive cells. Sensitivity to salt could be attributed to a reduced cation efflux, most likely because of a decrease in expression of the ENA1 Na+-ATPase gene. Overexpression of DhGZF3 did not affect cell growth in a gat1 mutant but was lethal in the absence of Gln3. These are positive factors that oppose both Gzf3 and Dal80. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling of wild-type cells overexpressing DhGZF3 shows decreased expression of a number of genes that are usually induced in poor nitrogen sources. In addition, the entire pathway leading to Lys biosynthesis was repressed, probably as a result of a decrease in the expression of the specific Lys14 transcription factor. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that DhGzf3 can play a role as a negative GATA transcription factor when expressed in S. cerevisiae and that it most probably represents the only member of this family in D. hansenii. These findings also point to the GATA transcription factors as relevant elements for alkaline-pH tolerance. PMID:16896222

  17. Virgin olive oil yeasts: A review.

    PubMed

    Ciafardini, Gino; Zullo, Biagi Angelo

    2018-04-01

    This review summarizes current knowledge on virgin olive oil yeasts. Newly produced olive oil contains solid particles and micro drops of vegetation water in which yeasts reproduce to become the typical microbiota of olive oil. To date, about seventeen yeast species have been isolated from different types of olive oils and their by-products, of which six species have been identified as new species. Certain yeast species contribute greatly to improving the sensorial characteristics of the newly produced olive oil, whereas other species are considered harmful as they can damage the oil quality through the production of unpleasant flavors and triacylglycerol hydrolysis. Studies carried out in certain yeast strains have demonstrated the presence of defects in olive oil treated with Candida adriatica, Nakazawaea wickerhamii and Candida diddensiae specific strains, while other olive oil samples treated with other Candida diddensiae strains were defect-free after four months of storage and categorized as extra virgin. A new acetic acid producing yeast species, namely, Brettanomyces acidodurans sp. nov., which was recently isolated from olive oil, could be implicated in the wine-vinegary defect of the product. Other aspects related to the activity of the lipase-producing yeasts and the survival of the yeast species in the flavored olive oils are also discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. 21 CFR 184.1983 - Bakers yeast extract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Bakers yeast extract. 184.1983 Section 184.1983... GRAS § 184.1983 Bakers yeast extract. (a) Bakers yeast extract is the food ingredient resulting from concentration of the solubles of mechanically ruptured cells of a selected strain of yeast, Saccharomyces...

  19. 21 CFR 184.1983 - Bakers yeast extract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Bakers yeast extract. 184.1983 Section 184.1983... Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1983 Bakers yeast extract. (a) Bakers yeast extract... a selected strain of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It may be concentrated or dried. (b) The...

  20. 21 CFR 184.1983 - Bakers yeast extract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Bakers yeast extract. 184.1983 Section 184.1983... Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1983 Bakers yeast extract. (a) Bakers yeast extract... a selected strain of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It may be concentrated or dried. (b) The...

  1. History of genome editing in yeast.

    PubMed

    Fraczek, Marcin G; Naseeb, Samina; Delneri, Daniela

    2018-05-01

    For thousands of years humans have used the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the production of bread and alcohol; however, in the last 30-40 years our understanding of the yeast biology has dramatically increased, enabling us to modify its genome. Although S. cerevisiae has been the main focus of many research groups, other non-conventional yeasts have also been studied and exploited for biotechnological purposes. Our experiments and knowledge have evolved from recombination to high-throughput PCR-based transformations to highly accurate CRISPR methods in order to alter yeast traits for either research or industrial purposes. Since the release of the genome sequence of S. cerevisiae in 1996, the precise and targeted genome editing has increased significantly. In this 'Budding topic' we discuss the significant developments of genome editing in yeast, mainly focusing on Cre-loxP mediated recombination, delitto perfetto and CRISPR/Cas. © 2018 The Authors. Yeast published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Inventions on baker's yeast strains and specialty ingredients.

    PubMed

    Gélinas, Pierre

    2009-06-01

    Baker's yeast is one of the oldest food microbial starters. Between 1927 and 2008, 165 inventions on more than 337 baker's yeast strains were patented. The first generation of patented yeast strains claimed improved biomass yield at the yeast plant, higher gassing power in dough or better survival to drying to prepare active dry baker's yeast. Especially between 1980 and 1995, a major interest was given to strains for multiple bakery applications such as dough with variable sugar content and stored at refrigeration (cold) or freezing temperatures. During the same period, genetically engineered yeast strains became very popular but did not find applications in the baking industry. Since year 2000, patented baker's yeast strains claimed aroma, anti-moulding or nutritive properties to better meet the needs of the baking industry. In addition to patents on yeast strains, 47 patents were issued on baker's yeast specialty ingredients for niche markets. This review shows that patents on baker's yeast with improved characteristics such as aromatic or nutritive properties have regularly been issued since the 1920's. Overall, it also confirms recent interest for a very wide range of tailored-made yeast-based ingredients for bakery applications.

  3. 21 CFR 172.898 - Bakers yeast glycan.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Bakers yeast glycan. 172.898 Section 172.898 Food... Multipurpose Additives § 172.898 Bakers yeast glycan. Bakers yeast glycan may be safely used in food in accordance with the following conditions: (a) Bakers yeast glycan is the comminuted, washed, pasteurized, and...

  4. 21 CFR 172.898 - Bakers yeast glycan.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Bakers yeast glycan. 172.898 Section 172.898 Food... Multipurpose Additives § 172.898 Bakers yeast glycan. Bakers yeast glycan may be safely used in food in accordance with the following conditions: (a) Bakers yeast glycan is the comminuted, washed, pasteurized, and...

  5. Enhancement of growth and salt tolerance of red pepper seedlings (Capsicum annuum L.) by regulating stress ethylene synthesis with halotolerant bacteria containing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity.

    PubMed

    Siddikee, Md Ashaduzzaman; Glick, Bernard R; Chauhan, Puneet S; Yim, Woo jong; Sa, Tongmin

    2011-04-01

    Three 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase-producing halotolerant bacteria were isolated from West Coast soil of Yellow Sea, Incheon, South Korea and evaluated for their efficiency in improving red pepper plant growth under salt stress. The strains RS16, RS656 and RS111 were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Brevibacterium iodinum, Bacillus licheniformis and Zhihengliuela alba, respectively. Two hour exposure of 100, 150 and 200 mM NaCl stress on 8 day old red pepper seedlings caused 44, 64 and 74% increase ethylene production, while at 150 mM NaCl stress, inoculation of B. licheniformis RS656, Z. alba RS111, and Br. iodinum RS16 reduces ethylene production by 44, 53 and 57%, respectively. Similarly, 3 week old red pepper plants were subjected to salt stress for two weeks and approximately ∼50% reduction in growth recorded at 150 mM NaCl stress compared to negative control whereas bacteria inoculation significantly increase the growth compared to positive control. Salt stress also caused 1.3-fold reduction in the root/shoot dry weight ratio compared to the absence of salt while bacteria inoculation retained the biomass allocation similar to control plants. The salt tolerance index (ratio of biomass of salt stressed to non-stressed plant) was also significantly increased in inoculated plants compared to non-inoculated. Increase nutrient uptakes under salt stress by red pepper further evident that bacteria inoculation ameliorates salt stress effect. In summary, this study indicates that the use of ACC deaminase-producing halotolerant bacteria mitigates the salt stress by reducing salt stress-induced ethylene production on growth of red pepper plants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. The wine and beer yeast Dekkera bruxellensis

    PubMed Central

    Schifferdecker, Anna Judith; Dashko, Sofia; Ishchuk, Olena P; Piškur, Jure

    2014-01-01

    Recently, the non-conventional yeast Dekkera bruxellensis has been gaining more and more attention in the food industry and academic research. This yeast species is a distant relative of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is especially known for two important characteristics: on the one hand, it is considered to be one of the main spoilage organisms in the wine and bioethanol industry; on the other hand, it is 'indispensable' as a contributor to the flavour profile of Belgium lambic and gueuze beers. Additionally, it adds to the characteristic aromatic properties of some red wines. Recently this yeast has also become a model for the study of yeast evolution. In this review we focus on the recently developed molecular and genetic tools, such as complete genome sequencing and transformation, to study and manipulate this yeast. We also focus on the areas that are particularly well explored in this yeast, such as the synthesis of off-flavours, yeast detection methods, carbon metabolism and evolutionary history. © 2014 The Authors. Yeast published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:24932634

  7. The wine and beer yeast Dekkera bruxellensis.

    PubMed

    Schifferdecker, Anna Judith; Dashko, Sofia; Ishchuk, Olena P; Piškur, Jure

    2014-09-01

    Recently, the non-conventional yeast Dekkera bruxellensis has been gaining more and more attention in the food industry and academic research. This yeast species is a distant relative of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is especially known for two important characteristics: on the one hand, it is considered to be one of the main spoilage organisms in the wine and bioethanol industry; on the other hand, it is 'indispensable' as a contributor to the flavour profile of Belgium lambic and gueuze beers. Additionally, it adds to the characteristic aromatic properties of some red wines. Recently this yeast has also become a model for the study of yeast evolution. In this review we focus on the recently developed molecular and genetic tools, such as complete genome sequencing and transformation, to study and manipulate this yeast. We also focus on the areas that are particularly well explored in this yeast, such as the synthesis of off-flavours, yeast detection methods, carbon metabolism and evolutionary history. © 2014 The Authors. Yeast published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Biotechnology of non-Saccharomyces yeasts-the basidiomycetes.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Eric A

    2013-09-01

    Yeasts are the major producer of biotechnology products worldwide, exceeding production in capacity and economic revenues of other groups of industrial microorganisms. Yeasts have wide-ranging fundamental and industrial importance in scientific, food, medical, and agricultural disciplines (Fig. 1). Saccharomyces is the most important genus of yeast from fundamental and applied perspectives and has been expansively studied. Non-Saccharomyces yeasts (non-conventional yeasts) including members of the Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes also have substantial current utility and potential applicability in biotechnology. In an earlier mini-review, "Biotechnology of non-Saccharomyces yeasts-the ascomycetes" (Johnson Appl Microb Biotechnol 97: 503-517, 2013), the extensive biotechnological utility and potential of ascomycetous yeasts are described. Ascomycetous yeasts are particularly important in food and ethanol formation, production of single-cell protein, feeds and fodder, heterologous production of proteins and enzymes, and as model and fundamental organisms for the delineation of genes and their function in mammalian and human metabolism and disease processes. In contrast, the roles of basidiomycetous yeasts in biotechnology have mainly been evaluated only in the past few decades and compared to the ascomycetous yeasts and currently have limited industrial utility. From a biotechnology perspective, the basidiomycetous yeasts are known mainly for the production of enzymes used in pharmaceutical and chemical synthesis, for production of certain classes of primary and secondary metabolites such as terpenoids and carotenoids, for aerobic catabolism of complex carbon sources, and for bioremediation of environmental pollutants and xenotoxicants. Notwithstanding, the basidiomycetous yeasts appear to have considerable potential in biotechnology owing to their catabolic utilities, formation of enzymes acting on recalcitrant substrates, and through the production of unique primary

  9. Between science and industry-applied yeast research.

    PubMed

    Korhola, Matti

    2018-03-01

    I was fortunate to enter yeast research at the Alko Research Laboratories with a strong tradition in yeast biochemistry and physiology studies. At the same time in the 1980s there was a fundamental or paradigm change in molecular biology research with discoveries in DNA sequencing and other analytical and physical techniques for studying macromolecules and cells. Since that time biotechnological research has expanded the traditional fermentation industries to efficient production of industrial and other enzymes and specialty chemicals. Our efforts were directed towards improving the industrial production organisms: minerals enriched yeasts (Se, Cr, Zn) and high glutathione content yeast, baker´s, distiller´s, sour dough and wine yeasts, and the fungal Trichoderma reesei platform for enzyme production. I am grateful for the trust of my colleagues in several leadership positions at the Alko Research Laboratories, Yeast Industry Platform and at the international yeast community.

  10. Yeast-based biosensors: design and applications.

    PubMed

    Adeniran, Adebola; Sherer, Michael; Tyo, Keith E J

    2015-02-01

    Yeast-based biosensing (YBB) is an exciting research area, as many studies have demonstrated the use of yeasts to accurately detect specific molecules. Biosensors incorporating various yeasts have been reported to detect an incredibly large range of molecules including but not limited to odorants, metals, intracellular metabolites, carcinogens, lactate, alcohols, and sugars. We review the detection strategies available for different types of analytes, as well as the wide range of output methods that have been incorporated with yeast biosensors. We group biosensors into two categories: those that are dependent upon transcription of a gene to report the detection of a desired molecule and those that are independent of this reporting mechanism. Transcription-dependent biosensors frequently depend on heterologous expression of sensing elements from non-yeast organisms, a strategy that has greatly expanded the range of molecules available for detection by YBBs. Transcription-independent biosensors circumvent the problem of sensing difficult-to-detect analytes by instead relying on yeast metabolism to generate easily detected molecules when the analyte is present. The use of yeast as the sensing element in biosensors has proven to be successful and continues to hold great promise for a variety of applications. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.

  11. Oral yeast colonization throughout pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Rio, R; Simões-Silva, L; Garro, S; Silva, M-J; Azevedo, Á; Sampaio-Maia, B

    2017-03-01

    Recent studies suggest that placenta may harbour a unique microbiome that may have origin in maternal oral microbiome. Although the major physiological and hormonal adjustments observed in pregnant women lead to biochemical and microbiological modifications of the oral environment, very few studies evaluated the changes suffered by the oral microbiota throughout pregnancy. So, the aim of our study was to evaluate oral yeast colonization throughout pregnancy and to compare it with non-pregnant women. The oral yeast colonization was assessed in saliva of 30 pregnant and non-pregnant women longitudinally over a 6-months period. Demographic information was collected, a non-invasive intra-oral examination was performed and saliva flow and pH were determined. Pregnant and non-pregnant groups were similar regarding age and level of education. Saliva flow rate did not differ, but saliva pH was lower in pregnant than in non-pregnant women. Oral yeast prevalence was higher in pregnant than in non-pregnant women, either in the first or in the third trimester, but did not attain statistical significance. In individuals colonized with yeast, the total yeast quantification (Log10CFU/mL) increase from the 1st to the 3rd trimester in pregnant women, but not in non-pregnant women. Pregnancy may favour oral yeast growth that may be associated with an acidic oral environment.

  12. Biotechnological Applications of Dimorphic Yeasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doiphode, N.; Joshi, C.; Ghormade, V.; Deshpande, M. V.

    The dimorphic yeasts have the equilibrium between spherical growth (budding) and polarized (hyphal or pseudohyphal tip elongation) which can be triggered by change in the environmental conditions. The reversible growth phenomenon has made dimorphic yeasts as an useful model to understand fungal evolution and fungal differentiation, in general. In nature dimorphism is clearly evident in plant and animal fungal pathogens, which survive and most importantly proliferate in the respective hosts. However, number of organisms with no known pathogenic behaviour also show such a transition, which can be exploited for the technological applications due to their different biochemical make up under different morphologies. For instance, chitin and chitosan production using dimorphic Saccharomyces, Mucor, Rhizopus and Benjaminiella, oil degradation and biotransformation with yeast-form of Yarrowia species, bioremediation of organic pollutants, exopolysac-charide production by yeast-phase of Aureobasidium pullulans, to name a few. Myrothecium verrucaria can be used for seed dressing in its yeast form and it produces a mycolytic enzyme complex in its hyphal-form for the biocontrol of fungal pathogens, while Beauveria bassiana and other entomopathogens kill the insect pest by producing yeast- like cells in the insect body. The form-specific expression of protease, chitinase, lipase, ornithine decarboxylase, glutamate dehydrogenases, etc. make Benjaminiella poitrasii, Basidiobolus sp., and Mucor rouxii strains important in bioremediation, nanobiotechnology, fungal evolution and other areas.

  13. Yeasts of the soil – obscure but precious

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Pioneering studies performed in the nineteenth century demonstrated that yeasts are present in below‐ground sources. Soils were regarded more as a reservoir for yeasts that reside in habitats above it. Later studies showed that yeast communities in soils are taxonomically diverse and different from those above‐ground. Soil yeasts possess extraordinary adaptations that allow them to survive in a wide range of environmental conditions. A few species are promising sources of yeast oils and have been used in agriculture as potential antagonists of soil‐borne plant pathogens or as plant growth promoters. Yeasts have been studied mainly in managed soils such as vineyards, orchards and agricultural fields, and to a lesser extent under forests and grasslands. Our knowledge of soil yeasts is further biased towards temperate and boreal forests, whereas data from Africa, the Americas and Asia are scarce. Although soil yeast communities are often species‐poor in a single sample, they are more diverse on the biotope level. Soil yeasts display pronounced endemism along with a surprisingly high proportion of currently unidentified species. However, like other soil inhabitants, yeasts are threatened by habitat alterations owing to anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, deforestation and urbanization. In view of the rapid decline of many natural habitats, the study of soil yeasts in undisturbed or low‐managed biotopes is extremely valuable. The purpose of this review is to encourage researchers, both biologists and soil scientists, to include soil yeasts in future studies. PMID:29365211

  14. Electron transport chain in a thermotolerant yeast.

    PubMed

    Mejía-Barajas, Jorge A; Martínez-Mora, José A; Salgado-Garciglia, Rafael; Noriega-Cisneros, Ruth; Ortiz-Avila, Omar; Cortés-Rojo, Christian; Saavedra-Molina, Alfredo

    2017-04-01

    Yeasts capable of growing and surviving at high temperatures are regarded as thermotolerant. For appropriate functioning of cellular processes and cell survival, the maintenance of an optimal redox state is critical of reducing and oxidizing species. We studied mitochondrial functions of the thermotolerant Kluyveromyces marxianus SLP1 and the mesophilic OFF1 yeasts, through the evaluation of its mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m ), ATPase activity, electron transport chain (ETC) activities, alternative oxidase activity, lipid peroxidation. Mitochondrial membrane potential and the cytoplasmic free Ca 2+ ions (Ca 2+ cyt) increased in the SLP1 yeast when exposed to high temperature, compared with the mesophilic yeast OFF1. ATPase activity in the mesophilic yeast diminished 80% when exposed to 40° while the thermotolerant SLP1 showed no change, despite an increase in the mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. The SLP1 thermotolerant yeast exposed to high temperature showed a diminution of 33% of the oxygen consumption in state 4. The uncoupled state 3 of oxygen consumption did not change in the mesophilic yeast when it had an increase of temperature, whereas in the thermotolerant SLP1 yeast resulted in an increase of 2.5 times when yeast were grown at 30 o , while a decrease of 51% was observed when it was exposed to high temperature. The activities of the ETC complexes were diminished in the SLP1 when exposed to high temperature, but also it was distinguished an alternative oxidase activity. Our results suggest that the mitochondria state, particularly ETC state, is an important characteristic of the thermotolerance of the SLP1 yeast strain.

  15. Comparison of different estimation techniques for biomass concentration in large scale yeast fermentation.

    PubMed

    Hocalar, A; Türker, M; Karakuzu, C; Yüzgeç, U

    2011-04-01

    In this study, previously developed five different state estimation methods are examined and compared for estimation of biomass concentrations at a production scale fed-batch bioprocess. These methods are i. estimation based on kinetic model of overflow metabolism; ii. estimation based on metabolic black-box model; iii. estimation based on observer; iv. estimation based on artificial neural network; v. estimation based on differential evaluation. Biomass concentrations are estimated from available measurements and compared with experimental data obtained from large scale fermentations. The advantages and disadvantages of the presented techniques are discussed with regard to accuracy, reproducibility, number of primary measurements required and adaptation to different working conditions. Among the various techniques, the metabolic black-box method seems to have advantages although the number of measurements required is more than that for the other methods. However, the required extra measurements are based on commonly employed instruments in an industrial environment. This method is used for developing a model based control of fed-batch yeast fermentations. Copyright © 2010 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Yeasts in floral nectar: a quantitative survey

    PubMed Central

    Herrera, Carlos M.; de Vega, Clara; Canto, Azucena; Pozo, María I.

    2009-01-01

    Background and Aims One peculiarity of floral nectar that remains relatively unexplored from an ecological perspective is its role as a natural habitat for micro-organisms. This study assesses the frequency of occurrence and abundance of yeast cells in floral nectar of insect-pollinated plants from three contrasting plant communities on two continents. Possible correlations between interspecific differences in yeast incidence and pollinator composition are also explored. Methods The study was conducted at three widely separated areas, two in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) and one in the Yucatán Peninsula (Mexico). Floral nectar samples from 130 species (37–63 species per region) in 44 families were examined microscopically for the presence of yeast cells. For one of the Spanish sites, the relationship across species between incidence of yeasts in nectar and the proportion of flowers visited by each of five major pollinator categories was also investigated. Key Results Yeasts occurred regularly in the floral nectar of many species, where they sometimes reached extraordinary densities (up to 4 × 105 cells mm−3). Depending on the region, between 32 and 44 % of all nectar samples contained yeasts. Yeast cell densities in the order of 104 cells mm−3 were commonplace, and densities >105 cells mm−3 were not rare. About one-fifth of species at each site had mean yeast cell densities >104 cells mm−3. Across species, yeast frequency and abundance were directly correlated with the proportion of floral visits by bumble-bees, and inversely with the proportion of visits by solitary bees. Conclusions Incorporating nectar yeasts into the scenario of plant–pollinator interactions opens up a number of intriguing avenues for research. In addition, with yeasts being as ubiquitous and abundant in floral nectars as revealed by this study, and given their astounding metabolic versatility, studies focusing on nectar chemical features should carefully control for the presence

  17. Interactions between Drosophila and its natural yeast symbionts—Is Saccharomyces cerevisiae a good model for studying the fly-yeast relationship?

    PubMed Central

    Hoang, Don; Kopp, Artyom

    2015-01-01

    Yeasts play an important role in the biology of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. In addition to being a valuable source of nutrition, yeasts affect D. melanogaster behavior and interact with the host immune system. Most experiments investigating the role of yeasts in D. melanogaster biology use the baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, S. cerevisiae is rarely found with natural populations of D. melanogaster or other Drosophila species. Moreover, the strain of S. cerevisiae used most often in D. melanogaster experiments is a commercially and industrially important strain that, to the best of our knowledge, was not isolated from flies. Since disrupting natural host–microbe interactions can have profound effects on host biology, the results from D. melanogaster–S. cerevisiae laboratory experiments may not be fully representative of host–microbe interactions in nature. In this study, we explore the D. melanogaster-yeast relationship using five different strains of yeast that were isolated from wild Drosophila populations. Ingested live yeasts have variable persistence in the D. melanogaster gastrointestinal tract. For example, Hanseniaspora occidentalis persists relative to S. cerevisiae, while Brettanomyces naardenensis is removed. Despite these differences in persistence relative to S. cerevisiae, we find that all yeasts decrease in total abundance over time. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important component of the D. melanogaster anti-microbial response and can inhibit S. cerevisiae growth in the intestine. To determine if sensitivity to ROS explains the differences in yeast persistence, we measured yeast growth in the presence and absence of hydrogen peroxide. We find that B. naardenesis is completely inhibited by hydrogen peroxide, while H. occidentalis is not, which is consistent with yeast sensitivity to ROS affecting persistence within the D. melanogaster gastrointestinal tract. We also compared the feeding preference of D

  18. Interactions between Drosophila and its natural yeast symbionts-Is Saccharomyces cerevisiae a good model for studying the fly-yeast relationship?

    PubMed

    Hoang, Don; Kopp, Artyom; Chandler, James Angus

    2015-01-01

    Yeasts play an important role in the biology of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. In addition to being a valuable source of nutrition, yeasts affect D. melanogaster behavior and interact with the host immune system. Most experiments investigating the role of yeasts in D. melanogaster biology use the baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, S. cerevisiae is rarely found with natural populations of D. melanogaster or other Drosophila species. Moreover, the strain of S. cerevisiae used most often in D. melanogaster experiments is a commercially and industrially important strain that, to the best of our knowledge, was not isolated from flies. Since disrupting natural host-microbe interactions can have profound effects on host biology, the results from D. melanogaster-S. cerevisiae laboratory experiments may not be fully representative of host-microbe interactions in nature. In this study, we explore the D. melanogaster-yeast relationship using five different strains of yeast that were isolated from wild Drosophila populations. Ingested live yeasts have variable persistence in the D. melanogaster gastrointestinal tract. For example, Hanseniaspora occidentalis persists relative to S. cerevisiae, while Brettanomyces naardenensis is removed. Despite these differences in persistence relative to S. cerevisiae, we find that all yeasts decrease in total abundance over time. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important component of the D. melanogaster anti-microbial response and can inhibit S. cerevisiae growth in the intestine. To determine if sensitivity to ROS explains the differences in yeast persistence, we measured yeast growth in the presence and absence of hydrogen peroxide. We find that B. naardenesis is completely inhibited by hydrogen peroxide, while H. occidentalis is not, which is consistent with yeast sensitivity to ROS affecting persistence within the D. melanogaster gastrointestinal tract. We also compared the feeding preference of D

  19. Evaluation of Automated Yeast Identification System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGinnis, M. R.

    1996-01-01

    One hundred and nine teleomorphic and anamorphic yeast isolates representing approximately 30 taxa were used to evaluate the accuracy of the Biolog yeast identification system. Isolates derived from nomenclatural types, environmental, and clinica isolates of known identity were tested in the Biolog system. Of the isolates tested, 81 were in the Biolog database. The system correctly identified 40, incorrectly identified 29, and was unable to identify 12. Of the 28 isolates not in the database, 18 were given names, whereas 10 were not. The Biolog yeast identification system is inadequate for the identification of yeasts originating from the environment during space program activities.

  20. Genomics and the making of yeast biodiversity.

    PubMed

    Hittinger, Chris Todd; Rokas, Antonis; Bai, Feng-Yan; Boekhout, Teun; Gonçalves, Paula; Jeffries, Thomas W; Kominek, Jacek; Lachance, Marc-André; Libkind, Diego; Rosa, Carlos A; Sampaio, José Paulo; Kurtzman, Cletus P

    2015-12-01

    Yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not form fruiting bodies. Although the yeast lifestyle has evolved multiple times, most known species belong to the subphylum Saccharomycotina (syn. Hemiascomycota, hereafter yeasts). This diverse group includes the premier eukaryotic model system, Saccharomyces cerevisiae; the common human commensal and opportunistic pathogen, Candida albicans; and over 1000 other known species (with more continuing to be discovered). Yeasts are found in every biome and continent and are more genetically diverse than angiosperms or chordates. Ease of culture, simple life cycles, and small genomes (∼10-20Mbp) have made yeasts exceptional models for molecular genetics, biotechnology, and evolutionary genomics. Here we discuss recent developments in understanding the genomic underpinnings of the making of yeast biodiversity, comparing and contrasting natural and human-associated evolutionary processes. Only a tiny fraction of yeast biodiversity and metabolic capabilities has been tapped by industry and science. Expanding the taxonomic breadth of deep genomic investigations will further illuminate how genome function evolves to encode their diverse metabolisms and ecologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Accelerating Yeast Prion Biology using Droplet Microfluidics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ung, Lloyd; Rotem, Assaf; Jarosz, Daniel; Datta, Manoshi; Lindquist, Susan; Weitz, David

    2012-02-01

    Prions are infectious proteins in a misfolded form, that can induce normal proteins to take the misfolded state. Yeast prions are relevant, as a model of human prion diseases, and interesting from an evolutionary standpoint. Prions may also be a form of epigenetic inheritance, which allow yeast to adapt to stressful conditions at rates exceeding those of random mutations and propagate that adaptation to their offspring. Encapsulation of yeast in droplet microfluidic devices enables high-throughput measurements with single cell resolution, which would not be feasible using bulk methods. Millions of populations of yeast can be screened to obtain reliable measurements of prion induction and loss rates. The population dynamics of clonal yeast, when a fraction of the cells are prion expressing, can be elucidated. Furthermore, the mechanism by which certain strains of bacteria induce yeast to express prions in the wild can be deduced. Integrating the disparate fields of prion biology and droplet microfluidics reveals a more complete picture of how prions may be more than just diseases and play a functional role in yeast.

  2. Enhanced tolerance to NaCl and LiCl stresses by over-expressing Caragana korshinskii sodium/proton exchanger 1 (CkNHX1) and the hydrophilic C terminus is required for the activity of CkNHX1 in Atsos3-1 mutant and yeast

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yang, Da-Hai, E-mail: gresea_young@hotmail.com; Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of General Botany and Plant Physiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Dornburger Strasse 159, 07743 Jena; Song, Li-Ying, E-mail: lysong@genetics.ac.cn

    2012-01-13

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CkNHX1 was isolated from Caragana korshinskii. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CkNHX1 was expressed mainly in roots, and significantly induced by NaCl in stems. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Expression of CkNHX1 enhanced the resistance to NaCl and LiCl in yeast and Atsos3-1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Expression of CkNHX1-{Delta}C had little effect on NaCl/LiCl tolerance in Atsos3-1. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer C-terminal region of CkNHX1 is required for its Na{sup +} and Li{sup +} transporting activity. -- Abstract: Sodium/proton exchangers (NHX antiporters) play important roles in plant responses to salt stress. Previous research showed that hydrophilic C-terminal region of Arabidopsis AtNHX1 negatively regulates the Na{sup +}/H{sup +} transporting activity. In thismore » study, CkNHX1 were isolated from Caragana korshinskii, a pea shrub with high tolerance to salt, drought, and cold stresses. Transcripts of CkNHX1 were detected predominantly in roots, and were significantly induced by NaCl stress in stems. Transgenic yeast and Arabidopsisthalianasos3-1 (Atsos3-1) mutant over-expressing CkNHX1 and its hydrophilic C terminus-truncated derivative, CkNHX1-{Delta}C, were generated and subjected to NaCl and LiCl stresses. Expression of CkNHX1 significantly enhanced the resistance to NaCl and LiCl stresses in yeast and Atsos3-1 mutant. Whereas, compared with expression of CkNHX1, the expression of CkNHX1-{Delta}C had much less effect on NaCl tolerance in Atsos3-1 and LiCl tolerance in yeast and Atsos3-1. All together, these results suggest that the predominant expression of CkNHX1 in roots might contribute to keep C. korshinskii adapting to the high salt condition in this plant's living environment; CkNHX1 could recover the phenotype of Atsos3-1 mutant; and the hydrophilic C-terminal region of CkNHX1 should be required for Na{sup +}/H{sup +} and Li{sup +}/H{sup +} exchanging activity of CkNHX1.« less

  3. [Groups and sources of yeasts in house dust].

    PubMed

    Glushakova, A M; Zheltikova, T M; Chernov, I Iu

    2004-01-01

    House dust contains bacteria, mycelial fungi, microarthropods, and yeasts. The house dust samples collected in 25 apartments in Moscow and the Moscow region were found to contain yeasts belonging to the genera Candida, Cryptococcus, Debaryomyces, Rhodotorula, Sporobolomyces, and Trichosporon. The most frequently encountered microorganisms were typical epiphytic yeasts, such as Cryptococcus diffluens and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, which are capable of long-term preservation in an inactive state. The direct source of epiphytic yeasts occurring in the house dust might be the indoor plants, which were contaminated with these yeasts, albeit to a lesser degree than outdoor plants. Along with the typical epiphytic yeasts, the house dust contained the opportunistic yeast pathogens Candida catenulata, C. guillermondii, C. haemulonii, C. rugosa, and C. tropicalis, which are known as the causal agents of candidiasis. We failed to reveal any correlation between the abundance of particular yeast species in the house dust, residential characteristics, and the atopic dermatitis of the inhabitants.

  4. Genomics and the making of yeast biodiversity

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Yeasts are unicellular fungi that do not form fruiting bodies. Although the yeast lifestyle has evolved multiple times, most known species belong to the subphylum Saccharomycotina (syn. Hemiascomycota, hereafter yeasts). This diverse group includes the premier eukaryotic model system, Saccharomyces ...

  5. Microbial community, and biochemical and physiological properties of Korean traditional black raspberry (Robus coreanus Miquel) vinegar.

    PubMed

    Song, Nho-Eul; Cho, Sung-Ho; Baik, Sang-Ho

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to elucidate the changes in microbial community and biochemical and physiological properties of traditional Muju black raspberry (Robus coreanus Miquel) vinegar (TMBV) during fermentation by culture-independent methods. During vinegar fermentation, ethanol produced up to 120 g L(-1) until day 35, with continuously increasing yeast concentration to a total of log 7.6 CFU mL(-1) . After day 35, acetic acid bacteria (AAB) concentrations rose to log 5.8 CFU mL(-1) until day 144. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis showed that Saccharomyces cerevisiae was detected until day 87 of the fermentation, at which point Acetobacter pasteurianus gradually took over as the dominant species. Total sugar was reduced to 6.6 °Brix and total acidity produced up to 44 g L(-1) . In this study, we established the physicochemical analysis and growth dynamics of yeast and AAB during alcoholic and acetic acid fermentation of black raspberry by a traditional method. Overall, S. cerevisiae and A. pasteurianus species appeared to dominate the TMBV fermentation. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a suitable fermentation system for TMBV by the static surface method. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. 21 CFR 172.590 - Yeast-malt sprout extract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Yeast-malt sprout extract. 172.590 Section 172.590... Substances § 172.590 Yeast-malt sprout extract. Yeast-malt sprout extract, as described in this section, may... produced by partial hydrolysis of yeast extract (derived from Saccharomyces cereviseae, Saccharomyces...

  7. Yeasts Diversity in Fermented Foods and Beverages

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tamang, Jyoti Prakash; Fleet, Graham H.

    People across the world have learnt to culture and use the essential microorganisms for production of fermented foods and alcoholic beverages. A fermented food is produced either spontaneously or by adding mixed/pure starter culture(s). Yeasts are among the essential functional microorganisms encountered in many fermented foods, and are commercially used in production of baker's yeast, breads, wine, beer, cheese, etc. In Asia, moulds are predominant followed by amylolytic and alcohol-producing yeasts in the fermentation processes, whereas in Africa, Europe, Australia and America, fermented products are prepared exclusively using bacteria or bacteria-yeasts mixed cultures. This chapter would focus on the varieties of fermented foods and alcoholic beverages produced by yeasts, their microbiology and role in food fermentation, widely used commercial starters (pilot production, molecular aspects), production technology of some common commercial fermented foods and alcoholic beverages, toxicity and food safety using yeasts cultures and socio-economy

  8. Genetics of Yeasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Querol, Amparo; Fernández-Espinar, M. Teresa; Belloch, Carmela

    The use of yeasts in biotechnology processes dates back to ancient days. Before 7000 BC, beer was produced in Sumeria. Wine was made in Assyria in 3500 BC, and ancient Rome had over 250 bakeries, which were making leavened bread by 100 BC. And milk has been made into Kefyr and Koumiss in Asia for many centuries (Demain, Phaff, & Kurtzman, 1999). However, the importance of yeast in the food and beverage industries was only realized about 1860, when their role in food manufacturing became evident.

  9. 21 CFR 172.590 - Yeast-malt sprout extract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Yeast-malt sprout extract. 172.590 Section 172.590... CONSUMPTION Flavoring Agents and Related Substances § 172.590 Yeast-malt sprout extract. Yeast-malt sprout... prescribed conditions: (a) The additive is produced by partial hydrolysis of yeast extract (derived from...

  10. 21 CFR 172.590 - Yeast-malt sprout extract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Yeast-malt sprout extract. 172.590 Section 172.590... CONSUMPTION Flavoring Agents and Related Substances § 172.590 Yeast-malt sprout extract. Yeast-malt sprout... prescribed conditions: (a) The additive is produced by partial hydrolysis of yeast extract (derived from...

  11. 21 CFR 172.590 - Yeast-malt sprout extract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Yeast-malt sprout extract. 172.590 Section 172.590... CONSUMPTION Flavoring Agents and Related Substances § 172.590 Yeast-malt sprout extract. Yeast-malt sprout... prescribed conditions: (a) The additive is produced by partial hydrolysis of yeast extract (derived from...

  12. 21 CFR 172.590 - Yeast-malt sprout extract.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Yeast-malt sprout extract. 172.590 Section 172.590... CONSUMPTION Flavoring Agents and Related Substances § 172.590 Yeast-malt sprout extract. Yeast-malt sprout... prescribed conditions: (a) The additive is produced by partial hydrolysis of yeast extract (derived from...

  13. Yeasts in sustainable bioethanol production: A review.

    PubMed

    Mohd Azhar, Siti Hajar; Abdulla, Rahmath; Jambo, Siti Azmah; Marbawi, Hartinie; Gansau, Jualang Azlan; Mohd Faik, Ainol Azifa; Rodrigues, Kenneth Francis

    2017-07-01

    Bioethanol has been identified as the mostly used biofuel worldwide since it significantly contributes to the reduction of crude oil consumption and environmental pollution. It can be produced from various types of feedstocks such as sucrose, starch, lignocellulosic and algal biomass through fermentation process by microorganisms. Compared to other types of microoganisms, yeasts especially Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the common microbes employed in ethanol production due to its high ethanol productivity, high ethanol tolerance and ability of fermenting wide range of sugars. However, there are some challenges in yeast fermentation which inhibit ethanol production such as high temperature, high ethanol concentration and the ability to ferment pentose sugars. Various types of yeast strains have been used in fermentation for ethanol production including hybrid, recombinant and wild-type yeasts. Yeasts can directly ferment simple sugars into ethanol while other type of feedstocks must be converted to fermentable sugars before it can be fermented to ethanol. The common processes involves in ethanol production are pretreatment, hydrolysis and fermentation. Production of bioethanol during fermentation depends on several factors such as temperature, sugar concentration, pH, fermentation time, agitation rate, and inoculum size. The efficiency and productivity of ethanol can be enhanced by immobilizing the yeast cells. This review highlights the different types of yeast strains, fermentation process, factors affecting bioethanol production and immobilization of yeasts for better bioethanol production.

  14. Brewing and volatiles analysis of three tea beers indicate a potential interaction between tea components and lager yeast.

    PubMed

    Rong, Lei; Peng, Li-Juan; Ho, Chi-Tang; Yan, Shou-He; Meurens, Marc; Zhang, Zheng-Zhu; Li, Da-Xiang; Wan, Xiao-Chun; Bao, Guan-Hu; Gao, Xue-Ling; Ling, Tie-Jun

    2016-04-15

    Green tea, oolong tea and black tea were separately introduced to brew three kinds of tea beers. A model was designed to investigate the tea beer flavour character. Comparison of the volatiles between the sample of tea beer plus water mixture (TBW) and the sample of combination of tea infusion and normal beer (CTB) was accomplished by triangular sensory test and HS-SPME GC-MS analysis. The PCA of GC-MS data not only showed a significant difference between volatile features of each TBW and CTB group, but also suggested some key compounds to distinguish TBW from CTB. The results of GC-MS showed that the relative concentrations of many typical tea volatiles were significantly changed after the brewing process. More interestingly, the behaviour of yeast fermentation was influenced by tea components. A potential interaction between tea components and lager yeast could be suggested. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Isolation, purification and chemical characterization of a new angucyclinone compound produced by a new halotolerant Nocardiopsis sp. HR-4 strain.

    PubMed

    Hadj Rabia-Boukhalfa, Yamina; Eveno, Yannick; Karama, Solange; Selama, Okba; Lauga, Béatrice; Duran, Robert; Hacène, Hocine; Eparvier, Véronique

    2017-06-01

    A halotolerant Actinobacteria strain HR-4 was isolated from a salt lake soil sample in Algerian Sahara. Analysis of 16S rDNA gene sequence showed that strain HR-4 belonged to the genus Nocardiopsis. The similarity level ranges between 97.45 and 99.20% with Nocardiopsis species and Nocardiopsis rosea being the most closely related one. Morphological, physiological and phylogenetic characteristics comparisons showed significant differences with the nearest species. These data strongly suggest that strain HR-4 represents novel species. The antimicrobial activity of strain HR-4 showed an antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria as well as an antifungal one. Two major natural products including a new one were isolated from the culture broth using various separation and purification procedures. The chemical structure established on the basis of spectroscopic studies NMR and by comparing with spectroscopic data from the literature of the two compounds affirm that they are classified in the group of Angucyclinones. This is the first report of a production of this type of molecules by the genus Nocardiopsis. The new natural compound was established as (-)-7-deoxy-8-O-methyltetrangomycin with a new configuration.

  16. Yeast and Mammalian Metallothioneins Functionally Substitute for Yeast Copper-Zinc Superoxide Dismutase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tamai, Katherine T.; Gralla, Edith B.; Ellerby, Lisa M.; Valentine, Joan S.; Thiele, Dennis J.

    1993-09-01

    Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase catalyzes the disproportionation of superoxide anion to hydrogen peroxide and dioxygen and is thought to play an important role in protecting cells from oxygen toxicity. Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains lacking copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, which is encoded by the SOD1 gene, are sensitive to oxidative stress and exhibit a variety of growth defects including hypersensitivity to dioxygen and to superoxide-generating drugs such as paraquat. We have found that in addition to these known phenotypes, SOD1-deletion strains fail to grow on agar containing the respiratory carbon source lactate. We demonstrate here that expression of the yeast or monkey metallothionein proteins in the presence of copper suppresses the lactate growth defect and some other phenotypes associated with SOD1-deletion strains, indicating that copper metallothioneins substitute for copper-zinc superoxide dismutase in vivo to protect cells from oxygen toxicity. Consistent with these results, we show that yeast metallothionein mRNA levels are dramatically elevated under conditions of oxidative stress. Furthermore, in vitro assays demonstrate that yeast metallothionein, purified or from whole-cell extracts, exhibits copper-dependent antioxidant activity. Taken together, these data suggest that both yeast and mammalian metallothioneins may play a direct role in the cellular defense against oxidative stress by functioning as antioxidants.

  17. Experimental Systems to Study Yeast Pexophagy.

    PubMed

    Yamashita, Shun-Ichi; Oku, Masahide; Sakai, Yasuyoshi; Fujiki, Yukio

    2017-01-01

    Peroxisome abundance is tightly regulated according to the physiological contexts, through regulations of both proliferation and degradation of the organelles. Here, we describe detailed methods to analyze processes for autophagic degradation of peroxisomes, termed pexophagy, in yeast organisms. The assay systems include a method for biochemical detection of pexophagy completion, and one for microscopic visualization of specialized membrane structures acting in pexophagy. As a model yeast organism utilized in studies of pexophagy, the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) is referred to in this chapter and related information on the studies with baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is also included. The described techniques facilitate elucidation of molecular machineries for pexophagy and understanding of peroxisome-selective autophagic pathways.

  18. [Distiller Yeasts Producing Antibacterial Peptides].

    PubMed

    Klyachko, E V; Morozkina, E V; Zaitchik, B Ts; Benevolensky, S V

    2015-01-01

    A new method of controlling lactic acid bacteria contamination was developed with the use of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains producing antibacterial peptides. Genes encoding the antibacterial peptides pediocin and plantaricin with codons preferable for S. cerevisiae were synthesized, and a system was constructed for their secretory expression. Recombinant S. cerevisiae strains producing antibacterial peptides effectively inhibit the growth of Lactobacillus sakei, Pediacoccus pentasaceus, Pediacoccus acidilactici, etc. The application of distiller yeasts producing antibacterial peptides enhances the ethanol yield in cases of bacterial contamination. Recombinant yeasts producing the antibacterial peptides pediocin and plantaricin can successfully substitute the available industrial yeast strains upon ethanol production.

  19. Differential Adsorption of Ochratoxin A and Anthocyanins by Inactivated Yeasts and Yeast Cell Walls during Simulation of Wine Aging

    PubMed Central

    Petruzzi, Leonardo; Baiano, Antonietta; De Gianni, Antonio; Sinigaglia, Milena; Corbo, Maria Rosaria; Bevilacqua, Antonio

    2015-01-01

    The adsorption of ochratoxin A (OTA) by yeasts is a promising approach for the decontamination of musts and wines, but some potential competitive or interactive phenomena between mycotoxin, yeast cells, and anthocyanins might modify the intensity of the phenomenon. The aim of this study was to examine OTA adsorption by two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (the wild strain W13, and the commercial isolate BM45), previously inactivated by heat, and a yeast cell wall preparation. Experiments were conducted using Nero di Troia red wine contaminated with 2 μg/L OTA and supplemented with yeast biomass (20 g/L). The samples were analyzed periodically to assess mycotoxin concentration, chromatic characteristics, and total anthocyanins over 84 days of aging. Yeast cell walls revealed the highest OTA-adsorption in comparison to thermally-inactivated cells (50% vs. 43% toxin reduction), whilst no significant differences were found for the amount of adsorbed anthocyanins in OTA-contaminated and control wines. OTA and anthocyanins adsorption were not competitive phenomena. Unfortunately, the addition of yeast cells to wine could cause color loss; therefore, yeast selection should also focus on this trait to select the best strain. PMID:26516913

  20. Made for Each Other: Ascomycete Yeasts and Insects.

    PubMed

    Blackwell, Meredith

    2017-06-01

    Fungi and insects live together in the same habitats, and many species of both groups rely on each other for success. Insects, the most successful animals on Earth, cannot produce sterols, essential vitamins, and many enzymes; fungi, often yeast-like in growth form, make up for these deficits. Fungi, however, require constantly replenished substrates because they consume the previous ones, and insects, sometimes lured by volatile fungal compounds, carry fungi directly to a similar, but fresh, habitat. Yeasts associated with insects include Ascomycota (Saccharomycotina, Pezizomycotina) and a few Basidiomycota. Beetles, homopterans, and flies are important associates of fungi, and in turn the insects carry yeasts in pits, specialized external pouches, and modified gut pockets. Some yeasts undergo sexual reproduction within the insect gut, where the genetic diversity of the population is increased, while others, well suited to their stable environment, may never mate. The range of interactions extends from dispersal of yeasts on the surface of insects (e.g., cactus- Drosophila -yeast and ephemeral flower communities, ambrosia beetles, yeasts with holdfasts) to extremely specialized associations of organisms that can no longer exist independently, as in the case of yeast-like symbionts of planthoppers. In a few cases yeast-like fungus-insect associations threaten butterflies and other species with extinction. Technical advances improve discovery and identification of the fungi but also inform our understanding of the evolution of yeast-insect symbioses, although there is much more to learn.

  1. The growth of solar radiated yeast

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kraft, Tyrone

    1995-01-01

    This researcher plans to determine if solar radiation affects the growth of yeast. The irradiated yeast was obtained from a sample exposed in space during a Space Shuttle flight of September 9-20, 1994. Further, the control groups were held at: (1) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland; and (2) South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The procedure used was based on the fact that yeast is most often used in consumable baked goods. Therefore, the yeast was incorporated into a basic Betty Crocker bread recipe. Data was collected by placing measured amounts of dough into sample containers with fifteen minute growth in height measurements collected and recorded. This researcher assumed the viability of yeast to be relative to its ability to produce carbon dioxide gas and cause the dough to rise. As all ingredients and surroundings were equal, this researcher assumed the yeast will produce the only significant difference in data collected. This researcher noted the approximate use date on all sample packages to be prior to arrival and experiment date. All dates equal, it was then assumed each would act in a similar manner of response. This assumption will allow for equally correct data collection.

  2. The growth of solar radiated yeast

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kraft, T.

    This researcher plans to determine if solar radiation affects the growth of yeast. The irradiated yeast was obtained from a sample exposed in space during a Space Shuttle flight of September 9-20, 1994. Further, the control groups were held at: (1) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland; and (2) South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The procedure used was based on the fact that yeast is most often used in consumable baked goods. Therefore, the yeast was incorporated into a basic Betty Crocker bread recipe. Data was collected by placing measured amounts of dough into sample containersmore » with fifteen minute growth in height measurements collected and recorded. This researcher assumed the viability of yeast to be relative to its ability to produce carbon dioxide gas and cause the dough to rise. As all ingredients and surroundings were equal, this researcher assumed the yeast will produce the only significant difference in data collected. This researcher noted the approximate use date on all sample packages to be prior to arrival and experiment date. All dates equal, it was then assumed each would act in a similar manner of response. This assumption will allow for equally correct data collection.« less

  3. Freeze-drying of yeast cultures.

    PubMed

    Bond, Chris

    2007-01-01

    A method is described that allows yeast species to be stored using a variation on the standard freeze-drying method, which employs evaporative cooling in a two-stage process. Yeast cultures are placed in glass ampoules after having been mixed with a lyoprotectant. Primary drying is carried out using a centrifuge head connected to a standard freeze-dryer. Once the centrifuge head is running, air is removed and evaporated liquid is captured in the freeze-dryer. Centrifugation continues for 15 min and primary drying for a further 3 h. The ampoules are constricted using a glass blowing torch. They are then placed on the freeze-dryer manifold for secondary drying under vacuum overnight, using phosphorus pentoxide as a desiccant. The ampoules are sealed and removed from the manifold by melting the constricted section. Although the process causes an initial large drop in viability, further losses after storage are minimal. Yeast strains have remained viable for more than 30 yr when stored using this method and sufficient cells are recovered to produce new working stocks. Although survival rates are strain specific, nearly all National Collection of Yeast Cultures strains covering most yeast genera, have been successfully stored with little or no detectable change in strain characteristics.

  4. Biotechnology of non-Saccharomyces yeasts--the ascomycetes.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Eric A

    2013-01-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae and several other yeast species are among the most important groups of biotechnological organisms. S. cerevisiae and closely related ascomycetous yeasts are the major producer of biotechnology products worldwide, exceeding other groups of industrial microorganisms in productivity and economic revenues. Traditional industrial attributes of the S. cerevisiae group include their primary roles in food fermentations such as beers, cider, wines, sake, distilled spirits, bakery products, cheese, sausages, and other fermented foods. Other long-standing industrial processes involving S. cerevisae yeasts are production of fuel ethanol, single-cell protein (SCP), feeds and fodder, industrial enzymes, and small molecular weight metabolites. More recently, non-Saccharomyces yeasts (non-conventional yeasts) have been utilized as industrial organisms for a variety of biotechnological roles. Non-Saccharomyces yeasts are increasingly being used as hosts for expression of proteins, biocatalysts and multi-enzyme pathways for the synthesis of fine chemicals and small molecular weight compounds of medicinal and nutritional importance. Non-Saccharomyces yeasts also have important roles in agriculture as agents of biocontrol, bioremediation, and as indicators of environmental quality. Several of these products and processes have reached commercial utility, while others are in advanced development. The objective of this mini-review is to describe processes currently used by industry and those in developmental stages and close to commercialization primarily from non-Saccharomyces yeasts with an emphasis on new opportunities. The utility of S. cerevisiae in heterologous production of selected products is also described.

  5. Yeast proteome map (last update).

    PubMed

    Perrot, Michel; Moes, Suzette; Massoni, Aurélie; Jenoe, Paul; Boucherie, Hélian

    2009-10-01

    The identification of proteins separated on 2-D gels is essential to exploit the full potential of 2-D gel electrophoresis for proteomic investigations. For this purpose we have undertaken the systematic identification of Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteins separated on 2-D gels. We report here the identification by mass spectrometry of 100 novel yeast protein spots that have so far not been tackled due to their scarcity on our standard 2-D gels. These identifications extend the number of protein spots identified on our yeast 2-D proteome map to 716. They correspond to 485 unique proteins. Among these, 154 were resolved into several isoforms. The present data set can now be expanded to report for the first time a map of 363 protein isoforms that significantly deepens our knowledge of the yeast proteome. The reference map and a list of all identified proteins can be accessed on the Yeast Protein Map server (www.ibgc.u-bordeaux2.fr/YPM).

  6. Septin Organization and Functions in Budding Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Glomb, Oliver; Gronemeyer, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    The septins are a conserved family of GTP-binding proteins present in all eukaryotic cells except plants. They were originally discovered in the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that serves until today as an important model organism for septin research. In yeast, the septins assemble into a highly ordered array of filaments at the mother bud neck. The septins are regulators of spatial compartmentalization in yeast and act as key players in cytokinesis. This minireview summarizes the recent findings about structural features and cell biology of the yeast septins. PMID:27857941

  7. Black English and Black Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shores, David L.

    1974-01-01

    Examines attitudes in the Black community towards the topic of Black English and specifically the controversy about the relationship of the speech of Blacks to that of Whites, the distinctive features in the speaking and writing of Black college students, and the attitudes of Black educators. Available from South Atlantic Modern Language…

  8. Taming wild yeast: potential of conventional and nonconventional yeasts in industrial fermentations.

    PubMed

    Steensels, Jan; Verstrepen, Kevin J

    2014-01-01

    Yeasts are the main driving force behind several industrial food fermentation processes, including the production of beer, wine, sake, bread, and chocolate. Historically, these processes developed from uncontrolled, spontaneous fermentation reactions that rely on a complex mixture of microbes present in the environment. Because such spontaneous processes are generally inconsistent and inefficient and often lead to the formation of off-flavors, most of today's industrial production utilizes defined starter cultures, often consisting of a specific domesticated strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. bayanus, or S. pastorianus. Although this practice greatly improved process consistency, efficiency, and overall quality, it also limited the sensorial complexity of the end product. In this review, we discuss how Saccharomyces yeasts were domesticated to become the main workhorse of food fermentations, and we investigate the potential and selection of nonconventional yeasts that are often found in spontaneous fermentations, such as Brettanomyces, Hanseniaspora, and Pichia spp.

  9. Yeast: A Research Organism for Teaching Genetics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manney, Thomas R.; Manney, Monta L.

    1992-01-01

    Explains why laboratory strains of bakers yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are particularly suited for classroom science activities. Describes the sexual life cycle of yeast and the genetic system with visible mutations. Presents an overview of activities that can be done with yeast and gives a source for teachers to obtain more information. (PR)

  10. Introducing a new breed of wine yeast: interspecific hybridisation between a commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeast and Saccharomyces mikatae.

    PubMed

    Bellon, Jennifer R; Schmid, Frank; Capone, Dimitra L; Dunn, Barbara L; Chambers, Paul J

    2013-01-01

    Interspecific hybrids are commonplace in agriculture and horticulture; bread wheat and grapefruit are but two examples. The benefits derived from interspecific hybridisation include the potential of generating advantageous transgressive phenotypes. This paper describes the generation of a new breed of wine yeast by interspecific hybridisation between a commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeast strain and Saccharomyces mikatae, a species hitherto not associated with industrial fermentation environs. While commercially available wine yeast strains provide consistent and reliable fermentations, wines produced using single inocula are thought to lack the sensory complexity and rounded palate structure obtained from spontaneous fermentations. In contrast, interspecific yeast hybrids have the potential to deliver increased complexity to wine sensory properties and alternative wine styles through the formation of novel, and wider ranging, yeast volatile fermentation metabolite profiles, whilst maintaining the robustness of the wine yeast parent. Screening of newly generated hybrids from a cross between a S. cerevisiae wine yeast and S. mikatae (closely-related but ecologically distant members of the Saccharomyces sensu stricto clade), has identified progeny with robust fermentation properties and winemaking potential. Chemical analysis showed that, relative to the S. cerevisiae wine yeast parent, hybrids produced wines with different concentrations of volatile metabolites that are known to contribute to wine flavour and aroma, including flavour compounds associated with non-Saccharomyces species. The new S. cerevisiae x S. mikatae hybrids have the potential to produce complex wines akin to products of spontaneous fermentation while giving winemakers the safeguard of an inoculated ferment.

  11. Yeast fuel cell: Application for desalination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mardiana, Ummy; Innocent, Christophe; Cretin, Marc; Buchari, Buchari; Gandasasmita, Suryo

    2016-02-01

    Yeasts have been implicated in microbial fuel cells as biocatalysts because they are non-pathogenic organisms, easily handled and robust with a good tolerance in different environmental conditions. Here we investigated baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae through the oxidation of glucose. Yeast was used in the anolyte, to transfer electrons to the anode in the presence of methylene blue as mediator whereas K3Fe(CN)6 was used as an electron acceptor for the reduction reaction in the catholyte. Power production with biofuel cell was coupled with a desalination process. The maximum current density produced by the cell was 88 mA.m-2. In those conditions, it was found that concentration of salt was removed 64% from initial 0.6 M after 1-month operation. This result proves that yeast fuel cells can be used to remove salt through electrically driven membrane processes and demonstrated that could be applied for energy production and desalination. Further developments are in progress to improve power output to make yeast fuel cells applicable for water treatment.

  12. Association of selenium status and blood glutathione concentrations in blacks and whites

    PubMed Central

    Richie, John P.; Muscat, Joshua E.; Ellison, Irina; Calcagnotto, Ana; Kleinman, Wayne; El-Bayoumy, Karam

    2011-01-01

    Selenium deficiency has been linked with increased cancer risk and, in some studies, selenium supplementation was protective against certain cancers. Previous studies suggest that selenium chemoprevention may involve reduced oxidative stress through enhanced glutathione (GSH). Our objectives were to examine the relationships between selenium and GSH in blood and modifying effects of race and sex in free living adults and individuals supplemented with selenium. Plasma selenium concentrations and free and bound GSH concentrations and γ-glutamyl cysteine ligase (GCL) activity in blood were measured in 336 healthy adults, (161 blacks, 175 whites). Plasma selenium and blood GSH were also measured in 36 healthy men from our previously conducted placebo-controlled trial of selenium-enriched yeast (247 μg/day for 9 months). In free-living adults, selenium concentrations were associated with increased blood GSH concentration and GCL activity (P<0.05). Further, selenium was significantly higher in whites than in blacks (P<0.01). After 9 months of supplementation, plasma selenium was increased 114% in whites and 50% in blacks (P<0.05) and blood GSH was increased 35% in whites (P<0.05) but was unchanged in blacks. These results indicate a direct association between selenium and GSH in blood of both free-living and selenium-supplemented individuals, with race being an important modifying factor. PMID:21462082

  13. Yeasts for Global Happiness: report of the 14th International Congress on Yeasts (ICY14) held in Awaji Island.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Daisuke; Takagi, Hiroshi

    2017-02-01

    The 14th International Congress on Yeasts (ICY14) was held at Awaji Yumebutai International Conference Center (Awaji, Hyogo) in Japan from 11 to 15 September 2016. The main slogan of ICY14 was 'Yeasts for Global Happiness', which enabled us to acknowledge the high-potential usefulness of yeasts contributing to the global happiness in terms of food/beverage, health/medicine and energy/environment industries, as well as to basic biosciences. In addition, two more concepts were introduced: 'from Japan to the world' and 'from senior to junior'. As it was the first ICY meeting held in Japan or other Asian countries, ICY14 provided a good opportunity to widely spread the great achievements by Japanese and Asian yeast researchers, such as those by the 2016 Nobel Laureate Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi, and also, to convey the fun and importance of yeasts to the next generation of researchers from Asia and all over the world. As a result, a total of 426 yeast lovers from 42 countries (225 overseas and 201 domestic participants) with different generations attended ICY14 to share the latest knowledge of a wide range of yeast research fields and to join active and constructive scientific discussions. © 2017 Molecular Biology Society of Japan and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  14. The secretory pathway: exploring yeast diversity.

    PubMed

    Delic, Marizela; Valli, Minoska; Graf, Alexandra B; Pfeffer, Martin; Mattanovich, Diethard; Gasser, Brigitte

    2013-11-01

    Protein secretion is an essential process for living organisms. In eukaryotes, this encompasses numerous steps mediated by several hundred cellular proteins. The core functions of translocation through the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, primary glycosylation, folding and quality control, and vesicle-mediated secretion are similar from yeasts to higher eukaryotes. However, recent research has revealed significant functional differences between yeasts and mammalian cells, and even among diverse yeast species. This review provides a current overview of the canonical protein secretion pathway in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, highlighting differences to mammalian cells as well as currently unresolved questions, and provides a genomic comparison of the S. cerevisiae pathway to seven other yeast species where secretion has been investigated due to their attraction as protein production platforms, or for their relevance as pathogens. The analysis of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Kluyveromyces lactis, Pichia pastoris, Hansenula polymorpha, Yarrowia lipolytica, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe reveals that many - but not all - secretion steps are more redundant in S. cerevisiae due to duplicated genes, while some processes are even absent in this model yeast. Recent research obviates that even where homologous genes are present, small differences in protein sequence and/or differences in the regulation of gene expression may lead to quite different protein secretion phenotypes. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Yeasts are essential for cocoa bean fermentation.

    PubMed

    Ho, Van Thi Thuy; Zhao, Jian; Fleet, Graham

    2014-03-17

    Cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao) are the major raw material for chocolate production and fermentation of the beans is essential for the development of chocolate flavor precursors. In this study, a novel approach was used to determine the role of yeasts in cocoa fermentation and their contribution to chocolate quality. Cocoa bean fermentations were conducted with the addition of 200ppm Natamycin to inhibit the growth of yeasts, and the resultant microbial ecology and metabolism, bean chemistry and chocolate quality were compared with those of normal (control) fermentations. The yeasts Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Pichia kudriavzevii and Kluyveromyces marxianus, the lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus fermentum and the acetic acid bacteria Acetobacter pasteurianus and Gluconobacter frateurii were the major species found in the control fermentation. In fermentations with the presence of Natamycin, the same bacterial species grew but yeast growth was inhibited. Physical and chemical analyses showed that beans fermented without yeasts had increased shell content, lower production of ethanol, higher alcohols and esters throughout fermentation and lesser presence of pyrazines in the roasted product. Quality tests revealed that beans fermented without yeasts were purplish-violet in color and not fully brown, and chocolate prepared from these beans tasted more acid and lacked characteristic chocolate flavor. Beans fermented with yeast growth were fully brown in color and gave chocolate with typical characters which were clearly preferred by sensory panels. Our findings demonstrate that yeast growth and activity were essential for cocoa bean fermentation and the development of chocolate characteristics. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Yeast Genetics and Biotechnological Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mishra, Saroj; Baranwal, Richa

    Yeast can be recognized as one of the very important groups of microorganisms on account of its extensive use in the fermentation industry and as a basic eukaryotic model cellular system. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been extensively used to elucidate the genetics and regulation of several key functions in the cell such as cell mating, electron transport chain, protein trafficking, cell cycle events and others. Even before the genome sequence of the yeast was out, the structural organization and function of several of its genes was known. With the availability of the origin of replication from the 2 μm plasmid and the development of transformation system, it became the host of choice for expression of a number of important proteins. A large number of episomal and integrative shuttle vectors are available for expression of mammalian proteins. The latest developments in genomics and micro-array technology have allowed investigations of individual gene function by site-specific deletion method. The application of metabolic profiling has also assisted in understanding the cellular network operating in this yeast. This chapter is aimed at reviewing the use of this system as an experimental tool for conducting classical genetics. Various vector systems available, foreign genes expressed and the limitations as a host will be discussed. Finally, the use of various yeast enzymes in biotechnology sector will be reviewed.

  17. Functional adaptation between yeast actin and its cognate myosin motors.

    PubMed

    Stark, Benjamin C; Wen, Kuo-Kuang; Allingham, John S; Rubenstein, Peter A; Lord, Matthew

    2011-09-02

    We employed budding yeast and skeletal muscle actin to examine the contribution of the actin isoform to myosin motor function. While yeast and muscle actin are highly homologous, they exhibit different charge density at their N termini (a proposed myosin-binding interface). Muscle myosin-II actin-activated ATPase activity is significantly higher with muscle versus yeast actin. Whether this reflects inefficiency in the ability of yeast actin to activate myosin is not known. Here we optimized the isolation of two yeast myosins to assess actin function in a homogenous system. Yeast myosin-II (Myo1p) and myosin-V (Myo2p) accommodate the reduced N-terminal charge density of yeast actin, showing greater activity with yeast over muscle actin. Increasing the number of negative charges at the N terminus of yeast actin from two to four (as in muscle) had little effect on yeast myosin activity, while other substitutions of charged residues at the myosin interface of yeast actin reduced activity. Thus, yeast actin functions most effectively with its native myosins, which in part relies on associations mediated by its outer domain. Compared with yeast myosin-II and myosin-V, muscle myosin-II activity was very sensitive to salt. Collectively, our findings suggest differing degrees of reliance on electrostatic interactions during weak actomyosin binding in yeast versus muscle. Our study also highlights the importance of native actin isoforms when considering the function of myosins.

  18. Genomic Evolution of the Ascomycete Yeasts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Riley, Robert; Haridas, Sajeet; Salamov, Asaf

    2015-03-16

    Yeasts are important for industrial and biotechnological processes and show remarkable metabolic and phylogenetic diversity despite morphological similarities. We have sequenced the genomes of 16 ascomycete yeasts of taxonomic and industrial importance including members of Saccharomycotina and Taphrinomycotina. Phylogenetic analysis of these and previously published yeast genomes helped resolve the placement of species including Saitoella complicata, Babjeviella inositovora, Hyphopichia burtonii, and Metschnikowia bicuspidata. Moreover, we find that alternative nuclear codon usage, where CUG encodes serine instead of leucine, are monophyletic within the Saccharomycotina. Most of the yeasts have compact genomes with a large fraction of single exon genes, and amore » tendency towards more introns in early-diverging species. Analysis of enzyme phylogeny gives insights into the evolution of metabolic capabilities such as methanol utilization and assimilation of alternative carbon sources.« less

  19. Specialist nectar-yeasts decline with urbanization in Berlin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wehner, Jeannine; Mittelbach, Moritz; Rillig, Matthias C.; Verbruggen, Erik

    2017-03-01

    Nectar yeasts are common inhabitants of insect-pollinated flowers but factors determining their distribution are not well understood. We studied the influence of host identity, environmental factors related to pollution/urbanization, and the distance to a target beehive on local distribution of nectar yeasts within Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Tilia tomentosa Moench in Berlin, Germany. Nectar samples of six individuals per species were collected at seven sites in a 2 km radius from each target beehive and plated on YM-Agar to visualise the different morphotypes, which were then identified by sequencing a section of the 26S rDNA gene. Multivariate linear models were used to analyze the effects of all investigated factors on yeast occurrence per tree. Yeast distribution was mainly driven by host identity. The influence of the environmental factors (NO2, height of construction, soil sealing) strongly depended on the radius around the tree, similar to the distance of the sampled beehive. Incidence of specialist nectar-borne yeast species decreased with increasing pollution/urbanization index. Given that specialist yeast species gave way to generalist yeasts that have a reduced dependency on pollinators for between-flower dispersal, our results indicate that increased urbanization may restrict the movement of nectar-specialized yeasts, via limitations of pollinator foraging behavior.

  20. Accumulation and metabolism of selenium by yeast cells.

    PubMed

    Kieliszek, Marek; Błażejak, Stanisław; Gientka, Iwona; Bzducha-Wróbel, Anna

    2015-07-01

    This paper examines the process of selenium bioaccumulation and selenium metabolism in yeast cells. Yeast cells can bind elements in ionic from the environment and permanently integrate them into their cellular structure. Up to now, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida utilis, and Yarrowia lipolytica yeasts have been used primarily in biotechnological studies to evaluate binding of minerals. Yeast cells are able to bind selenium in the form of both organic and inorganic compounds. The process of bioaccumulation of selenium by microorganisms occurs through two mechanisms: extracellular binding by ligands of membrane assembly and intracellular accumulation associated with the transport of ions across the cytoplasmic membrane into the cell interior. During intracellular metabolism of selenium, oxidation, reduction, methylation, and selenoprotein synthesis processes are involved, as exemplified by detoxification processes that allow yeasts to survive under culture conditions involving the elevated selenium concentrations which were observed. Selenium yeasts represent probably the best absorbed form of this element. In turn, in terms of wide application, the inclusion of yeast with accumulated selenium may aid in lessening selenium deficiency in a diet.

  1. Introducing a New Breed of Wine Yeast: Interspecific Hybridisation between a Commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae Wine Yeast and Saccharomyces mikatae

    PubMed Central

    Bellon, Jennifer R.; Schmid, Frank; Capone, Dimitra L.; Dunn, Barbara L.; Chambers, Paul J.

    2013-01-01

    Interspecific hybrids are commonplace in agriculture and horticulture; bread wheat and grapefruit are but two examples. The benefits derived from interspecific hybridisation include the potential of generating advantageous transgressive phenotypes. This paper describes the generation of a new breed of wine yeast by interspecific hybridisation between a commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeast strain and Saccharomyces mikatae, a species hitherto not associated with industrial fermentation environs. While commercially available wine yeast strains provide consistent and reliable fermentations, wines produced using single inocula are thought to lack the sensory complexity and rounded palate structure obtained from spontaneous fermentations. In contrast, interspecific yeast hybrids have the potential to deliver increased complexity to wine sensory properties and alternative wine styles through the formation of novel, and wider ranging, yeast volatile fermentation metabolite profiles, whilst maintaining the robustness of the wine yeast parent. Screening of newly generated hybrids from a cross between a S. cerevisiae wine yeast and S. mikatae (closely-related but ecologically distant members of the Saccharomyces sensu stricto clade), has identified progeny with robust fermentation properties and winemaking potential. Chemical analysis showed that, relative to the S. cerevisiae wine yeast parent, hybrids produced wines with different concentrations of volatile metabolites that are known to contribute to wine flavour and aroma, including flavour compounds associated with non-Saccharomyces species. The new S. cerevisiae x S. mikatae hybrids have the potential to produce complex wines akin to products of spontaneous fermentation while giving winemakers the safeguard of an inoculated ferment. PMID:23614011

  2. Yeast Can Affect Behavior and Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crook, William G.

    1984-01-01

    A pediatrician recounts his experiences in diagnosing and treating allergies to common yeast germs that may result in behavior and learning problems. He lists characteristics that may predispose children to yeast-connected health problems. (CL)

  3. Halotolerant plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria modulate gene expression and osmolyte production to improve salinity tolerance and growth in Capsicum annum L.

    PubMed

    Yasin, Nasim Ahmad; Akram, Waheed; Khan, Waheed Ullah; Ahmad, Sajid Rashid; Ahmad, Aqeel; Ali, Aamir

    2018-06-04

    Some rhizobacteria have demonstrated a noteworthy role in regulation of plant growth and biomass production under biotic and abiotic stresses. The present study was intended to explicate the ameliorative consequences of halotolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (HPGPR) on growth of capsicum plants subjected to salt stress. Salt stress was ascertained by supplementing 1 and 2 g NaCl kg -1 soil. The HPGPR positively invigorated growth attributes, chlorophyll, protein contents, and water use efficiency (WUE) of supplemented capsicum plants under salinity stress conditions. Bacillus fortis strain SSB21 caused highest significant increase in shoot length, root length, and fresh and dry biomass production of capsicum plants grown under saline conditions. This multi-trait bacterium also increased biosynthesis of proline and up-regulated the expression profiles of stress related genes including CAPIP2, CaKR1, CaOSM1, and CAChi2. On the other hand, B. fortis strain SSB21 inoculated plants exhibited reduced level of ethylene, lipid peroxidation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). All these together contribute to activate physiological and biochemical processes involved in the mitigation of the salinity induced stress in capsicum plants.

  4. Chemical signaling and insect attraction is a conserved trait in yeasts.

    PubMed

    Becher, Paul G; Hagman, Arne; Verschut, Vasiliki; Chakraborty, Amrita; Rozpędowska, Elżbieta; Lebreton, Sébastien; Bengtsson, Marie; Flick, Gerhard; Witzgall, Peter; Piškur, Jure

    2018-03-01

    Yeast volatiles attract insects, which apparently is of mutual benefit, for both yeasts and insects. However, it is unknown whether biosynthesis of metabolites that attract insects is a basic and general trait, or if it is specific for yeasts that live in close association with insects. Our goal was to study chemical insect attractants produced by yeasts that span more than 250 million years of evolutionary history and vastly differ in their metabolism and lifestyle. We bioassayed attraction of the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster to odors of phylogenetically and ecologically distinct yeasts grown under controlled conditions. Baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae , the insect-associated species Candida californica , Pichia kluyveri and Metschnikowia andauensis , wine yeast Dekkera bruxellensis , milk yeast Kluyveromyces lactis , the vertebrate pathogens Candida albicans and Candida glabrata , and oleophilic Yarrowia lipolytica were screened for fly attraction in a wind tunnel. Yeast headspace was chemically analyzed, and co-occurrence of insect attractants in yeasts and flowering plants was investigated through a database search. In yeasts with known genomes, we investigated the occurrence of genes involved in the synthesis of key aroma compounds. Flies were attracted to all nine yeasts studied. The behavioral response to baker's yeast was independent of its growth stage. In addition to Drosophila , we tested the basal hexapod Folsomia candida (Collembola) in a Y-tube assay to the most ancient yeast, Y. lipolytica, which proved that early yeast signals also function on clades older than neopteran insects. Behavioral and chemical data and a search for selected genes of volatile metabolites underline that biosynthesis of chemical signals is found throughout the yeast clade and has been conserved during the evolution of yeast lifestyles. Literature and database reviews corroborate that yeast signals mediate mutualistic interactions between insects and yeasts

  5. Yeast as a model for Ras signalling.

    PubMed

    Tisi, Renata; Belotti, Fiorella; Martegani, Enzo

    2014-01-01

    For centuries yeast species have been popular hosts for classical biotechnology processes, such as baking, brewing, and wine making, and more recently for recombinant proteins production, thanks to the advantages of unicellular organisms (i.e., ease of genetic manipulation and rapid growth) together with the ability to perform eukaryotic posttranslational modifications. Moreover, yeast cells have been used for few decades as a tool for identifying the genes and pathways involved in basic cellular processes such as the cell cycle, aging, and stress response. In the budding yeast S. cerevisiae the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway is directly involved in the regulation of metabolism, cell growth, stress resistance, and proliferation in response to the availability of nutrients and in the adaptation to glucose, controlling cytosolic cAMP levels and consequently the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) activity. Moreover, Ras signalling has been identified in several pathogenic yeasts as a key controller for virulence, due to its involvement in yeast morphogenesis. Nowadays, yeasts are still useful for Ras-like proteins investigation, both as model organisms and as a test tube to study variants of heterologous Ras-like proteins.

  6. Flor Yeast: New Perspectives Beyond Wine Aging

    PubMed Central

    Legras, Jean-Luc; Moreno-Garcia, Jaime; Zara, Severino; Zara, Giacomo; Garcia-Martinez, Teresa; Mauricio, Juan C.; Mannazzu, Ilaria; Coi, Anna L.; Bou Zeidan, Marc; Dequin, Sylvie; Moreno, Juan; Budroni, Marilena

    2016-01-01

    The most important dogma in white-wine production is the preservation of the wine aroma and the limitation of the oxidative action of oxygen. In contrast, the aging of Sherry and Sherry-like wines is an aerobic process that depends on the oxidative activity of flor strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Under depletion of nitrogen and fermentable carbon sources, these yeast produce aggregates of floating cells and form an air–liquid biofilm on the wine surface, which is also known as velum or flor. This behavior is due to genetic and metabolic peculiarities that differentiate flor yeast from other wine yeast. This review will focus first on the most updated data obtained through the analysis of flor yeast with -omic tools. Comparative genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics of flor and wine yeast strains are shedding new light on several features of these special yeast, and in particular, they have revealed the extent of proteome remodeling imposed by the biofilm life-style. Finally, new insights in terms of promotion and inhibition of biofilm formation through small molecules, amino acids, and di/tri-peptides, and novel possibilities for the exploitation of biofilm immobilization within a fungal hyphae framework, will be discussed. PMID:27148192

  7. Physiological and environmental control of yeast prions

    PubMed Central

    Chernova, Tatiana A.; Wilkinson, Keith D.; Chernoff, Yury O.

    2014-01-01

    Prions are self-perpetuating protein isoforms that cause fatal and incurable neurodegenerative disease in mammals. Recent evidence indicates that a majority of human proteins involved in amyloid and neural inclusion disorders possess at least some prion properties. In lower eukaryotes, such as yeast, prions act as epigenetic elements, which increase phenotypic diversity by altering a range of cellular processes. While some yeast prions are clearly pathogenic, it is also postulated that prion formation could be beneficial in variable environmental conditions. Yeast and mammalian prions have similar molecular properties. Crucial cellular factors and conditions influencing prion formation and propagation were uncovered in the yeast models. Stress-related chaperones, protein quality control deposits, degradation pathways and cytoskeletal networks control prion formation and propagation in yeast. Environmental stresses trigger prion formation and loss, supposedly acting via influencing intracellular concentrations of the prion-inducing proteins, and/or by localizing prionogenic proteins to the prion induction sites via heterologous ancillary helpers. Physiological and environmental modulation of yeast prions points to new opportunities for pharmacological intervention and/or prophylactic measures targeting general cellular systems rather than the properties of individual amyloids and prions. PMID:24236638

  8. Isolation and characterization of ethanol tolerant yeast strains

    PubMed Central

    Tikka, Chiranjeevi; Osuru, Hari Prasad; Atluri, Navya; Raghavulu, Praveen Chakravarthi Veera; yellapu, Nanda Kumar; Mannur, Ismail Shaik; Prasad, Uppu Venkateswara; Aluru, Sudheer; K, Narasimha Varma; Bhaskar, Matcha

    2013-01-01

    Yeast strains are commonly associated with sugar rich environments. Various fruit samples were selected as source for isolating yeast cells. The isolated cultures were identified at Genus level by colony morphology, biochemical characteristics and cell morphological characters. An attempt has been made to check the viability of yeast cells under different concentrations of ethanol. Ethanol tolerance of each strain was studied by allowing the yeast to grow in liquid YEPD (Yeast Extract Peptone Dextrose) medium having different concentrations of ethanol. A total of fifteen yeast strains isolated from different samples were used for the study. Seven strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae obtained from different fruit sources were screened for ethanol tolerance. The results obtained in this study show a range of tolerance levels between 7%-12% in all the stains. Further, the cluster analysis based on 22 RAPD (Random Amplified polymorphic DNA) bands revealed polymorphisms in these seven Saccharomyces strains. PMID:23750092

  9. Phylogenetics of Saccharomycetales, the ascomycete yeasts.

    PubMed

    Suh, Sung-Oui; Blackwell, Meredith; Kurtzman, Cletus P; Lachance, Marc-André

    2006-01-01

    Ascomycete yeasts (phylum Ascomycota: subphylum Saccharomycotina: class Saccharomycetes: order Saccharomycetales) comprise a monophyletic lineage with a single order of about 1000 known species. These yeasts live as saprobes, often in association with plants, animals and their interfaces. A few species account for most human mycotic infections, and fewer than 10 species are plant pathogens. Yeasts are responsible for important industrial and biotechnological processes, including baking, brewing and synthesis of recombinant proteins. Species such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae are model organisms in research, some of which led to a Nobel Prize. Yeasts usually reproduce asexually by budding, and their sexual states are not enclosed in a fruiting body. The group also is well defined by synapomorphies visible at the ultrastructural level. Yeast identification and classification changed dramatically with the availability of DNA sequencing. Species identification now benefits from a constantly updated sequence database and no longer relies on ambiguous growth tests. A phylogeny based on single gene analyses has shown the order to be remarkably divergent despite morphological similarities among members. The limits of many previously described genera are not supported by sequence comparisons, and multigene phylogenetic studies are under way to provide a stable circumscription of genera, families and orders. One recent multigene study has resolved species of the Saccharomycetaceae into genera that differ markedly from those defined by analysis of morphology and growth responses, and similar changes are likely to occur in other branches of the yeast tree as additional sequences become available.

  10. Yeast species associated with wine grapes in China.

    PubMed

    Li, Shuang-Shi; Cheng, Chao; Li, Zheng; Chen, Jing-Yu; Yan, Bin; Han, Bei-Zhong; Reeves, Malcolm

    2010-03-31

    Having more information on the yeast ecology of grapes is important for wine-makers to produce wine with high quality and typical attributes. China is a significant wine-consuming country and is becoming a serious wine-producer, but little has been reported about the yeast ecology of local ecosystems. This study provides the first step towards the exploitation of the yeast wealth in China's vine-growing regions. The aim of this study was to investigate the yeast population density and diversity on three grape varieties cultivated in four representative vine-growing regions of China. Yeast species diversity was evaluated by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequence analysis of the 5.8S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) region of cultivable yeasts. The grapes harbored yeast populations at 10(2)-10(6)CFU/mL, consisting mostly of non-Saccharomyces species. Seventeen different yeast species belonging to eight genera were detected on the grape samples tested, including Hanseniaspora uvarum, Cryptococcus flavescens, Pichia fermentans, Candida zemplinina, Cryptococcus carnescens, Candida inconpicua, Zygosaccharomyces fermentati, Issatchenkia terricola, Candida quercitrusa, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Candida bombi, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Sporidiobolus pararoseus, Cryptococcus magnus, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Issatchenkia orientalis and Pichia guilliermondii. H. uvarum and C. flavescens were the dominant species present on the grapes. For the first time Sporidiobolus pararoseus was discovered as an inhabitant of the grape ecosystem. The yeast community on grape berries was influenced by the grape chemical composition, vine-variety and vine-growing region. This study is the first to identify the yeast communities associated with grapes in China using molecular methods. The results enrich our knowledge of wine-related microorganisms, and can be used to promote the development of the local wine

  11. Antimicrobial activity of yeasts against some pathogenic bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Younis, Gamal; Awad, Amal; Dawod, Rehab E.; Yousef, Nehal E.

    2017-01-01

    Aim: This study was designed to isolate and identify yeast species from milk and meat products, and to test their antimicrobial activity against some bacterial species. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 milk and meat products samples were collected from random sellers and super markets in New Damietta city, Damietta, Egypt. Samples were subjected to yeast isolation procedures and tested for its antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. In addition, all yeast species isolates were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of khs (kievitone hydratase) and pelA (pectate degrading enzyme)genes. Results: The recovery rate of yeasts from sausage was 20% (2/10) followed by kareish cheese, processed cheese, and butter 10% (1/10) each as well as raw milk 9% (9/100), and fruit yoghurt 30% (6/20). Different yeast species were recovered, namely, Candida kefyr (5 isolates), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (4 isolates), Candida intermedia (3 isolates), Candida tropicalis (2 isolates), Candida lusitaniae (2 isolates), and Candida krusei (1 isolate). khs gene was detected in all S. cerevisiae isolates, however, pelA gene was not detected in all identified yeast species. Antimicrobial activity of recovered yeasts against the selected bacterial species showed high activity with C. intermedia against S. aureus and E. coli, C. kefyr against E. coli, and C. lusitaniae against S. aureus. Moderate activities were obtained with C. tropicalis, C. lusitaniae, and S. cerevisiae against E. coli; meanwhile, all the tested yeasts revealed a very low antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa. Conclusion: The obtained results confirmed that some kinds of yeasts have the ability to produce antimicrobial compounds that could inhibit some pathogenic and spoilage bacteria and these antimicrobial activity of yeasts enables them to be one of the novel agents in controlling spoilage of food. PMID:28919693

  12. Genomic evolution of the ascomycetous yeasts

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Yeasts are important for industrial and biotechnological processes and show remarkable metabolic and phylogenetic diversity despite morphological similarities. We have sequenced the genomes of 16 ascomycete yeasts of taxonomic and industrial importance including members of Saccharomycotina and Taphr...

  13. Repeat-Associated Fission Yeast-Like Regional Centromeres in the Ascomycetous Budding Yeast Candida tropicalis

    PubMed Central

    Chatterjee, Gautam; Sankaranarayanan, Sundar Ram; Guin, Krishnendu; Thattikota, Yogitha; Padmanabhan, Sreedevi; Siddharthan, Rahul; Sanyal, Kaustuv

    2016-01-01

    The centromere, on which kinetochore proteins assemble, ensures precise chromosome segregation. Centromeres are largely specified by the histone H3 variant CENP-A (also known as Cse4 in yeasts). Structurally, centromere DNA sequences are highly diverse in nature. However, the evolutionary consequence of these structural diversities on de novo CENP-A chromatin formation remains elusive. Here, we report the identification of centromeres, as the binding sites of four evolutionarily conserved kinetochore proteins, in the human pathogenic budding yeast Candida tropicalis. Each of the seven centromeres comprises a 2 to 5 kb non-repetitive mid core flanked by 2 to 5 kb inverted repeats. The repeat-associated centromeres of C. tropicalis all share a high degree of sequence conservation with each other and are strikingly diverged from the unique and mostly non-repetitive centromeres of related Candida species—Candida albicans, Candida dubliniensis, and Candida lusitaniae. Using a plasmid-based assay, we further demonstrate that pericentric inverted repeats and the underlying DNA sequence provide a structural determinant in CENP-A recruitment in C. tropicalis, as opposed to epigenetically regulated CENP-A loading at centromeres in C. albicans. Thus, the centromere structure and its influence on de novo CENP-A recruitment has been significantly rewired in closely related Candida species. Strikingly, the centromere structural properties along with role of pericentric repeats in de novo CENP-A loading in C. tropicalis are more reminiscent to those of the distantly related fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Taken together, we demonstrate, for the first time, fission yeast-like repeat-associated centromeres in an ascomycetous budding yeast. PMID:26845548

  14. Comparative genomics of biotechnologically important yeasts

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Ascomycete yeasts are metabolically diverse, with great potential for biotechnology. Here, we report the comparative genome analysis of 29 taxonomically and biotechnologically important yeasts, including 16 newly sequenced. We identify a genetic code change, CUG-Ala, in Pachysolen tannophilus in the...

  15. Counting Yeast.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bealer, Jonathan; Welton, Briana

    1998-01-01

    Describes changes to a traditional study of population in yeast colonies. Changes to the procedures include: (1) only one culture per student team; (2) cultures are inoculated only once; and (3) the same tube is sampled daily. (DDR)

  16. A Salt-Induced 60-Kilodalton Plasma Membrane Protein Plays a Potential Role in the Extreme Halotolerance of the Alga Dunaliella.

    PubMed Central

    Fisher, M.; Pick, U.; Zamir, A.

    1994-01-01

    The halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina grows in saline conditions as varied as 0.5 and 5 M NaCl, maintaining throughout this range a low intracellular ion concentration. To discover factors potentially involved in ionic homeostasis, we grew cells in media with different salinities or osmolarities and compared their protein profiles. The comparisons indicated that the amount of a 60-kD protein, p60, greatly increased with an increase in salinity and was moderately enhanced when NaCl was substituted with iso-osmotic glycerol. Cells transferred from low to high NaCl or from high glycerol to iso-osmotic NaCl media transiently ceased to grow, and resumption of growth coincided approximately with an increase in p60. The protein, extracted from a plasma membrane fraction, was purified to homogeneity. Anti-p60 antibodies cross-reacted with a 60-kD protein in Dunaliella bardawil. Immunoelectron microscopy of D. salina cell sections indicated that p60 was exclusively located in the plasma membrane. Its induction by salt, the correlation between its accumulation and growth resumption in high concentrations of salt, and its plasma membrane localization suggest the possibility that p60 could play a role in ionic homeostasis in conditions of high salinity, although different types of function could also be considered. PMID:12232413

  17. Yeast diversity and native vigor for flavor phenotypes.

    PubMed

    Carrau, Francisco; Gaggero, Carina; Aguilar, Pablo S

    2015-03-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the yeast used widely for beer, bread, cider, and wine production, is the most resourceful eukaryotic model used for genetic engineering. A typical concern about using engineered yeasts for food production might be negative consumer perception of genetically modified organisms. However, we believe the true pitfall of using genetically modified yeasts is their limited capacity to either refine or improve the sensory properties of fermented foods under real production conditions. Alternatively, yeast diversity screening to improve the aroma and flavors could offer groundbreaking opportunities in food biotechnology. We propose a 'Yeast Flavor Diversity Screening' strategy which integrates knowledge from sensory analysis and natural whole-genome evolution with information about flavor metabolic networks and their regulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The Crisis in Black and Black.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hutchinson, Earl Ofari

    These essays explore why the historic conflict between blacks and whites in the United States has become a crisis that divides many African Americans. The changing racial dynamic is not marked by conflicts. between the black middle class and the poor, black men and women, the black intellectual elite and rappers, black politicians and the urban…

  19. Making Sense of the Yeast Sphingolipid Pathway.

    PubMed

    Megyeri, Márton; Riezman, Howard; Schuldiner, Maya; Futerman, Anthony H

    2016-12-04

    Sphingolipids (SL) and their metabolites play key roles both as structural components of membranes and as signaling molecules. Many of the key enzymes and regulators of SL metabolism were discovered using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and based on the high degree of conservation, a number of mammalian homologs were identified. Although yeast continues to be an important tool for SL research, the complexity of SL structure and nomenclature often hampers the ability of new researchers to grasp the subtleties of yeast SL biology and discover new modulators of this intricate pathway. Moreover, the emergence of lipidomics by mass spectrometry has enabled the rapid identification of SL species in yeast and rendered the analysis of SL composition under various physiological and pathophysiological conditions readily amenable. However, the complex nomenclature of the identified species renders much of the data inaccessible to non-specialists. In this review, we focus on parsing both the classical SL nomenclature and the nomenclature normally used during mass spectrometry analysis, which should facilitate the understanding of yeast SL data and might shed light on biological processes in which SLs are involved. Finally, we discuss a number of putative roles of various yeast SL species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Novel brewing yeast hybrids: creation and application.

    PubMed

    Krogerus, Kristoffer; Magalhães, Frederico; Vidgren, Virve; Gibson, Brian

    2017-01-01

    The natural interspecies Saccharomyces cerevisiae × Saccharomyces eubayanus hybrid yeast is responsible for global lager beer production and is one of the most important industrial microorganisms. Its success in the lager brewing environment is due to a combination of traits not commonly found in pure yeast species, principally low-temperature tolerance, and maltotriose utilization. Parental transgression is typical of hybrid organisms and has been exploited previously for, e.g., the production of wine yeast with beneficial properties. The parental strain S. eubayanus has only been discovered recently and newly created lager yeast strains have not yet been applied industrially. A number of reports attest to the feasibility of this approach and artificially created hybrids are likely to have a significant impact on the future of lager brewing. De novo S. cerevisiae × S. eubayanus hybrids outperform their parent strains in a number of respects, including, but not restricted to, fermentation rate, sugar utilization, stress tolerance, and aroma formation. Hybrid genome function and stability, as well as different techniques for generating hybrids and their relative merits are discussed. Hybridization not only offers the possibility of generating novel non-GM brewing yeast strains with unique properties, but is expected to aid in unraveling the complex evolutionary history of industrial lager yeast.

  1. Improving industrial yeast strains: exploiting natural and artificial diversity

    PubMed Central

    Steensels, Jan; Snoek, Tim; Meersman, Esther; Nicolino, Martina Picca; Voordeckers, Karin; Verstrepen, Kevin J

    2014-01-01

    Yeasts have been used for thousands of years to make fermented foods and beverages, such as beer, wine, sake, and bread. However, the choice for a particular yeast strain or species for a specific industrial application is often based on historical, rather than scientific grounds. Moreover, new biotechnological yeast applications, such as the production of second-generation biofuels, confront yeast with environments and challenges that differ from those encountered in traditional food fermentations. Together, this implies that there are interesting opportunities to isolate or generate yeast variants that perform better than the currently used strains. Here, we discuss the different strategies of strain selection and improvement available for both conventional and nonconventional yeasts. Exploiting the existing natural diversity and using techniques such as mutagenesis, protoplast fusion, breeding, genome shuffling and directed evolution to generate artificial diversity, or the use of genetic modification strategies to alter traits in a more targeted way, have led to the selection of superior industrial yeasts. Furthermore, recent technological advances allowed the development of high-throughput techniques, such as ‘global transcription machinery engineering’ (gTME), to induce genetic variation, providing a new source of yeast genetic diversity. PMID:24724938

  2. MALDI-TOF MS as a tool to identify foodborne yeasts and yeast-like fungi.

    PubMed

    Quintilla, Raquel; Kolecka, Anna; Casaregola, Serge; Daniel, Heide M; Houbraken, Jos; Kostrzewa, Markus; Boekhout, Teun; Groenewald, Marizeth

    2018-02-02

    Since food spoilage by yeasts causes high economic losses, fast and accurate identifications of yeasts associated with food and food-related products are important for the food industry. In this study the efficiency of the matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to identify food related yeasts was evaluated. A CBS in-house MALDI-TOF MS database was created and later challenged with a blinded test set of 146 yeast strains obtained from food and food related products. Ninety eight percent of the strains were correctly identified with log score values>1.7. One strain, Mrakia frigida, gained a correct identification with a score value<1.7. Two strains could not be identified at first as they represented a mix of two different species. These mixes were Rhodotorula babjevae with Meyerozyma caribbica and Clavispora lusitaniae with Debaryomyces hansenii. After separation, all four species could be correctly identified with scores>1.7. Ambiguous identifications were observed due to two incorrect reference mass spectra's found in the commercial database BDAL v.4.0, namely Candida sake DSM 70763 which was re-identified as Candida oleophila, and Candida inconspicua DSM 70631 which was re-identified as Pichia membranifaciens. MALDI-TOF MS can distinguish between most of the species, but for some species complexes, such as the Kazachstania telluris and Mrakia frigida complexes, MALDI-TOF MS showed limited resolution and identification of sibling species was sometimes problematic. Despite this, we showed that the MALDI-TOF MS is applicable for routine identification and validation of foodborne yeasts, but a further update of the commercial reference databases is needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Comparative genomics of biotechnologically important yeasts

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is used in the vast majority of the world’s bioprocesses, and its economic significance is unchallenged. It, however, represents only a small slice of yeast physiological diversity. Many other yeasts, are used in lesser known, but commercially important processes that take ...

  4. The yeast Golgi apparatus: insights and mysteries

    PubMed Central

    Papanikou, Effrosyni; Glick, Benjamin S.

    2009-01-01

    The Golgi apparatus is known to modify and sort newly synthesized secretory proteins. However, fundamental mysteries remain about the structure, operation, and dynamics of this organelle. Important insights have emerged from studying the Golgi in yeasts. For example, yeasts have provided direct evidence for Golgi cisternal maturation, a mechanism that is likely to be broadly conserved. Here, we highlight features of the yeast Golgi as well as challenges that lie ahead. PMID:19879270

  5. Evolution and variation of the yeast (Saccharomyces) genome.

    PubMed

    Mortimer, R K

    2000-04-01

    In this review we describe the role of the yeast Saccharomyces in the development of human societies including the use of this organism in the making of wine, bread, beer, and distilled beverages. We also discuss the tremendous diversity of yeast found in natural (i.e., noninoculated) wine fermentations and the scientific uses of yeast over the past 60 years. In conclusion, we present ideas on the model of "genome renewal" and the use of this model to explain the mode by which yeast has evolved and how diversity can be generated.

  6. Indigenous Georgian Wine-Associated Yeasts and Grape Cultivars to Edit the Wine Quality in a Precision Oenology Perspective.

    PubMed

    Vigentini, Ileana; Maghradze, David; Petrozziello, Maurizio; Bonello, Federica; Mezzapelle, Vito; Valdetara, Federica; Failla, Osvaldo; Foschino, Roberto

    2016-01-01

    In Georgia, one of the most ancient vine-growing environment, the homemade production of wine is still very popular in every rural family and spontaneous fermentation of must, without addition of chemical preservatives, is the norm. The present work investigated the yeast biodiversity in five Georgian areas (Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kartli, Ratcha-Lechkhumi) sampling grapes and wines from 22 different native cultivars, in 26 vineyards and 19 family cellars. One hundred and eighty-two isolates were ascribed to 15 different species by PCR-ITS and RFLP, and partial sequencing of D1/D2 domain 26S rDNA gene. Metschnikowia pulcherrima (F' = 0.56, I' = 0.32), Hanseniaspora guilliermondii (F' = 0.49, I' = 0.27), and Cryptococcus flavescens (F' = 0.31, I' = 0.11) were the dominant yeasts found on grapes, whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed the highest prevalence into wine samples. Seventy four isolates with fermentative potential were screened for oenological traits such as ethanol production, resistance to SO2, and acetic acid, glycerol and H2S production. Three yeast strains (Kluyveromyces marxianus UMY207, S. cerevisiae UMY255, Torulaspora delbrueckii UMY196) were selected and separately inoculated in vinifications experiments at a Georgian cellar. Musts were prepared from healthy grapes of local varieties, Goruli Mtsvane (white berry cultivar) and Saperavi (black berry cultivar). Physical (°Brix) and microbial analyses (plate counts) were performed to monitor the fermentative process. The isolation of indigenous S. cerevisiae yeasts beyond the inoculated strains indicated that a co-presence occurred during the vinification tests. Results from quantitative GC-FID analysis of volatile compounds revealed that the highest amount of fermentation flavors, such as 4-ethoxy-4-oxobutanoic acid (monoethyl succinate), 2-methylpropan-1-ol, ethyl 2-hydroxypropanoate, and 2-phenylethanol, were significantly more produced in fermentation conducted in Saperavi variety inoculated

  7. Biocontrol of Alternaria alternata on cherry tomato fruit by use of marine yeast Rhodosporidium paludigenum Fell & Tallman.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yifei; Bao, Yihong; Shen, Danhong; Feng, Wu; Yu, Ting; Zhang, Jia; Zheng, Xiao Dong

    2008-04-30

    The basidiomycetous yeast Rhodosporidium paludigenum Fell & Tallman isolated from the south of East China Sea was evaluated for its activity in reducing postharvest decay of cherry tomatoes caused by Alternaria alternata in vitro and in vivo tests. The results showed that washed cell suspension of R. paludigenum provided better control of A. alternata than any other treatment, while the autoclaved cell culture failed to provide protection against the pathogen. The concentration of antagonist had significant effect on biocontrol effectiveness in vivo: when the concentration of the washed yeast cell suspension was used at 1 x 10(9)cells/ml, the percentage rate of black rot of cherry tomato fruit was only 37%, which was remarkably lower than that treated with water (the control) after 5days of incubation at 25 degrees C. Furthermore, a great biocontrol efficacy of R. paludigenum was observed when it was applied prior to inoculation with A. alternata: the longer the incubation time of R. paludigenum, the lower disease incidence would be. However, there was little efficacy when R. paludigenum was applied after A. alternata inoculation. In addition, on the wounds of cherry tomato, it was observed that R. paludigenum grew rapidly increasing 50-fold during the first 12h at 25 degrees C. To the best of our knowledge, this is a first report concerning that the marine yeast R. paludigenum could be used as a biocontrol agent of postharvest fungal disease.

  8. Physicochemical and microbiological qualities of steamed and irradiated ground black pepper (Piper nigrum L.).

    PubMed

    Waje, Catherine K; Kim, Hyun-Ku; Kim, Kyong-Su; Todoriki, Setsuko; Kwon, Joong-Ho

    2008-06-25

    The effects of steam and irradiation treatments on the physicochemical properties (moisture content, pH, extractable yield, reducing sugar, soluble pigment, antioxidant activity, piperine, Hunter's color, and sensory attributes) and microbiological quality (total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and yeasts and molds) of ground black pepper stored at refrigerated and room temperatures for 6 months were compared and evaluated. Irradiation resulted in a higher microbial reduction in pepper, with minimal effects on the proximate composition, functional components, color, and sensory attributes of the spice. Steamed peppers appeared darker, and a considerable decrease in the piperine content was observed after treatment and storage. This study illustrates that irradiation is a better decontamination method than steam treatment in eliminating microorganisms without apparently affecting the quality of the powdered spice. Storage at 4 degrees C enhanced the microbial quality and minimized the loss of piperine content in ground black peppers.

  9. Root hydraulic conductivity and adjustments in stomatal conductance: hydraulic strategy in response to salt stress in a halotolerant species

    PubMed Central

    Vitali, Victoria; Bellati, Jorge; Soto, Gabriela; Ayub, Nicolás D.; Amodeo, Gabriela

    2015-01-01

    Recent advances at the molecular level are introducing a new scenario that needs to be integrated into the analysis of plant hydraulic properties. Although it is not yet clear to what extent this scenario alters the current proposal for the hydraulic circuit models, it introduces new insights when studying plants that are able to easily overcome water restrictions. In this context, our aim was to explore water adjustments in a halotolerant model (Beta vulgaris) by studying the coordination between the root in terms of root hydraulic conductivity (Lpr) and the shoot as reflected in the stomatal conductance (gs). The root water pathways were also analysed in terms of root suberization (apoplastic barrier) and aquaporin transcript levels (cell-to-cell pathway). Beta vulgaris showed the ability to rapidly lose (4 h) and gain (24 h) turgor when submitted to salt stress (200 mM). The reduction profile observed in Lpr and gs was consistent with a coupled process. The tuning of the root water flow involved small variations in the studied aquaporin's transcripts before anatomical modifications occurred. Exploring Lpr enhancement after halting the stress contributed to show not only a different profile in restoring Lpr but also the capacity to uncouple Lpr from gs. Beta vulgaris root plays a key role and can anticipate water loss before the aerial water status is affected. PMID:26602985

  10. Brewer's/baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and preventive medicine: Part II.

    PubMed

    Moyad, Mark A

    2008-02-01

    Yeast is the term generally applied to a unicellular fungus, and there are hundreds of species now identified. One of the most notable and well-known species of yeast in health and wellness is known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is also known by its more common names, brewer's yeast or baker's yeast. Typically, brewer's yeast is used as a protein supplement, energy booster, immune enhancer, or other vehicle where other compounds can be inserted to create a commercialized health product. For example, one of the most notable positive findings was the encouraging results from a large randomized trial of adults recently vaccinated for seasonal influenza who also received an over-the-counter daily adjuvant modified brewer's yeast-based product (EpiCor) to prevent colds and flu symptoms. The modified yeast-based product significantly reduced the incidence and duration of this common condition. Yeast-based technology is also being used as a molecular mechanistic model of caloric restriction (CR) with the goal of improving the human life span. The current and potential impact of yeast-based technology in medicine is encouraging and should receive more attention, but the recent preliminary positive results of CR in humans may be in part due to what has been already learned from brewer's yeast.

  11. [Yeast species in vulvovaginitis candidosa].

    PubMed

    Nemes-Nikodém, Éva; Tamási, Béla; Mihalik, Noémi; Ostorházi, Eszter

    2015-01-04

    Vulvovaginal candidiasis is the most common mycosis, however, the available information about antifungal susceptibilities of these yeasts is limited. To compare the gold standard fungal culture with a new molecular identification method and report the incidence of yeast species in vulvovaginitis candidosa. The authors studied 370 yeasts isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis and identified them by phenotypic and molecular methods. The most common species was Candida albicans (85%), followed by Candida glabrata, and other Candida species. At present there are no recommendations for the evaluation of antifungal susceptibility of pathogenic fungal species occurring in vulvovaginal candidiasis and the natural antifungal resistance of the different species is known only. Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight identification can be used to differentiate the fluconazole resistant Candida dubliniensis and the sensitive Candida albicans strains.

  12. 21 CFR 172.381 - Vitamin D2 bakers yeast.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... conventional bakers yeast. (c) The additive may be used in yeast-leavened baked goods and baking mixes and yeast-leavened baked snack foods at levels not to exceed 400 International Units of vitamin D2 per 100...

  13. Anaerobic digestion of food waste using yeast.

    PubMed

    Suwannarat, Jutarat; Ritchie, Raymond J

    2015-08-01

    Fermentative breakdown of food waste seems a plausible alternative to feeding food waste to pigs, incineration or garbage disposal in tourist areas. We determined the optimal conditions for the fermentative breakdown of food waste using yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in incubations up to 30days. Yeast efficiently broke down food waste with food waste loadings as high as 700g FW/l. The optimum inoculation was ≈46×10(6)cells/l of culture with a 40°C optimum (25-40°C). COD and BOD were reduced by ≈30-50%. Yeast used practically all the available sugars and reduced proteins and lipids by ≈50%. Yeast was able to metabolize lipids much better than expected. Starch was mobilized after very long term incubations (>20days). Yeast was effective in breaking down the organic components of food waste but CO2 gas and ethanol production (≈1.5%) were only significant during the first 7days of incubations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Nectar yeasts: a natural microcosm for ecology.

    PubMed

    Chappell, Callie R; Fukami, Tadashi

    2018-06-01

    The species of yeasts that colonize floral nectar can modify the mutualistic relationships between plants and pollinators by changing the chemical properties of nectar. Recent evidence supporting this possibility has led to increased interest among ecologists in studying these fungi as well as the bacteria that interact with them in nectar. Although not fully explored, nectar yeasts also constitute a promising natural microcosm that can be used to facilitate development of general ecological theory. We discuss the methodological and conceptual advantages of using nectar yeasts from this perspective, including simplicity of communities, tractability of dispersal, replicability of community assembly, and the ease with which the mechanisms of species interactions can be studied in complementary experiments conducted in the field and the laboratory. To illustrate the power of nectar yeasts as a study system, we discuss several topics in community ecology, including environmental filtering, priority effects, and metacommunity dynamics. An exciting new direction is to integrate metagenomics and comparative genomics into nectar yeast research to address these fundamental ecological topics. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Kinetics of growth and sugar consumption in yeasts.

    PubMed

    van Dijken, J P; Weusthuis, R A; Pronk, J T

    1993-01-01

    An overview is presented of the steady- and transient state kinetics of growth and formation of metabolic byproducts in yeasts. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is strongly inclined to perform alcoholic fermentation. Even under fully aerobic conditions, ethanol is produced by this yeast when sugars are present in excess. This so-called 'Crabtree effect' probably results from a multiplicity of factors, including the mode of sugar transport and the regulation of enzyme activities involved in respiration and alcoholic fermentation. The Crabtree effect in S. cerevisiae is not caused by an intrinsic inability to adjust its respiratory activity to high glycolytic fluxes. Under certain cultivation conditions, for example during growth in the presence of weak organic acids, very high respiration rates can be achieved by this yeast. S. cerevisiae is an exceptional yeast since, in contrast to most other species that are able to perform alcoholic fermentation, it can grow under strictly anaerobic conditions. 'Non-Saccharomyces' yeasts require a growth-limiting supply of oxygen (i.e. oxygen-limited growth conditions) to trigger alcoholic fermentation. However, complete absence of oxygen results in cessation of growth and therefore, ultimately, of alcoholic fermentation. Since it is very difficult to reproducibly achieve the right oxygen dosage in large-scale fermentations, non-Saccharomyces yeasts are therefore not suitable for large-scale alcoholic fermentation of sugar-containing waste streams. In these yeasts, alcoholic fermentation is also dependent on the type of sugar. For example, the facultatively fermentative yeast Candida utilis does not ferment maltose, not even under oxygen-limited growth conditions, although this disaccharide supports rapid oxidative growth.

  16. Growth inhibition of pathogenic bacteria and some yeasts by selected essential oils and survival of L. monocytogenes and C. albicans in apple-carrot juice.

    PubMed

    Irkin, Reyhan; Korukluoglu, Mihriban

    2009-04-01

    Food safety is a fundamental concern of both consumers and the food industry. The increasing incidence of foodborne diseases increases the demand of using antimicrobials in foods. Spices and plants are rich in essential oils and show inhibition activity against microorganisms, which are composed of many compounds. In this research, effects of garlic, bay, black pepper, origanum, orange, thyme, tea tree, mint, clove, and cumin essential oils on Listeria monocytogenes AUFE 39237, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076, Proteus mirabilis AUFE 43566, Bacillus cereus AUFE 81154, Saccharomyces uvarum UUFE 16732, Kloeckera apiculata UUFE 10628, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida oleophila UUPP 94365, and Metschnikowia fructicola UUPP 23067 and effects of thyme oil at a concentration of 0.5% on L. monocytogenes and C. albicans in apple-carrot juice during +4 degrees C storage (first to fifth day) were investigated. Strong antibacterial and antifungal activities of some essential oils were found. Thyme, origanum, clove, and orange essential oils were the most inhibitory against bacteria and yeasts. Cumin, tea tree, and mint oils inhibited the yeasts actively. It is concluded that some essential oils could be used as potential biopreservatives capable of controlling foodborne pathogens and food spoilage yeasts.

  17. The ecology of the Drosophila-yeast mutualism in wineries

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is preferentially found on fermenting fruits. The yeasts that dominate the microbial communities of these substrates are the primary food source for developing D. melanogaster larvae, and adult flies manifest a strong olfactory system-mediated attraction for the volatile compounds produced by these yeasts during fermentation. Although most work on this interaction has focused on the standard laboratory yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a wide variety of other yeasts naturally ferment fallen fruit. Here we address the open question of whether D. melanogaster preferentially associates with distinct yeasts in different, closely-related environments. We characterized the spatial and temporal dynamics of Drosophila-associated fungi in Northern California wineries that use organic grapes and natural fermentation using high-throughput, short-amplicon sequencing. We found that there is nonrandom structure in the fungal communities that are vectored by flies both between and within vineyards. Within wineries, the fungal communities associated with flies in cellars, fermentation tanks, and pomace piles are distinguished by varying abundances of a small number of yeast species. To investigate the origins of this structure, we assayed Drosophila attraction to, oviposition on, larval development in, and longevity when consuming the yeasts that distinguish vineyard microhabitats from each other. We found that wild fly lines did not respond differentially to the yeast species that distinguish winery habitats in habitat specific manner. Instead, this subset of yeast shares traits that make them attractive to and ensure their close association with Drosophila. PMID:29768432

  18. The ecology of the Drosophila-yeast mutualism in wineries.

    PubMed

    Quan, Allison S; Eisen, Michael B

    2018-01-01

    The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is preferentially found on fermenting fruits. The yeasts that dominate the microbial communities of these substrates are the primary food source for developing D. melanogaster larvae, and adult flies manifest a strong olfactory system-mediated attraction for the volatile compounds produced by these yeasts during fermentation. Although most work on this interaction has focused on the standard laboratory yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a wide variety of other yeasts naturally ferment fallen fruit. Here we address the open question of whether D. melanogaster preferentially associates with distinct yeasts in different, closely-related environments. We characterized the spatial and temporal dynamics of Drosophila-associated fungi in Northern California wineries that use organic grapes and natural fermentation using high-throughput, short-amplicon sequencing. We found that there is nonrandom structure in the fungal communities that are vectored by flies both between and within vineyards. Within wineries, the fungal communities associated with flies in cellars, fermentation tanks, and pomace piles are distinguished by varying abundances of a small number of yeast species. To investigate the origins of this structure, we assayed Drosophila attraction to, oviposition on, larval development in, and longevity when consuming the yeasts that distinguish vineyard microhabitats from each other. We found that wild fly lines did not respond differentially to the yeast species that distinguish winery habitats in habitat specific manner. Instead, this subset of yeast shares traits that make them attractive to and ensure their close association with Drosophila.

  19. Improving industrial yeast strains: exploiting natural and artificial diversity.

    PubMed

    Steensels, Jan; Snoek, Tim; Meersman, Esther; Picca Nicolino, Martina; Voordeckers, Karin; Verstrepen, Kevin J

    2014-09-01

    Yeasts have been used for thousands of years to make fermented foods and beverages, such as beer, wine, sake, and bread. However, the choice for a particular yeast strain or species for a specific industrial application is often based on historical, rather than scientific grounds. Moreover, new biotechnological yeast applications, such as the production of second-generation biofuels, confront yeast with environments and challenges that differ from those encountered in traditional food fermentations. Together, this implies that there are interesting opportunities to isolate or generate yeast variants that perform better than the currently used strains. Here, we discuss the different strategies of strain selection and improvement available for both conventional and nonconventional yeasts. Exploiting the existing natural diversity and using techniques such as mutagenesis, protoplast fusion, breeding, genome shuffling and directed evolution to generate artificial diversity, or the use of genetic modification strategies to alter traits in a more targeted way, have led to the selection of superior industrial yeasts. Furthermore, recent technological advances allowed the development of high-throughput techniques, such as 'global transcription machinery engineering' (gTME), to induce genetic variation, providing a new source of yeast genetic diversity. © 2014 The Authors. FEMS Microbiology Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Federation of European Microbiological Societies.

  20. Alkaline Response of a Halotolerant Alkaliphilic Halomonas Strain and Functional Diversity of Its Na+(K+)/H+ Antiporters*

    PubMed Central

    Cheng, Bin; Meng, Yiwei; Cui, Yanbing; Li, Chunfang; Tao, Fei; Yin, Huijia; Yang, Chunyu; Xu, Ping

    2016-01-01

    Halomonas sp. Y2 is a halotolerant alkaliphilic strain from Na+-rich pulp mill wastewater with high alkalinity (pH >11.0). Transcriptome analysis of this isolate revealed this strain may use various transport systems for pH homeostasis. In particular, the genes encoding four putative Na+/H+ antiporters were differentially expressed upon acidic or alkaline conditions. Further evidence, from heterologous expression and mutant studies, suggested that Halomonas sp. Y2 employs its Na+/H+ antiporters in a labor division way to deal with saline and alkaline environments. Ha-NhaD2 displayed robust Na+(Li+) resistance and high transport activities in Escherichia coli; a ΔHa-nhaD2 mutant exhibited growth inhibition at high Na+(Li+) concentrations at pH values of 6.2, 8.0, and 10.0, suggesting its physiological role in osmotic homeostasis. In contrast, Ha-NhaD1 showed much weaker activities in ion exporting and pH homeostasis. Ha-Mrp displayed a combination of properties similar to those of Mrp transporters from some Bacillus alkaliphiles and neutrophiles. This conferred obvious Na+(Li+, K+) resistance in E. coli-deficient strains, as those ion transport spectra of some neutrophil Mrp antiporters. Conversely, similar to the Bacillus alkaliphiles, Ha-Mrp showed central roles in the pH homeostasis of Halomonas sp. Y2. An Ha-mrp-disrupted mutant was seriously inhibited by high concentrations of Na+(Li+, K+) but only under alkaline conditions. Ha-NhaP was determined to be a K+/H+ antiporter and shown to confer strong K+ resistance both at acidic and alkaline stresses. PMID:27777302

  1. Chromosomal Aneuploidy Improves the Brewing Characteristics of Sake Yeast.

    PubMed

    Kadowaki, Masafumi; Fujimaru, Yuki; Taguchi, Seiga; Ferdouse, Jannatul; Sawada, Kazutaka; Kimura, Yuta; Terasawa, Yohei; Agrimi, Gennaro; Anai, Toyoaki; Noguchi, Hideki; Toyoda, Atsushi; Fujiyama, Asao; Akao, Takeshi; Kitagaki, Hiroshi

    2017-12-15

    The effect of chromosomal aneuploidy on the brewing characteristics of brewery yeasts has not been studied. Here we report that chromosomal aneuploidy in sake brewery yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) leads to the development of favorable brewing characteristics. We found that pyruvate-underproducing sake yeast, which produces less off-flavor diacetyl, is aneuploid and trisomic for chromosomes XI and XIV. To confirm that this phenotype is due to aneuploidy, we obtained 45 haploids with various chromosomal additions and investigated their brewing profiles. A greater number of chromosomes correlated with a decrease in pyruvate production. Especially, sake yeast haploids with extra chromosomes in addition to chromosome XI produced less pyruvate than euploids. Mitochondrion-related metabolites and intracellular oxygen species in chromosome XI aneuploids were higher than those in euploids, and this effect was canceled in their "petite" strains, suggesting that an increase in chromosomes upregulated mitochondrial activity and decreased pyruvate levels. These findings suggested that an increase in chromosome number, including chromosome XI, in sake yeast haploids leads to pyruvate underproduction through the augmentation of mitochondrial activity. This is the first report proposing that aneuploidy in brewery yeasts improves their brewing profile. IMPORTANCE Chromosomal aneuploidy has not been evaluated in development of sake brewing yeast strains. This study shows the relationship between chromosomal aneuploidy and brewing characteristics of brewery yeast strains. High concentrations of pyruvate during sake storage give rise to α-acetolactate and, in turn, to high concentrations of diacetyl, which is considered an off-flavor. It was demonstrated that pyruvate-underproducing sake yeast is trisomic for chromosome XI and XIV. Furthermore, sake yeast haploids with extra chromosomes produced reduced levels of pyruvate and showed metabolic processes characteristic of

  2. Chromosomal Aneuploidy Improves the Brewing Characteristics of Sake Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Kadowaki, Masafumi; Fujimaru, Yuki; Taguchi, Seiga; Ferdouse, Jannatul; Sawada, Kazutaka; Kimura, Yuta; Terasawa, Yohei; Agrimi, Gennaro; Anai, Toyoaki; Noguchi, Hideki; Toyoda, Atsushi; Fujiyama, Asao; Akao, Takeshi

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The effect of chromosomal aneuploidy on the brewing characteristics of brewery yeasts has not been studied. Here we report that chromosomal aneuploidy in sake brewery yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) leads to the development of favorable brewing characteristics. We found that pyruvate-underproducing sake yeast, which produces less off-flavor diacetyl, is aneuploid and trisomic for chromosomes XI and XIV. To confirm that this phenotype is due to aneuploidy, we obtained 45 haploids with various chromosomal additions and investigated their brewing profiles. A greater number of chromosomes correlated with a decrease in pyruvate production. Especially, sake yeast haploids with extra chromosomes in addition to chromosome XI produced less pyruvate than euploids. Mitochondrion-related metabolites and intracellular oxygen species in chromosome XI aneuploids were higher than those in euploids, and this effect was canceled in their “petite” strains, suggesting that an increase in chromosomes upregulated mitochondrial activity and decreased pyruvate levels. These findings suggested that an increase in chromosome number, including chromosome XI, in sake yeast haploids leads to pyruvate underproduction through the augmentation of mitochondrial activity. This is the first report proposing that aneuploidy in brewery yeasts improves their brewing profile. IMPORTANCE Chromosomal aneuploidy has not been evaluated in development of sake brewing yeast strains. This study shows the relationship between chromosomal aneuploidy and brewing characteristics of brewery yeast strains. High concentrations of pyruvate during sake storage give rise to α-acetolactate and, in turn, to high concentrations of diacetyl, which is considered an off-flavor. It was demonstrated that pyruvate-underproducing sake yeast is trisomic for chromosome XI and XIV. Furthermore, sake yeast haploids with extra chromosomes produced reduced levels of pyruvate and showed metabolic processes characteristic

  3. 21 CFR 172.325 - Bakers yeast protein.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... harmful microbial toxin. (d) The ingredient is used in food as a nutrient supplement as defined in § 170.3... Special Dietary and Nutritional Additives § 172.325 Bakers yeast protein. Bakers yeast protein may be...

  4. 21 CFR 172.325 - Bakers yeast protein.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... harmful microbial toxin. (d) The ingredient is used in food as a nutrient supplement as defined in § 170.3... Special Dietary and Nutritional Additives § 172.325 Bakers yeast protein. Bakers yeast protein may be...

  5. 21 CFR 172.325 - Bakers yeast protein.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... harmful microbial toxin. (d) The ingredient is used in food as a nutrient supplement as defined in § 170.3... Special Dietary and Nutritional Additives § 172.325 Bakers yeast protein. Bakers yeast protein may be...

  6. 21 CFR 172.325 - Bakers yeast protein.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... harmful microbial toxin. (d) The ingredient is used in food as a nutrient supplement as defined in § 170.3... Special Dietary and Nutritional Additives § 172.325 Bakers yeast protein. Bakers yeast protein may be...

  7. Mammalian amyloidogenic proteins promote prion nucleation in yeast.

    PubMed

    Chandramowlishwaran, Pavithra; Sun, Meng; Casey, Kristin L; Romanyuk, Andrey V; Grizel, Anastasiya V; Sopova, Julia V; Rubel, Aleksandr A; Nussbaum-Krammer, Carmen; Vorberg, Ina M; Chernoff, Yury O

    2018-03-02

    Fibrous cross-β aggregates (amyloids) and their transmissible forms (prions) cause diseases in mammals (including humans) and control heritable traits in yeast. Initial nucleation of a yeast prion by transiently overproduced prion-forming protein or its (typically, QN-rich) prion domain is efficient only in the presence of another aggregated (in most cases, QN-rich) protein. Here, we demonstrate that a fusion of the prion domain of yeast protein Sup35 to some non-QN-rich mammalian proteins, associated with amyloid diseases, promotes nucleation of Sup35 prions in the absence of pre-existing aggregates. In contrast, both a fusion of the Sup35 prion domain to a multimeric non-amyloidogenic protein and the expression of a mammalian amyloidogenic protein that is not fused to the Sup35 prion domain failed to promote prion nucleation, further indicating that physical linkage of a mammalian amyloidogenic protein to the prion domain of a yeast protein is required for the nucleation of a yeast prion. Biochemical and cytological approaches confirmed the nucleation of protein aggregates in the yeast cell. Sequence alterations antagonizing or enhancing amyloidogenicity of human amyloid-β (associated with Alzheimer's disease) and mouse prion protein (associated with prion diseases), respectively, antagonized or enhanced nucleation of a yeast prion by these proteins. The yeast-based prion nucleation assay, developed in our work, can be employed for mutational dissection of amyloidogenic proteins. We anticipate that it will aid in the identification of chemicals that influence initial amyloid nucleation and in searching for new amyloidogenic proteins in a variety of proteomes. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  8. Inventions on baker's yeast storage and activation at the bakery plant.

    PubMed

    Gélinas, Pierre

    2010-01-01

    Baker's yeast is the gas-forming ingredient in bakery products. Methods have been invented to properly handle baker's yeast and optimize its activity at the bakery plant. Over the years, incentives for inventions on yeast storage and activation have greatly changed depending on trends in the baking industry. For example, retailer's devices for cutting bulk pressed yeast and techniques for activating dry yeast have now lost their importance. Review of patents for invention indicates that activation of baker's yeast activity has been a very important issue for bakers, for example, with baking ingredients called yeast foods. In the recent years and especially for highly automated bakeries, interest has moved to equipments and processes for optimized storage of liquid cream yeast to thoroughly control dough fermentation and bread quality.

  9. Guidelines and recommendations on yeast cell death nomenclature.

    PubMed

    Carmona-Gutierrez, Didac; Bauer, Maria Anna; Zimmermann, Andreas; Aguilera, Andrés; Austriaco, Nicanor; Ayscough, Kathryn; Balzan, Rena; Bar-Nun, Shoshana; Barrientos, Antonio; Belenky, Peter; Blondel, Marc; Braun, Ralf J; Breitenbach, Michael; Burhans, William C; Büttner, Sabrina; Cavalieri, Duccio; Chang, Michael; Cooper, Katrina F; Côrte-Real, Manuela; Costa, Vítor; Cullin, Christophe; Dawes, Ian; Dengjel, Jörn; Dickman, Martin B; Eisenberg, Tobias; Fahrenkrog, Birthe; Fasel, Nicolas; Fröhlich, Kai-Uwe; Gargouri, Ali; Giannattasio, Sergio; Goffrini, Paola; Gourlay, Campbell W; Grant, Chris M; Greenwood, Michael T; Guaragnella, Nicoletta; Heger, Thomas; Heinisch, Jürgen; Herker, Eva; Herrmann, Johannes M; Hofer, Sebastian; Jiménez-Ruiz, Antonio; Jungwirth, Helmut; Kainz, Katharina; Kontoyiannis, Dimitrios P; Ludovico, Paula; Manon, Stéphen; Martegani, Enzo; Mazzoni, Cristina; Megeney, Lynn A; Meisinger, Chris; Nielsen, Jens; Nyström, Thomas; Osiewacz, Heinz D; Outeiro, Tiago F; Park, Hay-Oak; Pendl, Tobias; Petranovic, Dina; Picot, Stephane; Polčic, Peter; Powers, Ted; Ramsdale, Mark; Rinnerthaler, Mark; Rockenfeller, Patrick; Ruckenstuhl, Christoph; Schaffrath, Raffael; Segovia, Maria; Severin, Fedor F; Sharon, Amir; Sigrist, Stephan J; Sommer-Ruck, Cornelia; Sousa, Maria João; Thevelein, Johan M; Thevissen, Karin; Titorenko, Vladimir; Toledano, Michel B; Tuite, Mick; Vögtle, F-Nora; Westermann, Benedikt; Winderickx, Joris; Wissing, Silke; Wölfl, Stefan; Zhang, Zhaojie J; Zhao, Richard Y; Zhou, Bing; Galluzzi, Lorenzo; Kroemer, Guido; Madeo, Frank

    2018-01-01

    Elucidating the biology of yeast in its full complexity has major implications for science, medicine and industry. One of the most critical processes determining yeast life and physiology is cel-lular demise. However, the investigation of yeast cell death is a relatively young field, and a widely accepted set of concepts and terms is still missing. Here, we propose unified criteria for the defi-nition of accidental, regulated, and programmed forms of cell death in yeast based on a series of morphological and biochemical criteria. Specifically, we provide consensus guidelines on the differ-ential definition of terms including apoptosis, regulated necrosis, and autophagic cell death, as we refer to additional cell death rou-tines that are relevant for the biology of (at least some species of) yeast. As this area of investigation advances rapidly, changes and extensions to this set of recommendations will be implemented in the years to come. Nonetheless, we strongly encourage the au-thors, reviewers and editors of scientific articles to adopt these collective standards in order to establish an accurate framework for yeast cell death research and, ultimately, to accelerate the pro-gress of this vibrant field of research.

  10. Guidelines and recommendations on yeast cell death nomenclature

    PubMed Central

    Carmona-Gutierrez, Didac; Bauer, Maria Anna; Zimmermann, Andreas; Aguilera, Andrés; Austriaco, Nicanor; Ayscough, Kathryn; Balzan, Rena; Bar-Nun, Shoshana; Barrientos, Antonio; Belenky, Peter; Blondel, Marc; Braun, Ralf J.; Breitenbach, Michael; Burhans, William C.; Büttner, Sabrina; Cavalieri, Duccio; Chang, Michael; Cooper, Katrina F.; Côrte-Real, Manuela; Costa, Vítor; Cullin, Christophe; Dawes, Ian; Dengjel, Jörn; Dickman, Martin B.; Eisenberg, Tobias; Fahrenkrog, Birthe; Fasel, Nicolas; Fröhlich, Kai-Uwe; Gargouri, Ali; Giannattasio, Sergio; Goffrini, Paola; Gourlay, Campbell W.; Grant, Chris M.; Greenwood, Michael T.; Guaragnella, Nicoletta; Heger, Thomas; Heinisch, Jürgen; Herker, Eva; Herrmann, Johannes M.; Hofer, Sebastian; Jiménez-Ruiz, Antonio; Jungwirth, Helmut; Kainz, Katharina; Kontoyiannis, Dimitrios P.; Ludovico, Paula; Manon, Stéphen; Martegani, Enzo; Mazzoni, Cristina; Megeney, Lynn A.; Meisinger, Chris; Nielsen, Jens; Nyström, Thomas; Osiewacz, Heinz D.; Outeiro, Tiago F.; Park, Hay-Oak; Pendl, Tobias; Petranovic, Dina; Picot, Stephane; Polčic, Peter; Powers, Ted; Ramsdale, Mark; Rinnerthaler, Mark; Rockenfeller, Patrick; Ruckenstuhl, Christoph; Schaffrath, Raffael; Segovia, Maria; Severin, Fedor F.; Sharon, Amir; Sigrist, Stephan J.; Sommer-Ruck, Cornelia; Sousa, Maria João; Thevelein, Johan M.; Thevissen, Karin; Titorenko, Vladimir; Toledano, Michel B.; Tuite, Mick; Vögtle, F.-Nora; Westermann, Benedikt; Winderickx, Joris; Wissing, Silke; Wölfl, Stefan; Zhang, Zhaojie J.; Zhao, Richard Y.; Zhou, Bing; Galluzzi, Lorenzo; Kroemer, Guido; Madeo, Frank

    2018-01-01

    Elucidating the biology of yeast in its full complexity has major implications for science, medicine and industry. One of the most critical processes determining yeast life and physiology is cellular demise. However, the investigation of yeast cell death is a relatively young field, and a widely accepted set of concepts and terms is still missing. Here, we propose unified criteria for the definition of accidental, regulated, and programmed forms of cell death in yeast based on a series of morphological and biochemical criteria. Specifically, we provide consensus guidelines on the differential definition of terms including apoptosis, regulated necrosis, and autophagic cell death, as we refer to additional cell death routines that are relevant for the biology of (at least some species of) yeast. As this area of investigation advances rapidly, changes and extensions to this set of recommendations will be implemented in the years to come. Nonetheless, we strongly encourage the authors, reviewers and editors of scientific articles to adopt these collective standards in order to establish an accurate framework for yeast cell death research and, ultimately, to accelerate the progress of this vibrant field of research. PMID:29354647

  11. Black yeasts-like fungi isolated from dialysis water in hemodialysis units.

    PubMed

    Figel, Izabel Cristina; Marangoni, Paulo Roberto Dantas; Tralamazza, Sabina Moser; Vicente, Vânia Aparecida; Dalzoto, Patrícia do Rocio; do Nascimento, Mariana Machado Fidelis; de Hoog, G Sybren; Pimentel, Ida Chapaval

    2013-06-01

    Hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure promotes the removal of toxic substances, water, and minerals from the body and often takes place in specialized clinics. Microbial contamination of dialysis fluid is a serious problem in therapy. One of the sources of contamination is the water used to prepare the dialysate. In Brazil, legislation regulating the microbiological quality of water for dialysis does not cover waterborne microbes such as Pseudomonas, mycobacteria, and fungi. The aim of the present study was to quantify, isolate, and identify fungi present in water systems in six hemodialysis units in Curitiba, Paraná state, Brazil. Fungi were analyzed by surface plating and membrane filtration. Isolates were identified by morphology, while the dematiaceous fungi were identified by sequencing the rDNA ITS region. It was found that 66 % of the samples presented fungi, while black fungi were present in 46 % of all samples. Twenty-eight isolates from treated water for dialysis and dialysate were identified by sequencing and were found to be Exophiala pisciphila, E. cancerae, E. equina, and Rhinocladiella similis. The presence of dematiaceous fungi may pose a risk for debilitated hospitalized patients.

  12. Applications of yeast surface display for protein engineering

    PubMed Central

    Cherf, Gerald M.; Cochran, Jennifer R.

    2015-01-01

    The method of displaying recombinant proteins on the surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae via genetic fusion to an abundant cell wall protein, a technology known as yeast surface display, or simply, yeast display, has become a valuable protein engineering tool for a broad spectrum of biotechnology and biomedical applications. This review focuses on the use of yeast display for engineering protein affinity, stability, and enzymatic activity. Strategies and examples for each protein engineering goal are discussed. Additional applications of yeast display are also briefly presented, including protein epitope mapping, identification of protein-protein interactions, and uses of displayed proteins in industry and medicine. PMID:26060074

  13. The primary structures of two yeast enolase genes. Homology between the 5' noncoding flanking regions of yeast enolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase genes.

    PubMed

    Holland, M J; Holland, J P; Thill, G P; Jackson, K A

    1981-02-10

    Segments of yeast genomic DNA containing two enolase structural genes have been isolated by subculture cloning procedures using a cDNA hybridization probe synthesized from purified yeast enolase mRNA. Based on restriction endonuclease and transcriptional maps of these two segments of yeast DNA, each hybrid plasmid contains a region of extensive nucleotide sequence homology which forms hybrids with the cDNA probe. The DNA sequences which flank this homologous region in the two hybrid plasmids are nonhomologous indicating that these sequences are nontandemly repeated in the yeast genome. The complete nucleotide sequence of the coding as well as the flanking noncoding regions of these genes has been determined. The amino acid sequence predicted from one reading frame of both structural genes is extremely similar to that determined for yeast enolase (Chin, C. C. Q., Brewer, J. M., Eckard, E., and Wold, F. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 1370-1376), confirming that these isolated structural genes encode yeast enolase. The nucleotide sequences of the coding regions of the genes are approximately 95% homologous, and neither gene contains an intervening sequence. Codon utilization in the enolase genes follows the same biased pattern previously described for two yeast glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase structural genes (Holland, J. P., and Holland, M. J. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 2596-2605). DNA blotting analysis confirmed that the isolated segments of yeast DNA are colinear with yeast genomic DNA and that there are two nontandemly repeated enolase genes per haploid yeast genome. The noncoding portions of the two enolase genes adjacent to the initiation and termination codons are approximately 70% homologous and contain sequences thought to be involved in the synthesis and processing messenger RNA. Finally there are regions of extensive homology between the two enolase structural genes and two yeast glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase structural genes within the 5

  14. [The yeast biofilm in human medicine].

    PubMed

    Růzicka, Filip; Holá, Veronika; Votava, Miroslav

    2007-08-01

    In recent years, the role of Candida yeasts as causative agents of nosocomial infections has increased. One of the important virulence factors contributing to the development of such infections is biofilm production. This virulence factor enables yeast to colonize both native surfaces and artificial implants. The most common sources of infection are patients themselves, in particular the gastrointestinal tract and skin. The vectors of exogenous yeast infections are predominantly the hands of the health personnel and contaminated medical instruments. The adhesion of yeasts to the implant surfaces is determined both by implant surface and yeast characteristics. This is followed by proliferation and production of microcolonies and extracellular matrix. The final biofilm structure is also influenced by the production of hyphae and pseudohyphae. The entire process of biofilm production is controlled by numerous regulatory systems, with the key role being played by the quorum sensing system. Like the adhered bacterial cultures, candidas growing in the form of a biofilm are highly resistant to antimicrobial therapy. Resistance of yeast biofilms to antifungals is a complex process with multiple contributing factors. These are especially increased gene expression (e.g. genes encoding the so called multidrug efflux pumps), limited penetration of substances through the extracellular matrix, inhibited cell growth and altered microenvironment in deeper biofilm layers. The concentrations of antifungals able to effectively affect the biofilm cells exceed, by several orders of magnitude, the values of conventionally determined MICs. High biofilm resistance results in ineffective antifungal therapy of biofilm infections. Therefore, if possible, the colonized implant should be removed. Conservative therapy should involve antifungals with a proven effect on the biofilm (e.g. caspofungin). The most effective measure in fighting biofilm infections is prevention, especially adhering to

  15. Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of endemic Dalmatian black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. dalmatica).

    PubMed

    Politeo, Olivera; Skocibusic, Mirjana; Maravic, Ana; Ruscic, Mirko; Milos, Mladen

    2011-03-01

    The chemical composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil isolated from the needles of endemic Dalmatian black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. dalmatica) from Croatia were investigated. The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by GC and GC/MS analyses, and the main compounds identified were α-pinene, β-pinene, germacrene D, and β-caryophyllene. Disc-diffusion and broth-microdilution assays were used for the in vitro antimicrobial screening. The Dalmatian black pine essential oil exhibited a great potential of antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (MIC=0.03-0.50% (v/v)) and a less pronounced activity against Gram-negative bacteria (MIC=0.12-3.2% (v/v)). The volatile compounds also inhibited the growth of all fungi tested, including yeast. Copyright © 2011 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  16. Heavy metal removal by caustic-treated yeast immobilized in alginate

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lu, Y.; Wilkins, E.

    1995-12-31

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast biomass was treated with hot alkali to increase its biosorption capacity for heavy metals and then was immobilized in alginate gel. Biosorption capacities for Cu{sup 2+}, Cd{sup 2+}, and Zn{sup 2+} on alginate gel, native yeast, native yeast immobilized in alginate gel, and caustic-treated yeast immobilized in alginate gel were all compared. Immobilized yeasts could be reactivated and reused in a manner similar to the ion exchange resins. Immobilized caustic-treated yeast has high heavy metal biosorption capacity and high metal removal efficiency in a rather wide acidic pH region. The biosorption isotherm of immobilized caustic-treated yeast wasmore » studied, and empirical equations were obtained. The initial pH of polluted water affected the metal removal efficiency significantly, and the equilibrium biosorption capacity seemed to be temperature independent at lower initial metal concentrations.« less

  17. A Proteome-wide Fission Yeast Interactome Reveals Network Evolution Principles from Yeasts to Human.

    PubMed

    Vo, Tommy V; Das, Jishnu; Meyer, Michael J; Cordero, Nicolas A; Akturk, Nurten; Wei, Xiaomu; Fair, Benjamin J; Degatano, Andrew G; Fragoza, Robert; Liu, Lisa G; Matsuyama, Akihisa; Trickey, Michelle; Horibata, Sachi; Grimson, Andrew; Yamano, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Minoru; Roth, Frederick P; Pleiss, Jeffrey A; Xia, Yu; Yu, Haiyuan

    2016-01-14

    Here, we present FissionNet, a proteome-wide binary protein interactome for S. pombe, comprising 2,278 high-quality interactions, of which ∼ 50% were previously not reported in any species. FissionNet unravels previously unreported interactions implicated in processes such as gene silencing and pre-mRNA splicing. We developed a rigorous network comparison framework that accounts for assay sensitivity and specificity, revealing extensive species-specific network rewiring between fission yeast, budding yeast, and human. Surprisingly, although genes are better conserved between the yeasts, S. pombe interactions are significantly better conserved in human than in S. cerevisiae. Our framework also reveals that different modes of gene duplication influence the extent to which paralogous proteins are functionally repurposed. Finally, cross-species interactome mapping demonstrates that coevolution of interacting proteins is remarkably prevalent, a result with important implications for studying human disease in model organisms. Overall, FissionNet is a valuable resource for understanding protein functions and their evolution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Actin and Endocytosis in Budding Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Goode, Bruce L.; Eskin, Julian A.; Wendland, Beverly

    2015-01-01

    Endocytosis, the process whereby the plasma membrane invaginates to form vesicles, is essential for bringing many substances into the cell and for membrane turnover. The mechanism driving clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) involves > 50 different protein components assembling at a single location on the plasma membrane in a temporally ordered and hierarchal pathway. These proteins perform precisely choreographed steps that promote receptor recognition and clustering, membrane remodeling, and force-generating actin-filament assembly and turnover to drive membrane invagination and vesicle scission. Many critical aspects of the CME mechanism are conserved from yeast to mammals and were first elucidated in yeast, demonstrating that it is a powerful system for studying endocytosis. In this review, we describe our current mechanistic understanding of each step in the process of yeast CME, and the essential roles played by actin polymerization at these sites, while providing a historical perspective of how the landscape has changed since the preceding version of the YeastBook was published 17 years ago (1997). Finally, we discuss the key unresolved issues and where future studies might be headed. PMID:25657349

  19. Organoleptic Analysis of Doughs Fermented with Yeasts From A Nigerian Palm Wine (Elaeis guineensis) and Certain Commercial Yeasts

    PubMed Central

    B, Boboye; I, Dayo-Owoyemi; F. A, Akinyosoye

    2008-01-01

    Yeasts isolated from a freshly tapped palm wine obtained from Akure, Nigeria were identified as Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Debaryomyces hansenii, Geotrichum lactis and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. Each of the isolates was used to ferment wheat flour dough and baked. Sensory analysis of the doughs was carried out on leavening, texture, aroma, taste and appearance. Saccharomyces cerevisiae performed best in leavening the dough while Debaryomyces hansenii produced doughs with the best taste and aroma. Appearances of the doughs made with all the isolated yeasts did not differ significantly (P<0.05) from that of the dough that lacked yeast. PMID:19088921

  20. [Malassezia yeasts and their significance in dermatology].

    PubMed

    Hort, W; Nilles, M; Mayser, P

    2006-07-01

    Yeasts of the genus Malassezia belong to the normal microflora of the human skin. In addition they are known to cause a variety of skin diseases; the most frequent of which is pityriasis versicolor. Malassezia yeasts are also thought to be associated with seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff and Malassezia folliculitis. Recently the significance of Malassezia yeasts as a trigger factor for atopic dermatitis of the head and neck region has been pointed out. The role of the Malassezia yeasts in these different diseases has been controversial in the past and remains an issue because of difficulties in isolation, culture and differentiation of the organism. Thanks to molecular techniques, 10 species can actually be differentiated. The article presents the different Malassezia-associated diseases, their clinical picture, diagnosis and appropriate therapy. In addition the speciation of Malassezia is reviewed.

  1. Yeast as a tool to identify anti-aging compounds

    PubMed Central

    Zimmermann, Andreas; Hofer, Sebastian; Pendl, Tobias; Kainz, Katharina; Madeo, Frank; Carmona-Gutierrez, Didac

    2018-01-01

    Abstract In the search for interventions against aging and age-related diseases, biological screening platforms are indispensable tools to identify anti-aging compounds among large substance libraries. The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has emerged as a powerful chemical and genetic screening platform, as it combines a rapid workflow with experimental amenability and the availability of a wide range of genetic mutant libraries. Given the amount of conserved genes and aging mechanisms between yeast and human, testing candidate anti-aging substances in yeast gene-deletion or overexpression collections, or de novo derived mutants, has proven highly successful in finding potential molecular targets. Yeast-based studies, for example, have led to the discovery of the polyphenol resveratrol and the natural polyamine spermidine as potential anti-aging agents. Here, we present strategies for pharmacological anti-aging screens in yeast, discuss common pitfalls and summarize studies that have used yeast for drug discovery and target identification. PMID:29905792

  2. Yeast Genomics for Bread, Beer, Biology, Bucks and Breath

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakharkar, Kishore R.; Sakharkar, Meena K.

    The rapid advances and scale up of projects in DNA sequencing dur ing the past two decades have produced complete genome sequences of several eukaryotic species. The versatile genetic malleability of the yeast, and the high degree of conservation between its cellular processes and those of human cells have made it a model of choice for pioneering research in molecular and cell biology. The complete sequence of yeast genome has proven to be extremely useful as a reference towards the sequences of human and for providing systems to explore key gene functions. Yeast has been a ‘legendary model’ for new technologies and gaining new biological insights into basic biological sciences and biotechnology. This chapter describes the awesome power of yeast genetics, genomics and proteomics in understanding of biological function. The applications of yeast as a screening tool to the field of drug discovery and development are highlighted and the traditional importance of yeast for bakers and brewers is discussed.

  3. [Treatment of oil-manufacturing wastewater by yeast-SBR system].

    PubMed

    Lü, Wen-zhou; Liu, Ying; Huang, Yi-zhen

    2008-04-01

    Eight yeast strains were applied to a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to treat high-strength oil-containing wastewater. The removal performance, yeast cultivation method and key factors affecting the stability of system were discussed. The results show yeast sludge with MLSS of 19 g/L and SVI of 35 mL/g can be obtained in 6 d in an open system without any molds and bacteria inhibitor addition; In 30 d continuous wastewater treatment, COD and oil removal rate achieve 86.8%-96.9% and above 99.5% respectively under the influent conditions of the COD of 9000-23000 mg/L and oil of 4500-16000 mg/L; Short period of pH impact brings reversible effects on the system and the sludge retention time can affect the SVI of the yeast; Absence of nitrogen induces morphology conversion of some yeast cells from single cell to filamentous one and impairs the settling capability of the yeast.

  4. The Yeast Deletion Collection: A Decade of Functional Genomics

    PubMed Central

    Giaever, Guri; Nislow, Corey

    2014-01-01

    The yeast deletion collections comprise >21,000 mutant strains that carry precise start-to-stop deletions of ∼6000 open reading frames. This collection includes heterozygous and homozygous diploids, and haploids of both MATa and MATα mating types. The yeast deletion collection, or yeast knockout (YKO) set, represents the first and only complete, systematically constructed deletion collection available for any organism. Conceived during the Saccharomyces cerevisiae sequencing project, work on the project began in 1998 and was completed in 2002. The YKO strains have been used in numerous laboratories in >1000 genome-wide screens. This landmark genome project has inspired development of numerous genome-wide technologies in organisms from yeast to man. Notable spinoff technologies include synthetic genetic array and HIPHOP chemogenomics. In this retrospective, we briefly describe the yeast deletion project and some of its most noteworthy biological contributions and the impact that these collections have had on the yeast research community and on genomics in general. PMID:24939991

  5. Triacetic acid lactone production in industrial Saccharomyces yeast strains

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Triacetic acid lactone (TAL) is a potential platform chemical that can be produced in yeast. To evaluate the potential for industrial yeast strains to produce TAL, the g2ps1 gene encoding 2-pyrone synthase was transformed into thirteen industrial yeast strains of varied genetic background. TAL produ...

  6. Yeasts as important agents of onychomycosis: in vitro activity of propolis against yeasts isolated from patients with nail infection.

    PubMed

    Khosravi, Ali Reza; Shokri, Hojjatollah; Nikaein, Donya; Mansouri, Parvin; Erfanmanesh, Ahmad; Chalangari, Reza; Katalin, Martis

    2013-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to determine the frequency of the yeast species obtained from patients with clinical features of onychomycosis and the in vitro antifungal susceptibility of the yeast species to propolis. A prospective study was carried out at the Mycology Research Center in Iran from 2010 to 2011. Clinical diagnosis was performed by direct microscopic examination and culture. Different yeast species were identified by morphological and biochemical tests. An antifungal susceptibility test to fluconazole (FLU) and propolis by the broth microdilution method was performed on each isolate. One hundred and twenty-eight fungal isolates were obtained. The most prevalent fungi were yeasts (81, 63.2%), dermatophytes (36, 28.1%), and nondermatophyte fungi (11, 8.6%). Fingernails were more affected than toenails (65.4% vs. 19.8%, respectively). The most frequently found species was Candida albicans (38.5%), followed by Candida spp. (23.1%), C. tropicalis (10.8%), C. kefyr (6.2%), C. krusei (3.1%), Malassezia globosa (4.6%), M. slooffiae (4.6%), and M. pachydermatis (1.5%). Of all yeast isolates (65), seven showed resistance to FLU. The average MIC of propolis for FLU-susceptible isolates was 5.8 μg/mL, whereas this value was 12.25 μg/mL for FLU-resistant isolates. Our results proved that the propolis inhibits the growth of pathogenic yeasts and confirmed the efficiency of propolis as an anti-Candida and anti-Malassezia agent.

  7. Astaxanthinogenesis in the yeast Phaffia rhodozyma - optimization of low-cost culture media and yeast cell-wall lysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fontana, J.D.; Baron, M.; Guimaraes, M.F.

    Astaxanthin is a diketo-dihydroxy-carotenoid produced by Phaffia rhodozyma, a basidiomicetous yeast. A low-cost fermentation medium consisting of raw sugarcane juice and urea was developed to exploit the active sucrolytic/urelolytic enzyme apparatus inherent to the yeast. As compared to the beneficial effect of 0.1 g% urea, a ready nitrogen source, mild phosphoric pre inversion of juice sucrose to glucose and fructose, promptly fermentable carbon sources, resulted in smaller benefits. Corn steep liquor (CSL) was found to be a valuable supplement for both yeast biomass yield (9.2 g dry cells/L) and astaxanthin production (1.3 mg/g cells). Distillery effluent (vinace), despite only amore » slightly positive effect on yeast growth, allowed for the highest pigment productivity (1.9 mg/g cells). Trace amounts of Ni{sup 2} (1 mg/L, as a cofactor for urease) resulted in controversial effects, namely, biomass decrease and astaxanthin increase, with no effect on the release (and uptake) of ammonium ion from urea. 13 refs., 6 figs.« less

  8. The yeast replicative aging model.

    PubMed

    He, Chong; Zhou, Chuankai; Kennedy, Brian K

    2018-03-08

    It has been nearly three decades since the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae became a significant model organism for aging research and it has emerged as both simple and powerful. The replicative aging assay, which interrogates the number of times a "mother" cell can divide and produce "daughters", has been a stalwart in these studies, and genetic approaches have led to the identification of hundreds of genes impacting lifespan. More recently, cell biological and biochemical approaches have been developed to determine how cellular processes become altered with age. Together, the tools are in place to develop a holistic view of aging in this single-celled organism. Here, we summarize the current state of understanding of yeast replicative aging with a focus on the recent studies that shed new light on how aging pathways interact to modulate lifespan in yeast. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. New lager yeast strains generated by interspecific hybridization.

    PubMed

    Krogerus, Kristoffer; Magalhães, Frederico; Vidgren, Virve; Gibson, Brian

    2015-05-01

    The interspecific hybrid Saccharomyces pastorianus is the most commonly used yeast in brewery fermentations worldwide. Here, we generated de novo lager yeast hybrids by mating a domesticated and strongly flocculent Saccharomyces cerevisiae ale strain with the Saccharomyces eubayanus type strain. The hybrids were characterized with respect to the parent strains in a wort fermentation performed at temperatures typical for lager brewing (12 °C). The resulting beers were analysed for sugar and aroma compounds, while the yeasts were tested for their flocculation ability and α-glucoside transport capability. These hybrids inherited beneficial properties from both parent strains (cryotolerance, maltotriose utilization and strong flocculation) and showed apparent hybrid vigour, fermenting faster and producing beer with higher alcohol content (5.6 vs 4.5 % ABV) than the parents. Results suggest that interspecific hybridization is suitable for production of novel non-GM lager yeast strains with unique properties and will help in elucidating the evolutionary history of industrial lager yeast.

  10. Interactions between yeast lees and wine polyphenols during simulation of wine aging. II. Analysis of desorbed polyphenol compounds from yeast lees.

    PubMed

    Mazauric, Jean-Paul; Salmon, Jean-Michel

    2006-05-31

    In the first part of this work, the analysis of the polyphenolic compounds remaining in the wine after different contact times with yeast lees during simulation of red wine aging was undertaken. To achieve a more precise view of the wine polyphenols adsorbed on lees during red wine aging and to establish a clear balance between adsorbed and remnant polyphenol compounds, the specific analysis of the chemical composition of the adsorbed polyphenolic compounds (condensed tannins and anthocyanins) after their partial desorbtion from yeast lees by denaturation treatments was realized in the second part of the study. The total recovery of polyphenol compounds from yeast lees was not complete, since a rather important part of the initial wine colored polyphenols, especially those with a dominant blue color component, remained strongly adsorbed on yeast lees, as monitored by color tristimulus and reflectance spectra measurements. All anthocyanins were recovered at a rather high percentage (about 62%), and it was demonstrated that they were not adsorbed in relation with their sole polarity. Very few monomeric phenolic compounds were extracted from yeast lees. With the use of drastic denaturing treatments, the total recovery of condensed tannins reached 83%. Such tannins extracted from yeast lees exhibited very high polymeric size and a rather high percentage of galloylated residues by comparison with initial wine tannins, indicating that nonpolar tannins were preferentially desorbed from yeast lees by the extraction treatments.

  11. Vaginal Yeast Infections

    MedlinePlus

    ... for sure if yogurt with Lactobacillus or other probiotics can prevent or treat vaginal yeast infections. If ... Chen, H., et al. (2013). Impact of eating probiotic yogurt on colonization by Candida species of the ...

  12. Oxidative Stress and Programmed Cell Death in Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Farrugia, Gianluca; Balzan, Rena

    2012-01-01

    Yeasts, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have long served as useful models for the study of oxidative stress, an event associated with cell death and severe human pathologies. This review will discuss oxidative stress in yeast, in terms of sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS), their molecular targets, and the metabolic responses elicited by cellular ROS accumulation. Responses of yeast to accumulated ROS include upregulation of antioxidants mediated by complex transcriptional changes, activation of pro-survival pathways such as mitophagy, and programmed cell death (PCD) which, apart from apoptosis, includes pathways such as autophagy and necrosis, a form of cell death long considered accidental and uncoordinated. The role of ROS in yeast aging will also be discussed. PMID:22737670

  13. [Yeast microbiota in artisanal cheeses from Corrientes, Argentina].

    PubMed

    Cardozo, Marina C; Fusco, Ángel J V; Carrasco, Marta S

    The artisanal cheese from Corrientes (from the Spanish acronym QAC-Queso Artesanal de Corrientes/Artisanal Cheese from Corrientes) is a soft cheese elaborated with raw cow milk and an artisanal coagulant agent. Lactic bacteria contitute the main flora of this cheese although yeasts are also present in high quantities as secondary microbiota and might play a relevant role in cheese ripening. The aim of this work was to evaluate yeast occurrence during QAC elaboration and ripening, and the effect of seasonal variation. Yeasts were isolated and purified from raw materials and cheese at different ripening stagesl elaborated during the different seasons. Yeast sample counts were in the order of 10 3 - 10 7 UFC/ml o UFC/g. Ninety yeast strains were classified: 9 from milk, 28 from the coagulant agent, 10 from curd and 43 from cheese. Candida predominated in milk samples while other yeast genera had low incidence. Candida also predominated in the coagulant agent samples, followed by genera Myxozyma and Debaryomyces. The isolates obtained from cheese belonged to the same genera predominating in the coagulant agent, and showed the same order of prevalence. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  14. A Comparison of the Beneficial Effects of Live and Heat-Inactivated Baker's Yeast on Nile Tilapia: Suggestions on the Role and Function of the Secretory Metabolites Released from the Yeast.

    PubMed

    Ran, Chao; Huang, Lu; Liu, Zhi; Xu, Li; Yang, Yalin; Tacon, Philippe; Auclair, Eric; Zhou, Zhigang

    2015-01-01

    Yeast is frequently used as a probiotic in aquaculture with the potential to substitute for antibiotics. In this study, the involvement and extent to which the viability of yeast cells and thus the secretory metabolites released from the yeast contribute to effects of baker's yeast was investigated in Nile tilapia. No yeast, live yeast or heat-inactivated baker's yeast were added to basal diets high in fishmeal and low in soybean (diet A) or low in fishmeal and high in soybean (diet B), which were fed to fish for 8 weeks. Growth, feed utilization, gut microvilli morphology, and expressions of hsp70 and inflammation-related cytokines in the intestine and head kidney were assessed. Intestinal microbiota was investigated using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. Gut alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity was measured after challenging the fish with Aeromonas hydrophila. Results showed that live yeast significantly improved FBW and WG (P < 0.05), and tended to improve FCR (P = 0.06) of fish compared to the control (no yeast). No significant differences were observed between inactivated yeast and control. Live yeast improved gut microvilli length (P < 0.001) and density (P < 0.05) while inactivated yeast did not. The hsp70 expression level in both the intestine and head kidney of fish was significantly reduced by live yeast (P < 0.05) but not inactivated yeast. Live yeast but not inactivated yeast reduced intestinal expression of tnfα (P < 0.05), tgfβ (P < 0.05 under diet A) and il1β (P = 0.08). Intestinal Lactococcus spp. numbers were enriched by both live and inactivated yeast. Lastly, both live and inactivated yeast reduced the gut AKP activity compared to the control (P < 0.001), indicating protection of the host against infection by A. hydrophila. In conclusion, secretory metabolites did not play major roles in the growth promotion and disease protection effects of yeast. Nevertheless, secretory metabolites were the major contributing factor towards improved gut

  15. The impact of yeast fermentation on dough matrix properties.

    PubMed

    Rezaei, Mohammad N; Jayaram, Vinay B; Verstrepen, Kevin J; Courtin, Christophe M

    2016-08-01

    Most studies on dough properties are performed on yeastless dough to exclude the complicating, time-dependent effect of yeast. Baker's yeast, however, impacts dough matrix properties during fermentation, probably through the production of primary (CO2 and ethanol) and secondary (glycerol, acetic acid and succinic acid) metabolites. The aim of this study is to obtain a better understanding of the changes in yeasted dough behavior introduced by fermentation, by investigating the impact of yeast fermentation on Farinograph dough consistency, dough spread, Kieffer rig dough extensibility and gluten agglomeration behavior in a fermented dough-batter gluten starch separation system. Results show that fermentation leads to a dough with less flow and lower extensibility that breaks more easily under stress and strain. The dough showed less elastic and more plastic deformation behavior. Gluten agglomerates were smaller for yeasted dough than for the unyeasted control. These changes probably have to be attributed to metabolites generated during fermentation. Indeed, organic acids and also ethanol in concentrations produced by yeast were previously shown to have similar effects in yeastless dough. These findings imply the high importance of yeast fermentation metabolites on dough matrix properties in industrial bread production. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. Yeast as a model system for mammalian seven-transmembrane segment receptors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jeansonne, N.E.

    1994-05-01

    Investigators have used the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system in which to study the {beta}-adrenergic receptor, the T-cell receptor pathway, initiation of mammalian DNA replication, initiation of mammalian transcription, secretion, the CDC2 kinase system, cell cycle control, and aging, as well as the function of oncogenes. This list continues to growth with the discovery of an immunoglobulin heavy-chain binding homologue in yeast, an Rb binding protein homologue, and a possible yeast arrestin. Yeast is relatively easy to maintain, to grow, and to genetically manipulate. A single gene can be overexpressed, selectively mutated or deleted from its chromosomalmore » location. In this way, the in vivo function of a gene can be studied. It has become reasonable to consider yeast as a model system for studying the seven transmembrane segments (7-TMS) receptor family. Currently, subtypes of the {beta}-adrenergic receptor are being studied in yeast. The receptor and its G{sub {alpha}}-G-protein, trigger the mating pheromone receptor pathway. This provides a powerful assay for determining receptor function. Studies expressing the muscarinic cholinergic receptor in yeast are underway. The yeast pheromone receptor belongs to this receptor family, sharing sequences and secondary structure homology. An effective strategy has been to identify a yeast pathway or process which is homologous to a mammalian system. The pathway is delineated in yeast, identifying other genetic components. Then yeast genes are used to screen for human homologues of these components. The putative human homologues are then expressed in yeast and in mammalian cells to determine function. When this type of {open_quotes}mixing and matching{close_quotes} works, yeast genetics can be a powerful tool. 115 refs.« less

  17. Nonlinear Dielectric Properties of Yeast Cells Cultured in Different Environmental Conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kawanishi, Gomon; Fukuda, Naoki; Muraji, Masafumi

    The harmonics of the electric current through yeast suspensions, the nonlinear dielectric properties of yeast cells, have particular patterns according to the biological activity of the cells and the measurement of these patterns is a technique for determining the activity of living cells. The concentration of glucose and oxygen in yeast culture medium influences the manifestation of fermentation or respiration of yeast cells. Measurements were made with yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cultured aerobically and anaerobically in sufficient glucose concentration, aerobic fermentation and anaerobic fermentation, and aerobically in limited glucose concentration, respiration. The results showed that the harmonics were barely apparent for yeast cells in aerobic fermentation and respiratory; however, cells in the anaerobic fermentation displayed substantial third and fifth harmonics. We can say that environmental condition affects the yeast cells' nonlinear properties, from another viewpoint, the measurements of the nonlinear properties are available to determine the activity of yeast cells adjusted to the conditions of their cultivation.

  18. Diversity and killer activity of yeasts in Malaysian fermented food samples.

    PubMed

    Lim, S L; Tay, S T

    2011-08-01

    The biodiversity and the killer activity of yeasts isolated from various types of fermented food in Malaysia were investigated in this study. Of 252 yeasts isolated from 48 fermented food samples in this study, 19 yeast species were identified based on sequence analysis of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 partial fragments of the yeasts. A total of 29 (11.5%) of the yeast isolates demonstrated killer activity to at least one Candida species tested in this study; including 22 isolates of Trichosporon asahii, 4 isolates of Pichia anomala, and one isolate each of Pichia norvegensis, Pichia fermentans and Issatchenkia orientalis, respectively. The presence of killer yeasts reflects antagonism that occurs during microbial interaction in the fermented food, whereby certain yeasts produce killer toxins and possibly other toxic substances in competition for limited nutrients and space. The anti-Candida activity demonstrated by killer yeasts in this study should be further explored for development of alternative therapy against candidiasis.

  19. Yeast Infection Test

    MedlinePlus

    ... infections of the skin and genitals. Serious yeast infections occur more often in hospital patients and in people with weakened immune systems. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health ...

  20. Biocavity laser spectroscopy of genetically altered yeast cells and isolated yeast mitochondria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gourley, Paul L.; Hendricks, Judy K.; McDonald, Anthony E.; Copeland, R. Guild; Naviaux, Robert K.; Yaffe, Michael P.

    2006-02-01

    We report an analysis of 2 yeast cell mutants using biocavity laser spectroscopy. The two yeast strains differed only by the presence or absence of mitochondrial DNA. Strain 104 is a wild-type (ρ +) strain of the baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Strain 110 was derived from strain 104 by removal of its mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Removal of mtDNA causes strain 110 to grow as a "petite" (ρ -), named because it forms small colonies (of fewer cells because it grows more slowly) on agar plates supplemented with a variety of different carbon sources. The absence of mitochondrial DNA results in the complete loss of all the mtDNA-encoded proteins and RNAs, and loss of the pigmented, heme-containing cytochromes a and b. These cells have mitochondria, but the mitochondria lack the normal respiratory chain complexes I, III, IV, and V. Complex II is preserved because its subunits are encoded by genes located in nuclear DNA. The frequency distributions of the peak shifts produced by wild-type and petite cells and mitochondria show striking differences in the symmetry and patterns of the distributions. Wild-type ρ + cells (104) and mitochondria produced nearly symmetric, Gaussian distributions. The ρ - cells (110) and mitochondria showed striking asymmetry and skew that appeared to follow a Poisson distribution.

  1. Efforts to make and apply humanized yeast

    PubMed Central

    Laurent, Jon M.; Young, Jonathan H.; Kachroo, Aashiq H.

    2016-01-01

    Despite a billion years of divergent evolution, the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has long proven to be an invaluable model organism for studying human biology. Given its tractability and ease of genetic manipulation, along with extensive genetic conservation with humans, it is perhaps no surprise that researchers have been able to expand its utility by expressing human proteins in yeast, or by humanizing specific yeast amino acids, proteins or even entire pathways. These methods are increasingly being scaled in throughput, further enabling the detailed investigation of human biology and disease-specific variations of human genes in a simplified model organism. PMID:26462863

  2. The Influence of Heating Mains on Yeast Communities in Urban Soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tepeeva, A. N.; Glushakova, A. M.; Kachalkin, A. V.

    2018-04-01

    The number and species diversity of yeasts in urban soils (urbanozems) affected by heating mains and in epiphytic yeast complexes of grasses growing above them were studied. The number of yeasts in the soil reached 103-104 CFU/g; on the plants, 107 CFU/g. Significant (by an order of magnitude) increase in the total number of soil yeasts in the zone of heating mains in comparison with the surrounding soil was found in winter period. Overall, 25 species of yeasts were isolated in our study. Yeast community of studied urbanozems was dominated by the Candida sake, an eurybiont of the temperate zone and other natural ecotopes with relatively low temperatures, but its share was minimal in the zone of heating mains. In general, the structure of soil and epiphytic yeast complexes in the zones of heating mains differed from that in the surrounding area by higher species diversity and a lower share of pigmented species among the epiphytic yeasts. The study demonstrated that the number and species structure of soil yeast communities in urban soils change significantly under the influence of the temperature factor and acquire a mosaic distribution pattern.

  3. Genetic Polymorphism in Wine Yeasts: Mechanisms and Methods for Its Detection

    PubMed Central

    Guillamón, José M.; Barrio, Eladio

    2017-01-01

    The processes of yeast selection for using as wine fermentation starters have revealed a great phenotypic diversity both at interspecific and intraspecific level, which is explained by a corresponding genetic variation among different yeast isolates. Thus, the mechanisms involved in promoting these genetic changes are the main engine generating yeast biodiversity. Currently, an important task to understand biodiversity, population structure and evolutionary history of wine yeasts is the study of the molecular mechanisms involved in yeast adaptation to wine fermentation, and on remodeling the genomic features of wine yeast, unconsciously selected since the advent of winemaking. Moreover, the availability of rapid and simple molecular techniques that show genetic polymorphisms at species and strain levels have enabled the study of yeast diversity during wine fermentation. This review will summarize the mechanisms involved in generating genetic polymorphisms in yeasts, the molecular methods used to unveil genetic variation, and the utility of these polymorphisms to differentiate strains, populations, and species in order to infer the evolutionary history and the adaptive evolution of wine yeasts, and to identify their influence on their biotechnological and sensorial properties. PMID:28522998

  4. Nectar yeasts warm the flowers of a winter-blooming plant

    PubMed Central

    Herrera, Carlos M.; Pozo, María I.

    2010-01-01

    Yeasts are ubiquitous in terrestrial and aquatic microbiota, yet their ecological functionality remains relatively unexplored in comparison with other micro-organisms. This paper formulates and tests the novel hypothesis that heat produced by the sugar catabolism of yeast populations inhabiting floral nectar can increase the temperature of floral nectar and, more generally, modify the within-flower thermal microenvironment. Two field experiments were designed to test this hypothesis for the winter-blooming herb Helleborus foetidus (Ranunculaceae). In experiment 1, the effect of yeasts on the within-flower thermal environment was tested by excluding them from flowers, while in experiment 2 the test involved artificial inoculation of virgin flowers with yeasts. Nectary temperature (Tnect), within-flower air temperature (Tflow) and external air temperature (Tair) were measured on experimental and control flowers in both experiments. Experimental exclusion of yeasts from the nectaries significantly reduced, and experimental addition of yeasts significantly increased, the temperature excess of nectaries (ΔTnect = Tnect − Tair) and the air space inside flowers in relation to the air just outside the flowers. In non-experimental flowers exposed to natural pollinator visitation, ΔTnect was linearly related to log yeast cell density in nectar, and reached +6°C in nectaries with the densest yeast populations. The warming effect of nectar-dwelling yeasts documented in this study suggests novel ecological mechanisms potentially linking nectarivorous microbes with winter-blooming plants and their insect pollinators. PMID:20147331

  5. Glycosylceramide modifies the flavor and metabolic characteristics of sake yeast.

    PubMed

    Ferdouse, Jannatul; Yamamoto, Yuki; Taguchi, Seiga; Yoshizaki, Yumiko; Takamine, Kazunori; Kitagaki, Hiroshi

    2018-01-01

    In the manufacture of sake, Japanese traditional rice wine, sake yeast is fermented with koji, which is steamed rice fermented with the non-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus oryzae . During fermentation, sake yeast requires lipids, such as unsaturated fatty acids and sterols, in addition to substances provided by koji enzymes for fermentation. However, the role of sphingolipids on the brewing characteristics of sake yeast has not been studied. In this study, we revealed that glycosylceramide, one of the sphingolipids abundant in koji, affects yeast fermentation. The addition of soy, A. oryzae , and Grifola frondosa glycosylceramide conferred a similar effect on the flavor profiles of sake yeast. In particular, the addition of A. oryzae and G. frondosa glycosylceramide were very similar in terms of the decreases in ethyl caprylate and ethyl 9-decenoate. The addition of soy glycosylceramide induced metabolic changes to sake yeast such as a decrease in glucose, increases in ethanol and glycerol and changes in several amino acids and organic acids concentrations. Tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, pyruvate metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and glycerolipid metabolism were overrepresented in the cultures incubated with sake yeast and soy glycosylceramide. This is the first study of the effect of glycosylceramide on the flavor and metabolic profile of sake yeast.

  6. Brewer's/baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and preventive medicine: part I.

    PubMed

    Moyad, Mark A

    2007-12-01

    Yeast is the term generally applied to a unicellular fungus, and there are hundreds of species now identified. One of the most notable and well-known species of yeast in health and wellness is known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is also known by its more common names, brewer's yeast or baker's yeast. It is usually grown on hops or another substrate similar to the plant utilized in the beer-making industry, after which it is harvested and killed. The final product is generally half composed of protein, as well as a large amount of B vitamins and minerals, and depending on the technology, a diverse number of other healthy compounds. Typically, brewer's yeast is used as a protein supplement, energy booster, immune enhancer, or other vehicle where other compounds can be inserted to create a commercialized health product. A more extensive review of the preventive medical aspects of yeast will be covered in Part 2 of this article to be published in a future issue of Urologic Nursing. Yeast-based technology is also being used as a molecular mechanistic model of caloric restriction with the goal of improving the human life span. The current and potential impact of yeast-based technology in medicine is encouraging.

  7. Glycosylceramide modifies the flavor and metabolic characteristics of sake yeast

    PubMed Central

    Taguchi, Seiga; Yoshizaki, Yumiko; Takamine, Kazunori

    2018-01-01

    In the manufacture of sake, Japanese traditional rice wine, sake yeast is fermented with koji, which is steamed rice fermented with the non-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus oryzae. During fermentation, sake yeast requires lipids, such as unsaturated fatty acids and sterols, in addition to substances provided by koji enzymes for fermentation. However, the role of sphingolipids on the brewing characteristics of sake yeast has not been studied. In this study, we revealed that glycosylceramide, one of the sphingolipids abundant in koji, affects yeast fermentation. The addition of soy, A. oryzae, and Grifola frondosa glycosylceramide conferred a similar effect on the flavor profiles of sake yeast. In particular, the addition of A. oryzae and G. frondosa glycosylceramide were very similar in terms of the decreases in ethyl caprylate and ethyl 9-decenoate. The addition of soy glycosylceramide induced metabolic changes to sake yeast such as a decrease in glucose, increases in ethanol and glycerol and changes in several amino acids and organic acids concentrations. Tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, pyruvate metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and glycerolipid metabolism were overrepresented in the cultures incubated with sake yeast and soy glycosylceramide. This is the first study of the effect of glycosylceramide on the flavor and metabolic profile of sake yeast. PMID:29761062

  8. Dielectric modelling of cell division for budding and fission yeast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Asami, Koji; Sekine, Katsuhisa

    2007-02-01

    The frequency dependence of complex permittivity or the dielectric spectrum of a system including a cell in cell division has been simulated by a numerical technique based on the three-dimensional finite difference method. Two different types of cell division characteristic of budding and fission yeast were examined. The yeast cells are both regarded as a body of rotation, and thus have anisotropic polarization, i.e. the effective permittivity of the cell depends on the orientation of the cell to the direction of an applied electric field. In the perpendicular orientation, where the rotational axis of the cell is perpendicular to the electric field direction, the dielectric spectra for both yeast cells included one dielectric relaxation and its intensity depended on the cell volume. In the parallel orientation, on the other hand, two dielectric relaxations appeared with bud growth for budding yeast and with septum formation for fission yeast. The low-frequency relaxation was shifted to a lower frequency region by narrowing the neck between the bud and the mother cell for budding yeast and by increasing the degree of septum formation for fission yeast. After cell separation, the low-frequency relaxation disappeared. The simulations well interpreted the oscillation of the relative permittivity of culture broth found for synchronous cell growth of budding yeast.

  9. A new methodology to obtain wine yeast strains overproducing mannoproteins.

    PubMed

    Quirós, Manuel; Gonzalez-Ramos, Daniel; Tabera, Laura; Gonzalez, Ramon

    2010-04-30

    Yeast mannoproteins are highly glycosylated proteins that are covalently bound to the beta-1,3-glucan present in the yeast cell wall. Among their outstanding enological properties, yeast mannoproteins contribute to several aspects of wine quality by protecting against protein haze, reducing astringency, retaining aroma compounds and stimulating growth of lactic-acid bacteria. The development of a non-recombinant method to obtain enological yeast strains overproducing mannoproteins would therefore be very useful. Our previous experience on the genetic determinants of the release of these molecules by Saccharomyces cerevisiae has allowed us to propose a new methodology to isolate and characterize wine yeast that overproduce mannoproteins. The described methodology is based on the resistance of the killer 9 toxin produced by Williopsis saturnus, a feature linked to an altered biogenesis of the yeast cell wall. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Biosorption of nickel by yeasts in an osmotically unsuitable environment.

    PubMed

    Breierová, Emilia; Certík, Milan; Kovárová, Annamaria; Gregor, Tomas

    2008-01-01

    The tolerance, sorption of nickel(II) ions, and changes in the production and composition of exopolymers of eight yeast strains grown under nickel presence with/without NaCl were studied. Strains of Pichia anomala and Candida maltosa known as the most resistant yeasts against nickel tolerated up to 3 mM Ni2+. NaCl addition decreased both the resistance of the yeast strains toward nickel ions and the sorption of metal ions into cells. All yeasts absorbed nickel predominantly into exopolymers (glycoproteins) and on the surface of cells. However, while the amount of polysaccharide moieties of exoglycoproteins of most of the resistant yeasts was induced by stress conditions, the ratio polysaccharide/protein in the exopolymers remained unchanged in the sensitive species Cystofilobasidium. The exopolymer composition might play a key role in yeast adaptation to stress conditions caused by heavy metal ions.

  11. Cellodextrin transport in yeast for improved biofuel production.

    PubMed

    Galazka, Jonathan M; Tian, Chaoguang; Beeson, William T; Martinez, Bruno; Glass, N Louise; Cate, Jamie H D

    2010-10-01

    Fungal degradation of plant biomass may provide insights for improving cellulosic biofuel production. We show that the model cellulolytic fungus Neurospora crassa relies on a high-affinity cellodextrin transport system for rapid growth on cellulose. Reconstitution of the N. crassa cellodextrin transport system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae promotes efficient growth of this yeast on cellodextrins. In simultaneous saccharification and fermentation experiments, the engineered yeast strains more rapidly convert cellulose to ethanol when compared with yeast lacking this system.

  12. Yeast: An Experimental Organism for Modern Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Botstein, David; Fink, Gerald R.

    1988-01-01

    Discusses the applicability and advantages of using yeasts as popular and ideal model systems for studying and understanding eukaryotic biology at the cellular and molecular levels. Cites experimental tractability and the cooperative tradition of the research community of yeast biologists as reasons for this success. (RT)

  13. Characterization of Hyaluronan-Degrading Enzymes from Yeasts.

    PubMed

    Smirnou, Dzianis; Krčmář, Martin; Kulhánek, Jaromír; Hermannová, Martina; Bobková, Lenka; Franke, Lukáš; Pepeliaev, Stanislav; Velebný, Vladimír

    2015-10-01

    Hyaluronidases (HAases) from yeasts were characterized for the first time. The study elucidated that hyaluronate 4-glycanohydrolase and hyaluronan (HA) lyase can be produced by yeasts. Six yeasts producing HAases were found through express screening of activities. The extracellular HAases from two of the yeast isolates, Pseudozyma aphidis and Cryptococcus laurentii, were characterized among them. P. aphidis HAase hydrolyzed β-1,4 glycosidic bonds of HA, yielding even-numbered oligosaccharides with N-acetyl-D-glucosamine at the reducing end. C. laurentii produced hyaluronan lyase, which cleaved β-1,4 glycosidic bonds of HA in β-elimination reaction, and the products of HA degradation were different-sized even-numbered oligosaccharides. The shortest detected HA oligomer was dimer. The enzymes' pH and temperature optima were pH 3.0 and 37-45 °C (P. aphidis) and pH 6.0 and 37 °C (C. laurentii), respectively. Both HAases showed good thermostability.

  14. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy-Based Identification of Yeast.

    PubMed

    Himmelreich, Uwe; Sorrell, Tania C; Daniel, Heide-Marie

    2017-01-01

    Rapid and robust high-throughput identification of environmental, industrial, or clinical yeast isolates is important whenever relatively large numbers of samples need to be processed in a cost-efficient way. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy generates complex data based on metabolite profiles, chemical composition and possibly on medium consumption, which can not only be used for the assessment of metabolic pathways but also for accurate identification of yeast down to the subspecies level. Initial results on NMR based yeast identification where comparable with conventional and DNA-based identification. Potential advantages of NMR spectroscopy in mycological laboratories include not only accurate identification but also the potential of automated sample delivery, automated analysis using computer-based methods, rapid turnaround time, high throughput, and low running costs.We describe here the sample preparation, data acquisition and analysis for NMR-based yeast identification. In addition, a roadmap for the development of classification strategies is given that will result in the acquisition of a database and analysis algorithms for yeast identification in different environments.

  15. Responses of Yeast Biocontrol Agents to Environmental Stress

    PubMed Central

    Sui, Yuan; Wisniewski, Michael; Droby, Samir

    2015-01-01

    Biological control of postharvest diseases, utilizing wild species and strains of antagonistic yeast species, is a research topic that has received considerable attention in the literature over the past 30 years. In principle, it represents a promising alternative to chemical fungicides for the management of postharvest decay of fruits, vegetables, and grains. A yeast-based biocontrol system is composed of a tritrophic interaction between a host (commodity), a pathogen, and a yeast species, all of which are affected by environmental factors such as temperature, pH, and UV light as well as osmotic and oxidative stresses. Additionally, during the production process, biocontrol agents encounter various severe abiotic stresses that also impact their viability. Therefore, understanding the ecological fitness of the potential yeast biocontrol agents and developing strategies to enhance their stress tolerance are essential to their efficacy and commercial application. The current review provides an overview of the responses of antagonistic yeast species to various environmental stresses, the methods that can be used to improve stress tolerance and efficacy, and the related mechanisms associated with improved stress tolerance. PMID:25710368

  16. Oxygen requirements of yeasts. [Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Candida tropicalis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Visser, W.; Scheffers, W.A.; Batenburg-Van Der Vegte, W.H.

    1990-12-01

    Type species of 75 yeast genera were examined for their ability to grow anaerobically in complex and mineral media. To define anaerobic conditions, we added a redox indicator, resazurin, to the media to determine low redox potentials. All strains tested were capable of fermenting glucose to ethanol in oxygen-limited shake-flask cultures, even those of species generally regarded as nonfermentative. However, only 23% of the yeast species tested grew under anaerobic conditions. A comparative study with a number of selected strains revealed that Saccharomyces cerevisiae stands out as a yeast capable of rapid growth at low redox potentials. Other yeasts, suchmore » as Torulaspora delbrueckii and Candida tropicalis, grew poorly ({mu}{sub max}, 0.03 and 0.05 h{sup {minus}1}, respectively) under anaerobic conditions in mineral medium supplemented with Tween 80 and ergosterol. The latter organisms grew rapidly under oxygen limitation and then displayed a high rate of alcoholic fermentation. It can be concluded that these yeasts have hitherto-unidentified oxygen requirements for growth.« less

  17. Vegemite Beer: yeast extract spreads as nutrient supplements to promote fermentation.

    PubMed

    Kerr, Edward D; Schulz, Benjamin L

    2016-01-01

    Vegemite is an iconic Australian food spread made from spent brewers' yeast extract, which has been reported to be used as an ingredient in illegal home brewing. In this study, we tested the utility of Vegemite and the similar spread Marmite in promoting fermentation. We could not culture microorganisms from either Vegemite or Marmite, consistent with these food-grade spreads being essentially sterile. To test if the addition of Vegemite or Marmite could assist in fermentation when additional viable yeast was also present, solutions containing glucose and a range of concentrations of either Vegemite or Marmite were inoculated with brewers' yeast. No fermentation occurred in any condition without addition of extra brewer's yeast. Fermentation did not occur when yeast was inoculated into solutions containing only glucose, but progressed efficiently with when Vegemite or Marmite was also added. Gas Chromatography confirmed that ethanol was present at ∼3% v/v post-fermentation in all samples which contained glucose, Vegemite or Marmite, and brewers' yeast. Trace amounts of methanol were also detected. Mass spectrometry proteomics identified abundant intracellular yeast proteins and barley proteins in Vegemite and Marmite, and abundant secreted yeast proteins from actively growing yeast in those samples to which extra brewers' yeast had been added. We estimate that the real-world cost of home brewed "Vegemite Beer" would be very low. Our results show that Vegemite or other yeast extract spreads could provide cheap and readily available sources of nutrient supplementation to increase the efficiency of fermentation in home brewing or other settings.

  18. Analysis of black fungal biofilms occurring at domestic water taps. II: potential routes of entry.

    PubMed

    Heinrichs, Guido; Hübner, Iris; Schmidt, Carsten K; de Hoog, G Sybren; Haase, Gerhard

    2013-06-01

    Formation of tenacious and massive black biofilms was occasionally observed at the water-air interphase of water taps and in associated habitats at several locations in Germany. Exophiala lecanii-corni was proven to be the dominant component of these biofilms. Water utility companies were interested to understand by which route fungi building these black biofilms enter their habitat at affected sites in domestic sanitary. A wide variety of fungi is known to be common in wet indoor environments, as well as in the drinking water resources. Two possible routes of entry are therefore considered as follows: (a) distribution by the drinking water system or (b) a retrograde route of colonisation. Previous compositional analysis revealed that the black constituents of biofilms primarily belong to the herpotrichiellaceous black yeast and relatives. Therefore, a systematic search for black fungi in the drinking water system was performed using Sabouraud's glucose agar medium with chloramphenicol and erythritol-chloramphenicol agar as isolation media. Cadophora malorum was the dominant fungus in the investigated drinking water systems, and samples taken from the house connections (n = 50; 74 %, <200 cfu/L), followed by a so far undescribed Alternaria sp. (28 %; <10 cfu/L) and E. castellanii (26 %; <10 cfu/L). Of note, C. malorum was not present in any previously analysed biofilm. Since E. lecanii-corni was not found in any water sample from the distribution system tested, but represented the most abundant species in dark biofilms previously analysed, a retrograde route of contamination in case of E. lecanii-corni can be assumed.

  19. Black-on-black homicide: Kansas City's response.

    PubMed Central

    Mitchell, M A; Daniels, S

    1989-01-01

    In many metropolitan areas, homicide continues to be the scourge of black Americans despite increasing awareness of the overrepresentation of blacks among victims and perpetrators. The risk of being a homicide victim among black males is so high that the Department of Health and Human Services has set a priority of reducing the risk to 60 per 100,000 by 1990. The recent escalation in the number of homicides in the United States associated with drugs makes attainment of that goal unlikely. In Kansas City, a black community grassroots organization, the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, commissioned a multidisciplinary task force to study black-on-black homicide in 1986. The report generated by this task force identified factors placing Kansas Citians at high risk of being homicide victims or perpetrators, including being black, male, unemployed, between the ages 17-29, a high school nongraduate, frequently involved in or around violence, and having prior arrests on weapons charges. One hundred recommendations were made, of which 12 were targeted for immediate implementation. These included increasing public awareness of the incidence of black-on-black homicide, involvement of black men in role model programs for young black males, training in anger control and alternatives to violence for those identified as being at high risk for homicide, and providing a role for ex-offenders in violence prevention. Working with community organizations has inherent strengths and weaknesses for public health workers. However, such a group can successfully impact the affected community in ways which would be difficult for traditional resources. PMID:2511593

  20. Yeast Biomass Production in Brewery's Spent Grains Hemicellulosic Hydrolyzate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duarte, Luís C.; Carvalheiro, Florbela; Lopes, Sónia; Neves, Ines; Gírio, Francisco M.

    Yeast single-cell protein and yeast extract, in particular, are two products which have many feed, food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological applications. However, many of these applications are limited by their market price. Specifically, the yeast extract requirements for culture media are one of the major technical hurdles to be overcome for the development of low-cost fermentation routes for several top value chemicals in a biorefinery framework. A potential biotechnical solution is the production of yeast biomass from the hemicellulosic fraction stream. The growth of three pentose-assimilating yeast cell factories, Debaryomyces hansenii, Kluyveromyces marxianus, and Pichia stipitis was compared using non-detoxified brewery's spent grains hemicellulosic hydrolyzate supplemented with mineral nutrients. The yeasts exhibited different specific growth rates, biomass productivities, and yields being D. hansenii as the yeast species that presented the best performance, assimilating all sugars and noteworthy consuming most of the hydrolyzate inhibitors. Under optimized conditions, D. hansenii displayed a maximum specific growth rate, biomass yield, and productivity of 0.34 h-1, 0.61 g g-1, and 0.56 g 1-1 h-1, respectively. The nutritional profile of D. hansenii was thoroughly evaluated, and it compares favorably to others reported in literature. It contains considerable amounts of some essential amino acids and a high ratio of unsaturated over saturated fatty acids.

  1. Formulation and evaluation of dried yeast tablets using different techniques.

    PubMed

    Al-Mohizea, Abdullah M; Ahmed, Mahrous O; Al-jenoobi, Fahad I; Mahrous, Gamal M; Abdel-Rahman, Aly A

    2007-08-01

    The aim of this study was to prepare and evaluate dried yeast tablets using both direct compression and dry granulation techniques in comparison with the conventional wet granulation as well as commercial product. Wet granulation technique is not favorable for producing the yeast tablets due to the problems of color darkening and the reduction of the fermentation power of the yeast as a result of the early start of the fermentation process due to the presence of moisture. Twenty six formulae of dried yeast tablets were prepared and evaluated. Certain directly compressible vehicles were employed for preparing these tablets. The quality control tests (weight uniformity, friability, disintegration time and hardness) of the prepared dried yeast tablets were performed according to B.P. 1998 limits. All batches of the prepared tablets complied with the B.P. limits of weight uniformity. Moreover, small values of friability % (1% or less) were obtained for all batches of dried yeast tablets with acceptable hardness values, indicating good mechanical properties which can withstand handling. On the other hand, not all batches complied with the limit of disintegration test which may be attributed to various formulation component variables. Therefore, four disintegrating agents were investigated for their disintegrating effect. It was found that the method of preparation, whether it is direct compression, dry granulation or wet granulation, has an effect on disintegration time of these dried yeast tablets and short disintegration times were obtained for some of the formulae. The shortest disintegration time was obtained with those tablets prepared by direct compression among the other techniques. Therefore, the direct compression is considered the best technique for preparation of dried yeast tablets and the best formula (which showed shorter disintegration time and better organoleptic properties than the available commercial yeast tablets) was chosen. Drug content for dried

  2. Cross-referencing yeast genetics and mammalian genomes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hieter, P.; Basset, D.; Boguski, M.

    1994-09-01

    We have initiated a project that will systematically transfer information about yeast genes onto the genetic maps of mice and human beings. Rapidly expanding human EST data will serve as a source of candidate human homologs that will be repeatedly searched using yeast protein sequence queries. Search results will be automatically reported to participating labs. Human cDNA sequences from which the ESTs are derived will be mapped at high resolution in the human and mouse genomes. The comparative mapping information cross-references the genomic position of novel human cDNAs with functional information known about the cognate yeast genes. This should facilitatemore » the initial identification of genes responsible for mammalian mutant phenotypes, including human disease. In addition, the identification of mammalian homologs of yeast genes provides reagents for determining evolutionary conservation and for performing direct experiments in multicellular eukaryotes to enhance study of the yeast protein`s function. For example, ESTs homologous to CDC27 and CDC16 were identified, and the corresponding cDNA clones were obtained from ATTC, completely sequenced, and mapped on human and mouse chromosomes. In addition, the CDC17hs cDNA has been used to raise antisera to the CDC27Hs protein and used in subcellular localization experiments and junctional studies in mammalian cells. We have received funding from the National Center for Human Genome Research to provide a community resource which will establish comprehensive cross-referencing among yeast, human, and mouse loci. The project is set up as a service and information on how to communicate with this effort will be provided.« less

  3. 21 CFR 172.381 - Vitamin D2 bakers yeast.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Vitamin D2 bakers yeast. 172.381 Section 172.381... CONSUMPTION Special Dietary and Nutritional Additives § 172.381 Vitamin D2 bakers yeast. Vitamin D2 bakers yeast may be used safely in foods as a source of vitamin D2 and as a leavening agent in accordance with...

  4. Yeast Modulation of Human Dendritic Cell Cytokine Secretion: An In Vitro Study

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Ida M.; Christensen, Jeffrey E.; Arneborg, Nils; Jespersen, Lene

    2014-01-01

    Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. The concept of individual microorganisms influencing the makeup of T cell subsets via interactions with intestinal dendritic cells (DCs) appears to constitute the foundation for immunoregulatory effects of probiotics, and several studies have reported probiotic strains resulting in reduction of intestinal inflammation through modulation of DC function. Consequent to a focus on Saccharomyces boulardii as the fundamental probiotic yeast, very little is known about hundreds of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in terms of their interaction with the human gastrointestinal immune system. The aim of the present study was to evaluate 170 yeast strains representing 75 diverse species for modulation of inflammatory cytokine secretion by human DCs in vitro, as compared to cytokine responses induced by a S. boulardii reference strain with probiotic properties documented in clinical trials. Furthermore, we investigated whether cytokine inducing interactions between yeasts and human DCs are dependent upon yeast viability or rather a product of membrane interactions regardless of yeast metabolic function. We demonstrate high diversity in yeast induced cytokine profiles and employ multivariate data analysis to reveal distinct clustering of yeasts inducing similar cytokine profiles in DCs, highlighting clear species distinction within specific yeast genera. The observed differences in induced DC cytokine profiles add to the currently very limited knowledge of the cross-talk between yeasts and human immune cells and provide a foundation for selecting yeast strains for further characterization and development toward potentially novel yeast probiotics. Additionally, we present data to support a hypothesis that the interaction between yeasts and human DCs does not solely depend on yeast viability, a concept which may suggest a need for further classifications beyond the current

  5. Independent Evolution of Winner Traits without Whole Genome Duplication in Dekkera Yeasts.

    PubMed

    Guo, Yi-Cheng; Zhang, Lin; Dai, Shao-Xing; Li, Wen-Xing; Zheng, Jun-Juan; Li, Gong-Hua; Huang, Jing-Fei

    2016-01-01

    Dekkera yeasts have often been considered as alternative sources of ethanol production that could compete with S. cerevisiae. The two lineages of yeasts independently evolved traits that include high glucose and ethanol tolerance, aerobic fermentation, and a rapid ethanol fermentation rate. The Saccharomyces yeasts attained these traits mainly through whole genome duplication approximately 100 million years ago (Mya). However, the Dekkera yeasts, which were separated from S. cerevisiae approximately 200 Mya, did not undergo whole genome duplication (WGD) but still occupy a niche similar to S. cerevisiae. Upon analysis of two Dekkera yeasts and five closely related non-WGD yeasts, we found that a massive loss of cis-regulatory elements occurred in an ancestor of the Dekkera yeasts, which led to improved mitochondrial functions similar to the S. cerevisiae yeasts. The evolutionary analysis indicated that genes involved in the transcription and translation process exhibited faster evolution in the Dekkera yeasts. We detected 90 positively selected genes, suggesting that the Dekkera yeasts evolved an efficient translation system to facilitate adaptive evolution. Moreover, we identified that 12 vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) function genes that were under positive selection, which assists in developing tolerance to high alcohol and high sugar stress. We also revealed that the enzyme PGK1 is responsible for the increased rate of glycolysis in the Dekkera yeasts. These results provide important insights to understand the independent adaptive evolution of the Dekkera yeasts and provide tools for genetic modification promoting industrial usage.

  6. Independent Evolution of Winner Traits without Whole Genome Duplication in Dekkera Yeasts

    PubMed Central

    Dai, Shao-Xing; Li, Wen-Xing; Zheng, Jun-Juan; Li, Gong-Hua; Huang, Jing-Fei

    2016-01-01

    Dekkera yeasts have often been considered as alternative sources of ethanol production that could compete with S. cerevisiae. The two lineages of yeasts independently evolved traits that include high glucose and ethanol tolerance, aerobic fermentation, and a rapid ethanol fermentation rate. The Saccharomyces yeasts attained these traits mainly through whole genome duplication approximately 100 million years ago (Mya). However, the Dekkera yeasts, which were separated from S. cerevisiae approximately 200 Mya, did not undergo whole genome duplication (WGD) but still occupy a niche similar to S. cerevisiae. Upon analysis of two Dekkera yeasts and five closely related non-WGD yeasts, we found that a massive loss of cis-regulatory elements occurred in an ancestor of the Dekkera yeasts, which led to improved mitochondrial functions similar to the S. cerevisiae yeasts. The evolutionary analysis indicated that genes involved in the transcription and translation process exhibited faster evolution in the Dekkera yeasts. We detected 90 positively selected genes, suggesting that the Dekkera yeasts evolved an efficient translation system to facilitate adaptive evolution. Moreover, we identified that 12 vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) function genes that were under positive selection, which assists in developing tolerance to high alcohol and high sugar stress. We also revealed that the enzyme PGK1 is responsible for the increased rate of glycolysis in the Dekkera yeasts. These results provide important insights to understand the independent adaptive evolution of the Dekkera yeasts and provide tools for genetic modification promoting industrial usage. PMID:27152421

  7. Chromatin and Transcription in Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Rando, Oliver J.; Winston, Fred

    2012-01-01

    Understanding the mechanisms by which chromatin structure controls eukaryotic transcription has been an intense area of investigation for the past 25 years. Many of the key discoveries that created the foundation for this field came from studies of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, including the discovery of the role of chromatin in transcriptional silencing, as well as the discovery of chromatin-remodeling factors and histone modification activities. Since that time, studies in yeast have continued to contribute in leading ways. This review article summarizes the large body of yeast studies in this field. PMID:22345607

  8. Whole-Genome Analysis of Three Yeast Strains Used for Production of Sherry-Like Wines Revealed Genetic Traits Specific to Flor Yeasts

    PubMed Central

    Eldarov, Mikhail A.; Beletsky, Alexey V.; Tanashchuk, Tatiana N.; Kishkovskaya, Svetlana A.; Ravin, Nikolai V.; Mardanov, Andrey V.

    2018-01-01

    Flor yeast strains represent a specialized group of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts used for biological wine aging. We have sequenced the genomes of three flor strains originated from different geographic regions and used for production of sherry-like wines in Russia. According to the obtained phylogeny of 118 yeast strains, flor strains form very tight cluster adjacent to the main wine clade. SNP analysis versus available genomes of wine and flor strains revealed 2,270 genetic variants in 1,337 loci specific to flor strains. Gene ontology analysis in combination with gene content evaluation revealed a complex landscape of possibly adaptive genetic changes in flor yeast, related to genes associated with cell morphology, mitotic cell cycle, ion homeostasis, DNA repair, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and cell wall biogenesis. Pangenomic analysis discovered the presence of several well-known “non-reference” loci of potential industrial importance. Events of gene loss included deletions of asparaginase genes, maltose utilization locus, and FRE-FIT locus involved in iron transport. The latter in combination with a flor-yeast-specific mutation in the Aft1 transcription factor gene is likely to be responsible for the discovered phenotype of increased iron sensitivity and improved iron uptake of analyzed strains. Expansion of the coding region of the FLO11 flocullin gene and alteration of the balance between members of the FLO gene family are likely to positively affect the well-known propensity of flor strains for velum formation. Our study provides new insights in the nature of genetic variation in flor yeast strains and demonstrates that different adaptive properties of flor yeast strains could have evolved through different mechanisms of genetic variation. PMID:29867869

  9. Functional conservation of the yeast and Arabidopsis RAD54-like genes.

    PubMed

    Klutstein, Michael; Shaked, Hezi; Sherman, Amir; Avivi-Ragolsky, Naomi; Shema, Efrat; Zenvirth, Drora; Levy, Avraham A; Simchen, Giora

    2008-04-01

    The Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD54 gene has critical roles in DNA double-strand break repair, homologous recombination, and gene targeting. Previous results show that the yeast gene enhances gene targeting when expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this work we address the trans-species compatibility of Rad54 functions. We show that overexpression of yeast RAD54 in Arabidopsis enhances DNA damage resistance severalfold. Thus, the yeast gene is active in the Arabidopsis homologous-recombination repair system. Moreover, we have identified an A. thaliana ortholog of yeast RAD54, named AtRAD54. This gene, with close sequence similarity to RAD54, complements methylmethane sulfonate (MMS) sensitivity but not UV sensitivity or gene targeting defects of rad54Delta mutant yeast cells. Overexpression of AtRAD54 in Arabidopsis leads to enhanced resistance to DNA damage. This gene's assignment as a RAD54 ortholog is further supported by the interaction of AtRad54 with AtRad51 and the interactions between alien proteins (i.e., yeast Rad54 with AtRAD51 and yeast Rad51 with AtRad54) in a yeast two-hybrid experiment. These interactions hint at the molecular nature of this interkingdom complementation, although the stronger effect of the yeast Rad54 in plants than AtRad54 in yeast might be explained by an ability of the Rad54 protein to act alone, independently of its interaction with Rad51.

  10. Understanding the New Black Poetry: Black Speech and Black Music as Poetic References.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, Stephen

    Oral tradition, both rural and urban, forms an infrastructure for this anthology, which presents selections of black poetry with an emphasis on the poetry of the sixties. Based on the thesis that the new black poetry's main referents are black speech and black music, the anthology includes examples from the oral tradition of folk sermon,…

  11. Carbohydrate and energy-yielding metabolism in non-conventional yeasts.

    PubMed

    Flores, C L; Rodríguez, C; Petit, T; Gancedo, C

    2000-10-01

    Sugars are excellent carbon sources for all yeasts. Since a vast amount of information is available on the components of the pathways of sugar utilization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae it has been tacitly assumed that other yeasts use sugars in the same way. However, although the pathways of sugar utilization follow the same theme in all yeasts, important biochemical and genetic variations on it exist. Basically, in most non-conventional yeasts, in contrast to S. cerevisiae, respiration in the presence of oxygen is prominent for the use of sugars. This review provides comparative information on the different steps of the fundamental pathways of sugar utilization in non-conventional yeasts: glycolysis, fermentation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway and respiration. We consider also gluconeogenesis and, briefly, catabolite repression. We have centered our attention in the genera Kluyveromyces, Candida, Pichia, Yarrowia and Schizosaccharomyces, although occasional reference to other genera is made. The review shows that basic knowledge is missing on many components of these pathways and also that studies on regulation of critical steps are scarce. Information on these points would be important to generate genetically engineered yeast strains for certain industrial uses.

  12. Quantifying variation in the ability of yeasts to attract Drosophila melanogaster.

    PubMed

    Palanca, Loida; Gaskett, Anne C; Günther, Catrin S; Newcomb, Richard D; Goddard, Matthew R

    2013-01-01

    Yeasts that invade and colonise fruit significantly enhance the volatile chemical diversity of this ecosystem. These modified bouquets are thought to be more attractive to Drosophila flies than the fruit alone, but the variance of attraction in natural yeast populations is uncharacterised. Here we investigate how a range of yeast isolates affect the attraction of female D. melanogaster to fruit in a simple two choice assay comparing yeast to sterile fruit. Of the 43 yeast isolates examined, 33 were attractive and seven repellent to the flies. The results of isolate-versus-isolate comparisons provided the same relative rankings. Attractiveness varied significantly by yeast, with the strongly fermenting Saccharomyces species generally being more attractive than the mostly respiring non-Saccharomyces species (P = 0.0035). Overall the habitat (fruit or other) from which the isolates were directly sampled did not explain attraction (P = 0.2352). However, yeasts isolated from fruit associated niches were more attractive than those from non-fruit associated niches (P = 0.0188) regardless of taxonomic positioning. These data suggest that while attractiveness is primarily correlated with phylogenetic status, the ability to attract Drosophila is a labile trait among yeasts that is potentially associated with those inhabiting fruit ecosystems. Preliminary analysis of the volatiles emitted by four yeast isolates in grape juice show the presence/absence of ethanol and acetic acid were not likely explanations for the observed variation in attraction. These data demonstrate variation among yeasts for their ability to attract Drosophila in a pattern that is consistent with the hypothesis that certain yeasts are manipulating fruit odours to mediate interactions with their Drosophila dispersal agent.

  13. Yeasts: providing questions and answers for modern biology.

    PubMed

    Dickinson, J R

    2000-01-01

    Yeasts are to be found in virtually every conceivable niche on this planet and are amazingly varied in their shapes ('morphologies'), life cycles, metabolic capabilities, potentials for use in industrial processes, abilities to spoil food and drink or to act as dangerous human pathogens. This review describes four very different species of yeast to illustrate some of the diversity which exists and, in the case of one of them, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (the familiar baker's or brewer's yeast), the extent of both our knowledge and ignorance.

  14. A Comparison of the Beneficial Effects of Live and Heat-Inactivated Baker’s Yeast on Nile Tilapia: Suggestions on the Role and Function of the Secretory Metabolites Released from the Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Zhi; Xu, Li; Yang, Yalin; Tacon, Philippe; Auclair, Eric; Zhou, Zhigang

    2015-01-01

    Yeast is frequently used as a probiotic in aquaculture with the potential to substitute for antibiotics. In this study, the involvement and extent to which the viability of yeast cells and thus the secretory metabolites released from the yeast contribute to effects of baker’s yeast was investigated in Nile tilapia. No yeast, live yeast or heat-inactivated baker’s yeast were added to basal diets high in fishmeal and low in soybean (diet A) or low in fishmeal and high in soybean (diet B), which were fed to fish for 8 weeks. Growth, feed utilization, gut microvilli morphology, and expressions of hsp70 and inflammation-related cytokines in the intestine and head kidney were assessed. Intestinal microbiota was investigated using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. Gut alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity was measured after challenging the fish with Aeromonas hydrophila. Results showed that live yeast significantly improved FBW and WG (P < 0.05), and tended to improve FCR (P = 0.06) of fish compared to the control (no yeast). No significant differences were observed between inactivated yeast and control. Live yeast improved gut microvilli length (P < 0.001) and density (P < 0.05) while inactivated yeast did not. The hsp70 expression level in both the intestine and head kidney of fish was significantly reduced by live yeast (P < 0.05) but not inactivated yeast. Live yeast but not inactivated yeast reduced intestinal expression of tnfα (P < 0.05), tgfβ (P < 0.05 under diet A) and il1β (P = 0.08). Intestinal Lactococcus spp. numbers were enriched by both live and inactivated yeast. Lastly, both live and inactivated yeast reduced the gut AKP activity compared to the control (P < 0.001), indicating protection of the host against infection by A. hydrophila. In conclusion, secretory metabolites did not play major roles in the growth promotion and disease protection effects of yeast. Nevertheless, secretory metabolites were the major contributing factor towards improved gut

  15. The relationship between salivary histatin levels and oral yeast carriage.

    PubMed

    Jainkittivong, A; Johnson, D A; Yeh, C K

    1998-06-01

    Candida species are common commensal inhabitants of the oral cavity. Human saliva contains antifungal proteins called histatins. We tested the hypothesis that oral yeast status is related to salivary histatin levels. Thirty subjects were divided into two groups based on the presence (n = 15) or absence (n = 15) of yeast on oral mucosa surfaces. Unstimulated and stimulated submandibular and sublingual and parotid saliva was collected from each subject. Salivary flow rates were measured and histatin concentrations were determined in the stimulated saliva samples. The yeast colony positive group showed lower median unstimulated parotid saliva flow rates as well as lower median concentrations of total histatins in submandibular and sublingual saliva. There was a negative correlation between yeast colony-forming units and unstimulated parotid saliva flow rates and between yeast colony-forming units and submandibular and sublingual saliva histatin concentration and secretion. The results suggest that oral yeast status may be influenced by unstimulated parotid saliva flow rates and by submandibular and sublingual histatin concentration and secretion.

  16. The ecology of insect-yeast relationships and its relevance to human industry.

    PubMed

    Madden, Anne A; Epps, Mary Jane; Fukami, Tadashi; Irwin, Rebecca E; Sheppard, John; Sorger, D Magdalena; Dunn, Robert R

    2018-03-28

    Many species of yeast are integral to human society. They produce many of our foods, beverages and industrial chemicals, challenge us as pathogens, and provide models for the study of our own biology. However, few species are regularly studied and much of their ecology remains unclear, hindering the development of knowledge that is needed to improve the relationships between humans and yeasts. There is increasing evidence that insects are an essential component of ascomycetous yeast ecology. We propose a 'dispersal-encounter hypothesis' whereby yeasts are dispersed by insects between ephemeral, spatially disparate sugar resources, and insects, in turn, obtain the benefits of an honest signal from yeasts for the sugar resources. We review the relationship between yeasts and insects through three main examples: social wasps, social bees and beetles, with some additional examples from fruit flies. Ultimately, we suggest that over the next decades, consideration of these ecological and evolutionary relationships between insects and yeasts will allow prediction of where new yeast diversity is most likely to be discovered, particularly yeasts with traits of interest to human industry. © 2018 The Author(s).

  17. Independent and additive effects of glutamic acid and methionine on yeast longevity.

    PubMed

    Wu, Ziyun; Song, Lixia; Liu, Shao Quan; Huang, Dejian

    2013-01-01

    It is established that glucose restriction extends yeast chronological and replicative lifespan, but little is known about the influence of amino acids on yeast lifespan, although some amino acids were reported to delay aging in rodents. Here we show that amino acid composition greatly alters yeast chronological lifespan. We found that non-essential amino acids (to yeast) methionine and glutamic acid had the most significant impact on yeast chronological lifespan extension, restriction of methionine and/or increase of glutamic acid led to longevity that was not the result of low acetic acid production and acidification in aging media. Remarkably, low methionine, high glutamic acid and glucose restriction additively and independently extended yeast lifespan, which could not be further extended by buffering the medium (pH 6.0). Our preliminary findings using yeasts with gene deletion demonstrate that glutamic acid addition, methionine and glucose restriction prompt yeast longevity through distinct mechanisms. This study may help to fill a gap in yeast model for the fast developing view that nutrient balance is a critical factor to extend lifespan.

  18. Independent and Additive Effects of Glutamic Acid and Methionine on Yeast Longevity

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Ziyun; Song, Lixia; Liu, Shao Quan; Huang, Dejian

    2013-01-01

    It is established that glucose restriction extends yeast chronological and replicative lifespan, but little is known about the influence of amino acids on yeast lifespan, although some amino acids were reported to delay aging in rodents. Here we show that amino acid composition greatly alters yeast chronological lifespan. We found that non-essential amino acids (to yeast) methionine and glutamic acid had the most significant impact on yeast chronological lifespan extension, restriction of methionine and/or increase of glutamic acid led to longevity that was not the result of low acetic acid production and acidification in aging media. Remarkably, low methionine, high glutamic acid and glucose restriction additively and independently extended yeast lifespan, which could not be further extended by buffering the medium (pH 6.0). Our preliminary findings using yeasts with gene deletion demonstrate that glutamic acid addition, methionine and glucose restriction prompt yeast longevity through distinct mechanisms. This study may help to fill a gap in yeast model for the fast developing view that nutrient balance is a critical factor to extend lifespan. PMID:24244480

  19. The ecology of insect–yeast relationships and its relevance to human industry

    PubMed Central

    Epps, Mary Jane; Sheppard, John; Sorger, D. Magdalena; Dunn, Robert R.

    2018-01-01

    Many species of yeast are integral to human society. They produce many of our foods, beverages and industrial chemicals, challenge us as pathogens, and provide models for the study of our own biology. However, few species are regularly studied and much of their ecology remains unclear, hindering the development of knowledge that is needed to improve the relationships between humans and yeasts. There is increasing evidence that insects are an essential component of ascomycetous yeast ecology. We propose a ‘dispersal–encounter hypothesis' whereby yeasts are dispersed by insects between ephemeral, spatially disparate sugar resources, and insects, in turn, obtain the benefits of an honest signal from yeasts for the sugar resources. We review the relationship between yeasts and insects through three main examples: social wasps, social bees and beetles, with some additional examples from fruit flies. Ultimately, we suggest that over the next decades, consideration of these ecological and evolutionary relationships between insects and yeasts will allow prediction of where new yeast diversity is most likely to be discovered, particularly yeasts with traits of interest to human industry. PMID:29563264

  20. Antarctic Yeasts: Biodiversity and Potential Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shivaji, S.; Prasad, G. S.

    This review is an attempt in cataloguing the diversity of yeasts in Antarctica, highlight their biotechnological potential and understand the basis of adaptation to low temperature. As of now several psychrophilic and psychrotolerant yeasts from Antarctic soils and marine waters have been characterized with respect to their growth characteristics, ecological distribution and taxonomic significance. Interestingly most of these species belonged to basidiomycetous yeasts which as a group are known for their ability to circumvent and survive under stress conditions. Simultaneously their possible role as work horses in the biotechnological industry was recognized due to their ability to produce novel enzymes and biomolecules such as agents for the breakdown of xenobiotics, and novel pharmaceutical chemi cals. The high activity of psychrophilic enzymes at low and moderate temperatures offers potential economic benefits. As of now lipases from Pseudozyma antarctica have been extensively studied to understand their unique thermal stability at 90°C and also because of its use in the pharmaceutical, agriculture, food, cosmetics and chemical industry. A few of the other enzymes which have been studied include extracellular alpha-amylase and glucoamylase from the yeast Pseudozyma antarctica (Candida antarctica), an extra-cellular protease from Cryptococcus humicola, an aspartyl proteinase from Cryptococcus humicola, a novel extracellular subtilase from Leucosporidium antarcticum, and a xylanase from Cryptococcus adeliensis

  1. Production of fermentation aroma compounds by Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeasts: effects of yeast assimilable nitrogen on two model strains.

    PubMed

    Carrau, Francisco M; Medina, Karina; Farina, Laura; Boido, Eduardo; Henschke, Paul A; Dellacassa, Eduardo

    2008-11-01

    The contribution of yeast fermentation metabolites to the aromatic profile of wine is well documented; however, the biotechnological application of this knowledge, apart from strain selection, is still rather limited and often contradictory. Understanding and modeling the relationship between nutrient availability and the production of desirable aroma compounds by different strains must be one of the main objectives in the selection of industrial yeasts for the beverage and food industry. In order to overcome the variability in the composition of grape juices, we have used a chemically defined model medium for studying yeast physiological behavior and metabolite production in response to nitrogen supplementation so as to identify an appropriate yeast assimilable nitrogen level for strain differentiation. At low initial nitrogen concentrations, strain KU1 produced higher quantities of esters and fatty acids whereas M522 produced higher concentrations of isoacids, gamma-butyrolactone, higher alcohols and 3-methylthio-1-propanol. We propose that although strains KU1 and M522 have a similar nitrogen consumption profile, they represent useful models for the chemical characterization of wine strains in relation to wine quality. The differential production of aroma compounds by the two strains is discussed in relation to their capacity for nitrogen usage and their impact on winemaking. The results obtained here will help to develop targeted metabolic footprinting methods for the discrimination of industrial yeasts.

  2. Yeast and yeast-like fungi associated with dry indehiscent fruits of Nothofagus nervosa in Patagonia, Argentina.

    PubMed

    Fernández, Natalia V; Mestre, M Cecilia; Marchelli, Paula; Fontenla, Sonia B

    2012-04-01

    Nothofagus nervosa (Raulí) is a native tree species that yields valuable timber. It was overexploited in the past and is currently included in domestication and conservation programs. Several research programs have focused on the characterization of epiphytic microorganisms because it has been demonstrated that they can affect plant-pathogen interactions and/or promote plant growth. Although the microbial ecology of leaves has been well studied, less is known about microorganisms occurring on seeds and noncommercial fruits. In this work, we analyzed the yeast and yeast-like fungi present on N. nervosa fruits destined for the propagation of this species, as well as the effects of fruit preservation and seed dormancy-breaking processes on fungal diversity. Morphological and molecular methods were used, and differences between fungal communities were analyzed using a similarity index. A total of 171 isolates corresponding to 17 species were recovered, most of which belong to the phylum Ascomycota. The majority of the species develop mycelia, produce pigments and mycosporines, and these adaptation strategies are discussed. It was observed that the preservation process considerably reduced yeast and yeast-like fungal diversity. This is the first study concerning microbial communities associated with this ecologically and economically important species, and the information presented is relevant to domestication programs. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Single-particle tracking of quantum dot-conjugated prion proteins inside yeast cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tsuji, Toshikazu; Kawai-Noma, Shigeko; Pack, Chan-Gi

    2011-02-25

    Research highlights: {yields} We develop a method to track a quantum dot-conjugated protein in yeast cells. {yields} We incorporate the conjugated quantum dot proteins into yeast spheroplasts. {yields} We track the motions by conventional or 3D tracking microscopy. -- Abstract: Yeast is a model eukaryote with a variety of biological resources. Here we developed a method to track a quantum dot (QD)-conjugated protein in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We chemically conjugated QDs with the yeast prion Sup35, incorporated them into yeast spheroplasts, and tracked the motions by conventional two-dimensional or three-dimensional tracking microscopy. The method paves the way towardmore » the individual tracking of proteins of interest inside living yeast cells.« less

  4. Can Blacks Be Racists? Black-on-Black Principal Abuse in an Urban School Setting

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khalifa, Muhammad

    2015-01-01

    This study examines Black student and parental perceptions of exclusionary practices of Black school principals. I ask why students and parents viewed two Black principals as contributing to abusive and exclusionary school environments that marginalized Black students. After a two-year ethnographic study, it was revealed that exclusionary…

  5. Water quality and antifungal susceptibility of opportunistic yeast pathogens from rivers.

    PubMed

    Monapathi, M E; Bezuidenhout, C C; Rhode, O H J

    2017-03-01

    Yeasts from water sources have been associated with diseases ranging from superficial mucosal infections to life threatening diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the water quality as well as diversity and antifungal susceptibility of yeasts from two rivers. Yeast levels and physico-chemical parameter data were analyzed by principal component analysis to determine correlations between physico-chemical data and yeast levels. Yeast morphotypes were identified by biochemical tests and 26S rRNA gene sequencing. Disk diffusion antifungal susceptibility tests were conducted. Physico-chemical parameters of the water were within target water quality range (TWQR) for livestock farming. For irrigational use, total dissolved solids and nitrates were not within the TWQR. Yeast levels ranged between 27 ± 10 and 2,573 ± 306 cfu/L. Only non-pigmented, ascomycetous yeasts were isolated. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida glabrata were most frequently isolated. Several other opportunistic pathogens were also isolated. A large number of isolates were resistant to azoles, especially fluconazole, but also to other antifungal classes. Candida species were resistant to almost all the antifungal classes. These water sources are used for recreation and religious as well as for watering livestock and irrigation. Of particular concern is the direct contact of individuals with opportunistic yeast, especially the immune-compromised. Resistance of these yeast species to antifungal agents is a further health concern.

  6. PMAA-stabilized ferrofluid/chitosan/yeast composite for bioapplications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baldikova, Eva; Prochazkova, Jitka; Stepanek, Miroslav; Hajduova, Jana; Pospiskova, Kristyna; Safarikova, Mirka; Safarik, Ivo

    2017-04-01

    A simple, one-pot process for the preparation of magnetically responsive yeast-based biocatalysts was developed. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida utilis and Kluyveromyces lactis cells were successfully incorporated into chitosan gel magnetically modified with poly(methacrylic acid)-stabilized magnetic fluid (PMAA-FF) during its formation. Magnetic PMAA-FF/chitosan/yeast composites were efficiently employed for invert sugar production. The dependence of invertase activity on used yeast, amount of magnetic biocatalyst, agitation time and after reuse was studied in detail. The tested magnetic biocatalysts retained at least 69% of their initial activity after 8 reuse cycles.

  7. Yeast biotechnology: teaching the old dog new tricks.

    PubMed

    Mattanovich, Diethard; Sauer, Michael; Gasser, Brigitte

    2014-03-06

    Yeasts are regarded as the first microorganisms used by humans to process food and alcoholic beverages. The technology developed out of these ancient processes has been the basis for modern industrial biotechnology. Yeast biotechnology has gained great interest again in the last decades. Joining the potentials of genomics, metabolic engineering, systems and synthetic biology enables the production of numerous valuable products of primary and secondary metabolism, technical enzymes and biopharmaceutical proteins. An overview of emerging and established substrates and products of yeast biotechnology is provided and discussed in the light of the recent literature.

  8. Metabolic Engineering of Oleaginous Yeasts for Production of Fuels and Chemicals

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Shuobo; Zhao, Huimin

    2017-01-01

    Oleaginous yeasts have been increasingly explored for production of chemicals and fuels via metabolic engineering. Particularly, there is a growing interest in using oleaginous yeasts for the synthesis of lipid-related products due to their high lipogenesis capability, robustness, and ability to utilize a variety of substrates. Most of the metabolic engineering studies in oleaginous yeasts focused on Yarrowia that already has plenty of genetic engineering tools. However, recent advances in systems biology and synthetic biology have provided new strategies and tools to engineer those oleaginous yeasts that have naturally high lipid accumulation but lack genetic tools, such as Rhodosporidium, Trichosporon, and Lipomyces. This review highlights recent accomplishments in metabolic engineering of oleaginous yeasts and recent advances in the development of genetic engineering tools in oleaginous yeasts within the last 3 years. PMID:29167664

  9. Metabolic Engineering of Oleaginous Yeasts for Production of Fuels and Chemicals.

    PubMed

    Shi, Shuobo; Zhao, Huimin

    2017-01-01

    Oleaginous yeasts have been increasingly explored for production of chemicals and fuels via metabolic engineering. Particularly, there is a growing interest in using oleaginous yeasts for the synthesis of lipid-related products due to their high lipogenesis capability, robustness, and ability to utilize a variety of substrates. Most of the metabolic engineering studies in oleaginous yeasts focused on Yarrowia that already has plenty of genetic engineering tools. However, recent advances in systems biology and synthetic biology have provided new strategies and tools to engineer those oleaginous yeasts that have naturally high lipid accumulation but lack genetic tools, such as Rhodosporidium , Trichosporon , and Lipomyces . This review highlights recent accomplishments in metabolic engineering of oleaginous yeasts and recent advances in the development of genetic engineering tools in oleaginous yeasts within the last 3 years.

  10. A low-cost procedure for production of fresh autochthonous wine yeast.

    PubMed

    Maqueda, Matilde; Pérez-Nevado, Francisco; Regodón, José A; Zamora, Emiliano; Alvarez, María L; Rebollo, José E; Ramírez, Manuel

    2011-03-01

    A low-cost procedure was designed for easy and rapid response-on-demand production of fresh wine yeast for local wine-making. The pilot plant produced fresh yeast culture concentrate with good microbial quality and excellent oenological properties from four selected wine yeasts. The best production yields were obtained using 2% sugar beet molasses and a working culture volume of less than 60% of the fermenter capacity. The yeast yield using 2% sugar grape juice was low and had poor cell viability after freeze storage, although the resulting yeast would be directly available for use in the winery. The performance of these yeasts in commercial wineries was excellent; they dominated must fermentation and improved its kinetics, as well as improving the physicochemical parameters and the organoleptic quality of red and white wines.

  11. Checkpoint independence of most DNA replication origins in fission yeast

    PubMed Central

    Mickle, Katie L; Ramanathan, Sunita; Rosebrock, Adam; Oliva, Anna; Chaudari, Amna; Yompakdee, Chulee; Scott, Donna; Leatherwood, Janet; Huberman, Joel A

    2007-01-01

    Background In budding yeast, the replication checkpoint slows progress through S phase by inhibiting replication origin firing. In mammals, the replication checkpoint inhibits both origin firing and replication fork movement. To find out which strategy is employed in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we used microarrays to investigate the use of origins by wild-type and checkpoint-mutant strains in the presence of hydroxyurea (HU), which limits the pool of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) and activates the replication checkpoint. The checkpoint-mutant cells carried deletions either of rad3 (which encodes the fission yeast homologue of ATR) or cds1 (which encodes the fission yeast homologue of Chk2). Results Our microarray results proved to be largely consistent with those independently obtained and recently published by three other laboratories. However, we were able to reconcile differences between the previous studies regarding the extent to which fission yeast replication origins are affected by the replication checkpoint. We found (consistent with the three previous studies after appropriate interpretation) that, in surprising contrast to budding yeast, most fission yeast origins, including both early- and late-firing origins, are not significantly affected by checkpoint mutations during replication in the presence of HU. A few origins (~3%) behaved like those in budding yeast: they replicated earlier in the checkpoint mutants than in wild type. These were located primarily in the heterochromatic subtelomeric regions of chromosomes 1 and 2. Indeed, the subtelomeric regions defined by the strongest checkpoint restraint correspond precisely to previously mapped subtelomeric heterochromatin. This observation implies that subtelomeric heterochromatin in fission yeast differs from heterochromatin at centromeres, in the mating type region, and in ribosomal DNA, since these regions replicated at least as efficiently in wild-type cells as in

  12. Application of anhydrobiosis and dehydration of yeasts for non-conventional biotechnological goals.

    PubMed

    Rapoport, Alexander; Turchetti, Benedetta; Buzzini, Pietro

    2016-06-01

    Dehydration of yeast cells causes them to enter a state of anhydrobiosis in which their metabolism is temporarily and reversibly suspended. This unique state among organisms is currently used in the production of active dry yeasts, mainly used in baking and winemaking. In recent decades non-conventional applications of yeast dehydration have been proposed for various modern biotechnologies. This mini-review briefly summarises current information on the application of dry yeasts in traditional and innovative fields. It has been shown that dry yeast preparations can be used for the efficient protection, purification and bioremediation of the environment from heavy metals. The high sorption activity of dehydrated yeasts can be used as an interesting tool in winemaking due to their effects on quality and taste. Dry yeasts are also used in agricultural animal feed. Another interesting application of yeast dehydration is as an additional stage in new methods for the stable immobilisation of microorganisms, especially in cases when biotechnologically important strains have no affinity with the carrier. Such immobilisation methods also provide a new approach for the successful conservation of yeast strains that are very sensitive to dehydration. In addition, the application of dehydration procedures opens up new possibilities for the use of yeast as a model system. Separate sections of this review also discuss possible uses of dry yeasts in biocontrol, bioprotection and biotransformations, in analytical methods as well as in some other areas.

  13. Systematic identification of yeast proteins extracted into model wine during aging on the yeast lees.

    PubMed

    Rowe, Jeffrey D; Harbertson, James F; Osborne, James P; Freitag, Michael; Lim, Juyun; Bakalinsky, Alan T

    2010-02-24

    Total protein and protein-associated mannan concentrations were measured, and individual proteins were identified during extraction into model wines over 9 months of aging on the yeast lees following completion of fermentations by seven wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In aged wines, protein-associated mannan increased about 6-fold (+/-66%), while total protein only increased 2-fold (+/-20%), which resulted in a significantly greater protein-associated mannan/total protein ratio for three strains. A total of 219 proteins were identified among all wine samples taken over the entire time course. Of the 17 "long-lived" proteins detected in all 9 month samples, 13 were cell wall mannoproteins, and four were glycolytic enzymes. Most cytosolic proteins were not detected after 6 months. Native mannosylated yeast invertase was assayed for binding to wine tannin and was found to have a 10-fold lower affinity than nonglycosylated bovine serum albumin. Enrichment of mannoproteins in the aged model wines implies greater solution stability than other yeast proteins and the possibility that their contributions to wine quality may persist long after bottling.

  14. Non-Conventional Yeast Strains Increase the Aroma Complexity of Bread

    PubMed Central

    Rezaei, Mohammad Naser; Steensels, Jan; Courtin, Christophe M.; Verstrepen, Kevin J.

    2016-01-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae is routinely used yeast in food fermentations because it combines several key traits, including fermentation efficiency and production of desirable flavors. However, the dominance of S. cerevisiae in industrial fermentations limits the diversity in the aroma profiles of the end products. Hence, there is a growing interest in non-conventional yeast strains that can help generate the diversity and complexity desired in today’s diversified and consumer-driven markets. Here, we selected a set of non-conventional yeast strains to examine their potential for bread fermentation. Here, we tested ten non-conventional yeasts for bread fermentation, including two Saccharomyces species that are not currently used in bread making and 8 non-Saccharomyces strains. The results show that Torulaspora delbrueckii and Saccharomyces bayanus combine satisfactory dough fermentation with an interesting flavor profile. Sensory analysis and HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis confirmed that these strains produce aroma profiles that are very different from that produced by a commercial bakery strain. Moreover, bread produced with these yeasts was preferred by a majority of a trained sensory panel. These results demonstrate the potential of T. delbrueckii and S. bayanus as alternative yeasts for bread dough leavening, and provide a general experimental framework for the evaluation of more yeasts and bacteria. PMID:27776154

  15. Non-Conventional Yeast Strains Increase the Aroma Complexity of Bread.

    PubMed

    Aslankoohi, Elham; Herrera-Malaver, Beatriz; Rezaei, Mohammad Naser; Steensels, Jan; Courtin, Christophe M; Verstrepen, Kevin J

    2016-01-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae is routinely used yeast in food fermentations because it combines several key traits, including fermentation efficiency and production of desirable flavors. However, the dominance of S. cerevisiae in industrial fermentations limits the diversity in the aroma profiles of the end products. Hence, there is a growing interest in non-conventional yeast strains that can help generate the diversity and complexity desired in today's diversified and consumer-driven markets. Here, we selected a set of non-conventional yeast strains to examine their potential for bread fermentation. Here, we tested ten non-conventional yeasts for bread fermentation, including two Saccharomyces species that are not currently used in bread making and 8 non-Saccharomyces strains. The results show that Torulaspora delbrueckii and Saccharomyces bayanus combine satisfactory dough fermentation with an interesting flavor profile. Sensory analysis and HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis confirmed that these strains produce aroma profiles that are very different from that produced by a commercial bakery strain. Moreover, bread produced with these yeasts was preferred by a majority of a trained sensory panel. These results demonstrate the potential of T. delbrueckii and S. bayanus as alternative yeasts for bread dough leavening, and provide a general experimental framework for the evaluation of more yeasts and bacteria.

  16. Live Yeast and Yeast Cell Wall Supplements Enhance Immune Function and Performance in Food-Producing Livestock: A Review †,‡

    PubMed Central

    Broadway, Paul R.; Carroll, Jeffery A.; Burdick Sanchez, Nicole C.

    2015-01-01

    More livestock producers are seeking natural alternatives to antibiotics and antimicrobials, and searching for supplements to enhance growth performance, and general animal health and well-being. Some of the compounds currently being utilized and studied are live yeast and yeast-based products derived from the strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These products have been reported to have positive effects both directly and indirectly on the immune system and its subsequent biomarkers, thereby mitigating negative effects associated with stress and disease. These yeast-based products have also been reported to simultaneously enhance growth and performance by enhancing dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG) perhaps through the establishment of a healthy gastrointestinal tract. These products may be especially useful in times of potential stress such as during birth, weaning, early lactation, and during the receiving period at the feedlot. Overall, yeast supplements appear to possess the ability to improve animal health and metabolism while decreasing morbidity, thereby enhancing profitability of these animals. PMID:27682097

  17. Do copepods inhabit hypersaline waters worldwide? A short review and discussion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anufriieva, Elena V.

    2015-11-01

    A small number of copepod species have adapted to an existence in the extreme habitat of hypersaline water. 13 copepod species have been recorded in the hypersaline waters of Crimea (the largest peninsula in the Black Sea with over 50 hypersaline lakes). Summarizing our own and literature data, the author concludes that the Crimean extreme environment is not an exception: copepod species dwell in hypersaline waters worldwide. There are at least 26 copepod species around the world living at salinity above 100; among them 12 species are found at salinity higher than 200. In the Crimea Cletocamptus retrogressus is found at salinity 360×10-3 (with a density of 1 320 individuals/m3) and Arctodiaptomus salinus at salinity 300×10-3 (with a density of 343 individuals/m3). Those species are probably the most halotolerant copepod species in the world. High halotolerance of osmoconforming copepods may be explained by exoosmolyte consumption, mainly with food. High tolerance to many factors in adults, availability of resting stages, and an opportunity of long-distance transportation of resting stages by birds and/or winds are responsible for the wide geographic distribution of these halophilic copepods.

  18. Advances in yeast genome engineering.

    PubMed

    David, Florian; Siewers, Verena

    2015-02-01

    Genome engineering based on homologous recombination has been applied to yeast for many years. However, the growing importance of yeast as a cell factory in metabolic engineering and chassis in synthetic biology demands methods for fast and efficient introduction of multiple targeted changes such as gene knockouts and introduction of multistep metabolic pathways. In this review, we summarize recent improvements of existing genome engineering methods, the development of novel techniques, for example for advanced genome redesign and evolution, and the importance of endonucleases as genome engineering tools. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.

  19. The yeast stands alone: the future of protein biologic production.

    PubMed

    Love, Kerry R; Dalvie, Neil C; Love, J Christopher

    2017-12-22

    Yeasts are promising alternative hosts for the manufacturing of recombinant protein therapeutics because they simply and efficiently meet needs for both platform and small-market drugs. Fast accumulation of biomass and low-cost media reduce the cost-of-goods when using yeast, which in turn can enable agile, small-volume manufacturing facilities. Small, tractable yeast genomes are amenable to rapid process development, facilitating strain and product quality by design. Specifically, Pichia pastoris is becoming a widely accepted yeast for biopharmaceutical manufacturing in much of the world owing to a clean secreted product and the rapidly expanding understanding of its cell biology as a host organism. We advocate for a near term partnership spanning industry and academia to promote open source, timely development of yeast hosts. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Black Literature vs. Black Studies: Three Lynchings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Melvin G.

    1977-01-01

    Considers three works by black authors, all dealing with lynchings, that may be used in a black literature course to introduce students to the esthetic dimension of black literature, as well as to its cultural and racial significance. (GW)

  1. Production of extremely alkaliphilic, halotolerent, detergent, and thermostable mannanase by the free and immobilized cells of Bacillus halodurans PPKS-2. Purification and characterization.

    PubMed

    Vijayalaxmi, S; Prakash, P; Jayalakshmi, S K; Mulimani, V H; Sreeramulu, K

    2013-09-01

    The alkaliphilic Bacillus halodurans strain PPKS-2 was shown to produce extracellular extreme alkaliphilic, halotolerent, detergent, and thermostable mannanase activity. The cultural conditions for the maximum enzyme production were optimized with respect to pH, temperature, NaCl, and inexpensive agro wastes as substrates. Mannanase production was enhanced more than 4-fold in the presence of 1 % defatted copra meal and 0.5 % peptone or feather hydrolysate at pH 11 and 40 °C. Mannanase was purified to 10.3-fold with 34.6 % yield by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography methods. Its molecular mass was estimated to be 22 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The mannanase had maximal activity at pH 11 and 70 °C. This enzyme was active over a broad range of NaCl (0-16 %) and thermostable retaining 100 % of the original activity at 70 °C for 3 h. Immobilization of whole cells proved to be effective for continuous production of mannanase. Since the strain PPKS-2 grows on cheaper agro wastes such as defatted copra meal, corn husk, jowar bagasse, and wheat bran, these can be exploited for mannanase production on an industrial scale.

  2. Gut yeast communities in Larus michahellis from various breeding colonies.

    PubMed

    Al-Yasiri, Mohammed Hashim; Normand, Anne-Cécile; Piarroux, Renaud; Ranque, Stéphane; Mauffrey, Jean-François

    2017-06-01

    Yellow-legged gulls have been reported to carry antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae; however, the gut mycobiota of these birds has not yet been described. In this study, we analyzed the gut yeast communities in five yellow-legged gull breeding colonies along the Mediterranean littoral in southern France. Gull fecal samples were inoculated onto four types of culture media, including one supplemented with itraconazole. Yeast species richness, abundance, and diversity were estimated, and factorial analysis was used to highlight correspondences between breeding colonies. Yeast grew in 113 of 177 cultures, and 17 distinct yeast species were identified. The most frequent species were Candida krusei (53.5%), Galactomyces geotrichum (44.1%), C. glabrata (40.9%), C. albicans (20.5%), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (18.1%). Gut yeast community structure in the gulls at both Pierre-Blanche Lagoon (PB) and Frioul Archipelago (F) were characterized by greater species richness and diversity than in those at the two cities of La Grande-Motte (GM) and Palavas-les-Flots (PF) as well as Riou Archipelago (R). Gulls in these latter three sites probably share a similar type of anthropogenic diet. Notably, the proportion of anthropic yeast species, including C. albicans and C. glabrata, in the gull mycobiota increased with gull colony synanthropy. Antifungal resistance was found in each of the five most frequent yeast species. We found that the gut yeast communities of these yellow-legged gulls include antifungal-resistant human pathogens. Further studies should assess the public health impact of these common synanthropic seabirds, which represent a reservoir and disseminator of drug-resistant human pathogenic yeast into the environment. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Genome Diversity and Evolution in the Budding Yeasts (Saccharomycotina)

    PubMed Central

    Dujon, Bernard A.; Louis, Edward J.

    2017-01-01

    Considerable progress in our understanding of yeast genomes and their evolution has been made over the last decade with the sequencing, analysis, and comparisons of numerous species, strains, or isolates of diverse origins. The role played by yeasts in natural environments as well as in artificial manufactures, combined with the importance of some species as model experimental systems sustained this effort. At the same time, their enormous evolutionary diversity (there are yeast species in every subphylum of Dikarya) sparked curiosity but necessitated further efforts to obtain appropriate reference genomes. Today, yeast genomes have been very informative about basic mechanisms of evolution, speciation, hybridization, domestication, as well as about the molecular machineries underlying them. They are also irreplaceable to investigate in detail the complex relationship between genotypes and phenotypes with both theoretical and practical implications. This review examines these questions at two distinct levels offered by the broad evolutionary range of yeasts: inside the best-studied Saccharomyces species complex, and across the entire and diversified subphylum of Saccharomycotina. While obviously revealing evolutionary histories at different scales, data converge to a remarkably coherent picture in which one can estimate the relative importance of intrinsic genome dynamics, including gene birth and loss, vs. horizontal genetic accidents in the making of populations. The facility with which novel yeast genomes can now be studied, combined with the already numerous available reference genomes, offer privileged perspectives to further examine these fundamental biological questions using yeasts both as eukaryotic models and as fungi of practical importance. PMID:28592505

  4. Yeast synthetic biology for the production of recombinant therapeutic proteins.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyunah; Yoo, Su Jin; Kang, Hyun Ah

    2015-02-01

    The production of recombinant therapeutic proteins is one of the fast-growing areas of molecular medicine and currently plays an important role in treatment of several diseases. Yeasts are unicellular eukaryotic microbial host cells that offer unique advantages in producing biopharmaceutical proteins. Yeasts are capable of robust growth on simple media, readily accommodate genetic modifications, and incorporate typical eukaryotic post-translational modifications. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a traditional baker's yeast that has been used as a major host for the production of biopharmaceuticals; however, several nonconventional yeast species including Hansenula polymorpha, Pichia pastoris, and Yarrowia lipolytica have gained increasing attention as alternative hosts for the industrial production of recombinant proteins. In this review, we address the established and emerging genetic tools and host strains suitable for recombinant protein production in various yeast expression systems, particularly focusing on current efforts toward synthetic biology approaches in developing yeast cell factories for the production of therapeutic recombinant proteins. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.

  5. Analysis of the yeast short-term Crabtree effect and its origin

    PubMed Central

    Hagman, Arne; Säll, Torbjörn; Piškur, Jure

    2014-01-01

    The short-term Crabtree effect is defined as the immediate occurrence of aerobic alcoholic fermentation in response to provision of a pulse of excess sugar to sugar-limited yeast cultures. Here we have characterized ten yeast species with a clearly defined phylogenetic relationship. Yeast species were cultivated under glucose-limited conditions, and we studied their general carbon metabolism in response to a glucose pulse. We generated an extensive collection of data on glucose and oxygen consumption, and ethanol and carbon dioxide generation. We conclude that the Pichia,Debaryomyces,Eremothecium and Kluyveromyces marxianus yeasts do not exhibit any significant ethanol formation, while Kluyveromyces lactis behaves as an intermediate yeast, and Lachancea,Torulaspora,Vanderwaltozyma and Saccharomyces yeasts exhibit rapid ethanol accumulation. Based on the present data and our previous data relating to the presence of the long-term Crabtree effect in over 40 yeast species, we speculate that the origin of the short-term effect may coincide with the origin of the long-term Crabtree effect in the Saccharomycetales lineage, occurring ∼ 150 million years ago. PMID:25161062

  6. Unique phagocytic properties of hemocytes of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas against yeast and yeast cell-wall derivatives.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Keisuke G; Izumi-Nakajima, Nakako; Mori, Katsuyoshi

    2017-11-01

    For a marine bivalve mollusk such as Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, the elimination of foreign particles via hemocyte phagocytosis plays an important role in host defense mechanisms. The hemocytes of C. gigas have a high phagocytic ability for baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and its cell-wall product zymosan. C. gigas hemocytes might phagocytose yeast cells after binding to polysaccharides on the cell-wall surface, but it is unknown how and what kinds of polysaccharide molecules are recognized. We conducted experiments to determine differences in the phagocytic ability of C. gigas hemocytes against heat-killed yeast (HK yeast), zymosan and zymocel, which are similarly sized and shaped but differ in the polysaccharide composition of their particle surface. We found that both the agranulocytes and granulocytes exerted strong phagocytic ability on all tested particles. The phagocytic index (PI) of granulocytes for zymosan was 9.4 ± 1.7, which significantly differed with that for HK yeast and zymocel (P < 0.05). To evaluate the PI for the three types of particles, and especially to understand the outcome of the much higher PI for zymosan, PI was gauged in increments of 5 (1-5, 6-10, 11-15, and ≥16), and the phagocytic frequencies were compared according to these increments. The results show that a markedly high PI of ≥16 was exhibited by 18.1% of granulocytes for zymosan, significantly higher than 1.7% and 3.9% shown for HK yeast and zymocel, respectively (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that the relatively high PI for zymosan could not be attributed to a situation wherein all phagocytic hemocytes shared a high mean PI, but rather to the ability of some hemocytes to phagocytose a larger portion of zymosan. To determine whether the phagocytosis of these respective particles depended on the recognition of specific polysaccharide receptors on the hemocyte surface, C. gigas hemocytes were pretreated with soluble α-mannan or β-laminarin and

  7. "Black Like Me": Reframing Blackness for Decolonial Politics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dei, George J. Sefa

    2018-01-01

    From a particular vantage point, as an African-born scholar with a politics to affirm my Black subjectivity and Indigeneity in a diasporic context, my article engages a (re)theorization of Blackness for decolonial politics. Building on existing works of how Black scholars, themselves, have theorized Blackness, and recognizing the fluid,…

  8. Crossflow microfiltration of yeast suspensions in tubular filters.

    PubMed

    Redkar, S G; Davis, R H

    1993-01-01

    Crossflow microfiltration experiments were performed on yeast suspensions through 0.2-microns pore size ceramic and polypropylene tubes at various operating conditions. The initial transient flux decline follows dead-end filtration theory, with the membrane resistance determined from the initial flux and the specific cake resistance determined from the rate of flux decline due to cake buildup. For long times, the observed fluxes reach steady or nearly steady values, presumably as a result of the cake growth being arrested by the shear exerted at its surface. The steady-state fluxes increase with increasing shear rate and decreasing feed concentration, and they are nearly independent of transmembrane pressure. The steady-state fluxes for unwashed yeast in deionized water or fermentation media are typically 2-4 times lower than those predicted by a model based on the properties of nonadhesive, rigid spheres undergoing shear-induced back-diffusion. In contrast, the steady-state fluxes observed for washed yeast cells in deionized water are only 10-30% below the predicted values. The washed yeast cells also exhibited specific cake resistances that are an order of magnitude lower than those for the unwashed yeast. The differences are due to the presence of extracellular proteins and other macromolecules in the unwashed yeast suspensions. These biopolymers cause higher cell adhesion and resistance in the cake layer, so that the cells at the top edge are not free to diffuse away. This is manifested as a concentration jump from the edge of the cake layer to the sheared suspension adjacent to it.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  9. A Yeast Model of FUS/TLS-Dependent Cytotoxicity

    PubMed Central

    Ju, Shulin; Tardiff, Daniel F.; Han, Haesun; Divya, Kanneganti; Zhong, Quan; Maquat, Lynne E.; Bosco, Daryl A.; Hayward, Lawrence J.; Brown, Robert H.; Lindquist, Susan; Ringe, Dagmar; Petsko, Gregory A.

    2011-01-01

    FUS/TLS is a nucleic acid binding protein that, when mutated, can cause a subset of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS). Although FUS/TLS is normally located predominantly in the nucleus, the pathogenic mutant forms of FUS/TLS traffic to, and form inclusions in, the cytoplasm of affected spinal motor neurons or glia. Here we report a yeast model of human FUS/TLS expression that recapitulates multiple salient features of the pathology of the disease-causing mutant proteins, including nuclear to cytoplasmic translocation, inclusion formation, and cytotoxicity. Protein domain analysis indicates that the carboxyl-terminus of FUS/TLS, where most of the ALS-associated mutations are clustered, is required but not sufficient for the toxicity of the protein. A genome-wide genetic screen using a yeast over-expression library identified five yeast DNA/RNA binding proteins, encoded by the yeast genes ECM32, NAM8, SBP1, SKO1, and VHR1, that rescue the toxicity of human FUS/TLS without changing its expression level, cytoplasmic translocation, or inclusion formation. Furthermore, hUPF1, a human homologue of ECM32, also rescues the toxicity of FUS/TLS in this model, validating the yeast model and implicating a possible insufficiency in RNA processing or the RNA quality control machinery in the mechanism of FUS/TLS mediated toxicity. Examination of the effect of FUS/TLS expression on the decay of selected mRNAs in yeast indicates that the nonsense-mediated decay pathway is probably not the major determinant of either toxicity or suppression. PMID:21541368

  10. Black Hessians: American Blacks as German Soldiers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoffman, Elliott W.

    1981-01-01

    The German army in America during the Revolutionary War enlisted Blacks as musicians, laborers, and soldiers. Black soldiers contributed to the mercenaries' military activities, while the German units offered Blacks employment, clothing, food, and a type of escape from slavery. (Author/MJL)

  11. Influence of aeration during propagation of pitching yeast on fermentation and beer flavor.

    PubMed

    Cheong, Chul; Wackerbauer, Karl; Kang, Soon Ah

    2007-02-01

    The effect of yeast propagated at different aeration conditions on yeast physiology, fermentation ability, and beer quality was investigated using three strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It was shown that yeast cells grown under continuous aeration conditions during propagation were almost two times higher as compared with discontinuous aeration conditions. The maximum of cell growth of all samples reached between 36 h and 48 h. The concentration of trehalose was increased under continuous aerated yeasts, whereas glycogen was decreased. It was also observed that the concentration of glycogen and trehalose in yeast cells had no direct effect on subsequent fermentation ability. The effect of yeast propagated under different aeration conditions on subsequent fermentation ability was different from yeast strains, in which the influence will be most pronounced at the first fermentation. Later, the yeasts might regain its original characteristics in the following fermentations. Generally, continuously propagated yeast had a positive effect on beer quality in subsequent fermentation. Hence, the concentration of aroma compounds obtained with yeast propagated under 6 1/h for 48 h aeration was lower than those grown under other aeration conditions in the bottom yeasts; in particular, the amounts of phenylethyl alcohol, ester, and fatty acids were decreased.

  12. Recognition of Yeast Species from Gene Sequence Comparisons

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This review discusses recognition of yeast species from gene sequence comparisons, which have been responsible for doubling the number of known yeasts over the past decade. The resolution provided by various single gene sequences is examined for both ascomycetous and basidiomycetous species, and th...

  13. Tapping into yeast diversity.

    PubMed

    Fay, Justin C

    2012-11-01

    Domesticated organisms demonstrate our capacity to influence wild species but also provide us with the opportunity to understand rapid evolution in the context of substantially altered environments and novel selective pressures. Recent advances in genetics and genomics have brought unprecedented insights into the domestication of many organisms and have opened new avenues for further improvements to be made. Yet, our ability to engineer biological systems is not without limits; genetic manipulation is often quite difficult. The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is not only one of the most powerful model organisms, but is also the premier producer of fermented foods and beverages around the globe. As a model system, it entertains a hefty workforce dedicated to deciphering its genome and the function it encodes at a rich mechanistic level. As a producer, it is used to make leavened bread, and dozens of different alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine. Yet, applying the awesome power of yeast genetics to understanding its origins and evolution requires some knowledge of its wild ancestors and the environments from which they were derived. A number of surprisingly diverse lineages of S. cerevisiae from both primeval and secondary forests in China have been discovered by Wang and his colleagues. These lineages substantially expand our knowledge of wild yeast diversity and will be a boon to elucidating the ecology, evolution and domestication of this academic and industrial workhorse.

  14. Male Yeast Infection: How Can I Tell if I Have One?

    MedlinePlus

    ... tell if I have one? Can men get yeast infections? What are the signs and symptoms of a male yeast infection? Answers from James M. Steckelberg, M.D. Yes, men can get yeast infections, too, which can lead to a condition ...

  15. New insights on the baker's yeast-mediated hydration of oleic acid: the bacterial contaminants of yeast are responsible for the stereoselective formation of (R)-10-hydroxystearic acid.

    PubMed

    Serra, S; De Simeis, D

    2018-03-01

    The preparation of the high-value flavour γ-dodecalactone is based on the biotransformation of natural 10-HSA, which is in turn obtained by microbial hydration of oleic acid. We want to establish a reliable baker's yeast-mediated procedure for 10-HSA preparation. The previously reported yeast-mediated hydration procedures are unreliable because bacteria-free baker's yeast is not able to hydrate oleic acid. The actual responsible for performing this reaction are the bacterial contaminants present in baker's yeast. Moreover, we demonstrated that the enantioselectivity in the production of (R)-10-HSA is affected mainly by the temperature used in the biotransformation. We demonstrated that Saccharomyces cerevisiae is not able to hydrate oleic acid, whereas different bacterial strains present in baker's yeast transform oleic acid into (R)-10-HSA. We reported a general procedure for the preparation of (R)-10-HSA starting from oleic acid and using commercially available baker's yeast. This study holds both scientific and industrial interest. It unambiguously establishes that the eukaryote micro-organisms present in baker's yeast are not able to hydrate oleic acid. The isolation of oleic acid hydrating bacterial strains from commercial baker's yeast points to their prospective use for the industrial synthesis of 10-HSA. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  16. Brettanomyces bruxellensis yeasts: impact on wine and winemaking.

    PubMed

    Agnolucci, Monica; Tirelli, Antonio; Cocolin, Luca; Toffanin, Annita

    2017-09-21

    Yeasts belonging to the Brettanomyces/Dekkera genus are non-conventional yeasts, which affect winemaking by causing wine spoilage all over the world. This mini-review focuses on recent results concerning the presence of Brettanomyces bruxellensis throughout the wine processing chain. Here, culture-dependent and independent methods to detect this yeast on grapes and at the very early stage of wine production are encompassed. Chemical, physical and biological tools, devised for the prevention and control of such a detrimental species during winemaking are also presented. Finally, the mini-review identifies future research areas relevant to the improvement of wine safety and sensory profiles.

  17. The complexity and implications of yeast prion domains

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Prions are infectious proteins with altered conformations converted from otherwise normal host proteins. While there is only one known mammalian prion protein, PrP, a handful of prion proteins have been identified in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast prion proteins usually have a defined region called prion domain (PrD) essential for prion properties, which are typically rich in glutamine (Q) and asparagine (N). Despite sharing several common features, individual yeast PrDs are generally intricate and divergent in their compositional characteristics, which potentially implicates their prion phenotypes, such as prion-mediated transcriptional regulations. PMID:22156731

  18. Yeast biotechnology: teaching the old dog new tricks

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Yeasts are regarded as the first microorganisms used by humans to process food and alcoholic beverages. The technology developed out of these ancient processes has been the basis for modern industrial biotechnology. Yeast biotechnology has gained great interest again in the last decades. Joining the potentials of genomics, metabolic engineering, systems and synthetic biology enables the production of numerous valuable products of primary and secondary metabolism, technical enzymes and biopharmaceutical proteins. An overview of emerging and established substrates and products of yeast biotechnology is provided and discussed in the light of the recent literature. PMID:24602262

  19. Yeast selection for fuel ethanol production in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Basso, Luiz C; de Amorim, Henrique V; de Oliveira, Antonio J; Lopes, Mario L

    2008-11-01

    Brazil is one of the largest ethanol biofuel producers and exporters in the world and its production has increased steadily during the last three decades. The increasing efficiency of Brazilian ethanol plants has been evident due to the many technological contributions. As far as yeast is concerned, few publications are available regarding the industrial fermentation processes in Brazil. The present paper reports on a yeast selection program performed during the last 12 years aimed at selecting Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains suitable for fermentation of sugar cane substrates (cane juice and molasses) with cell recycle, as it is conducted in Brazilian bioethanol plants. As a result, some evidence is presented showing the positive impact of selected yeast strains in increasing ethanol yield and reducing production costs, due to their higher fermentation performance (high ethanol yield, reduced glycerol and foam formation, maintenance of high viability during recycling and very high implantation capability into industrial fermenters). Results also suggest that the great yeast biodiversity found in distillery environments could be an important source of strains. This is because during yeast cell recycling, selective pressure (an adaptive evolution) is imposed on cells, leading to strains with higher tolerance to the stressful conditions of the industrial fermentation.

  20. Downsides and benefits of unicellularity in budding yeast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balazsi, Gabor; Chen, Lin; Kuzdzal-Fick, Jennie

    Yeast cells that do not separate after cell division form clumps. Clumping was shown to aid utilization of certain sugars, but its effects in stressful conditions are unknown. Generally speaking, what are the costs and benefits of unicellularity versus clumping multicellularity in normal and stressful conditions? To address this question, we evolved clumping yeast towards unicellularity by continuously propagating only those cells that remain suspended in liquid culture after settling. Whole-genome sequencing indicated that mutations in the AMN1 (antagonist of mitotic exit network) gene underlie the changes from clumping to unicellular phenotypes in these evolved yeast cells. Simple models predict that clumping should hinder growth in normal conditions while being protective in stress. Accordingly, we find experimentally that yeast clumps are more resistant to freeze/thaw, hydrogen peroxide, and ethanol stressors than their unicellular counterparts. On the other hand, unicellularity seems to be advantageous in normal conditions. Overall, these results reveal the downsides and benefits of unicellularity in different environmental conditions and uncover its genetic bases in yeast. This research was supported by the NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program (1DP2 OD006481-01), by NSF/IOS 1021675 and the Laufer Center for Physical & Quantitative Biology.

  1. Yeast Prions: Structure, Biology, and Prion-Handling Systems

    PubMed Central

    Shewmaker, Frank P.; Bateman, David A.; Edskes, Herman K.; Gorkovskiy, Anton; Dayani, Yaron; Bezsonov, Evgeny E.

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY A prion is an infectious protein horizontally transmitting a disease or trait without a required nucleic acid. Yeast and fungal prions are nonchromosomal genes composed of protein, generally an altered form of a protein that catalyzes the same alteration of the protein. Yeast prions are thus transmitted both vertically (as genes composed of protein) and horizontally (as infectious proteins, or prions). Formation of amyloids (linear ordered β-sheet-rich protein aggregates with β-strands perpendicular to the long axis of the filament) underlies most yeast and fungal prions, and a single prion protein can have any of several distinct self-propagating amyloid forms with different biological properties (prion variants). Here we review the mechanism of faithful templating of protein conformation, the biological roles of these prions, and their interactions with cellular chaperones, the Btn2 and Cur1 aggregate-handling systems, and other cellular factors governing prion generation and propagation. Human amyloidoses include the PrP-based prion conditions and many other, more common amyloid-based diseases, several of which show prion-like features. Yeast prions increasingly are serving as models for the understanding and treatment of many mammalian amyloidoses. Patients with different clinical pictures of the same amyloidosis may be the equivalent of yeasts with different prion variants. PMID:25631286

  2. Cell permeability and nuclear DNA staining by propidium iodide in basidiomycetous yeasts.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ning; Fan, Yuxuan; Li, Chen; Wang, Qiming; Leksawasdi, Noppol; Li, Fuli; Wang, Shi'an

    2018-05-01

    Non-model yeasts within basidiomycetes have considerable importance in agriculture, industry, and environment, but they are not as well studied as ascomycetous yeasts. Serving as a basic technique, nuclear DNA staining is widely used in physiology, ecology, cell biology, and genetics. However, it is unclear whether the classical nuclear DNA staining method for ascomycetous yeasts is applicable to basidiomycetous yeasts. In this study, 5 yeasts ineffectively stained by the classical propidium iodide (PI) staining method were identified from 23 representative basidiomycetous yeasts. Pretreatment of cells using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or snailase markedly improved cell penetration to PI and thus enabled DNA content determination by flow cytometry on the recalcitrant yeasts. The pretreatments are efficient, simple, and fast, avoiding tedious mutagenesis or genetic engineering used in previous reports. The heterogeneity of cell penetration to PI among basidiomycetous yeasts was attributed to the discrepancy in cell wall polysaccharides instead of capsule or plasma membrane. This study also indicated that care must be taken in attributing PI-negative staining as viable cells when studying non-model microorganisms.

  3. Phenotypic Diagnosis of Lineage and Differentiation During Sake Yeast Breeding

    PubMed Central

    Ohnuki, Shinsuke; Okada, Hiroki; Friedrich, Anne; Kanno, Yoichiro; Goshima, Tetsuya; Hasuda, Hirokazu; Inahashi, Masaaki; Okazaki, Naoto; Tamura, Hiroyasu; Nakamura, Ryo; Hirata, Dai; Fukuda, Hisashi; Shimoi, Hitoshi; Kitamoto, Katsuhiko; Watanabe, Daisuke; Schacherer, Joseph; Akao, Takeshi; Ohya, Yoshikazu

    2017-01-01

    Sake yeast was developed exclusively in Japan. Its diversification during breeding remains largely uncharacterized. To evaluate the breeding processes of the sake lineage, we thoroughly investigated the phenotypes and differentiation of 27 sake yeast strains using high-dimensional, single-cell, morphological phenotyping. Although the genetic diversity of the sake yeast lineage is relatively low, its morphological diversity has expanded substantially compared to that of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae species as a whole. Evaluation of the different types of breeding processes showed that the generation of hybrids (crossbreeding) has more profound effects on cell morphology than the isolation of mutants (mutation breeding). Analysis of phenotypic robustness revealed that some sake yeast strains are more morphologically heterogeneous, possibly due to impairment of cellular network hubs. This study provides a new perspective for studying yeast breeding genetics and micro-organism breeding strategies. PMID:28642365

  4. Genetic and phenotypic characteristics of baker's yeast: relevance to baking.

    PubMed

    Randez-Gil, Francisca; Córcoles-Sáez, Isaac; Prieto, José A

    2013-01-01

    Yeasts rarely encounter ideal physiological conditions during their industrial life span; therefore, their ability to adapt to changing conditions determines their usefulness and applicability. This is especially true for baking strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The success of this yeast in the ancient art of bread making is based on its capacity to rapidly transform carbohydrates into CO2 rather than its unusual resistance to environmental stresses. Moreover, baker's yeast must exhibit efficient respiratory metabolism during yeast manufacturing, which determines biomass yield. However, optimal growth conditions often have negative consequences in other commercially important aspects, such as fermentative power or stress tolerance. This article reviews the genetic and physiological characteristics of baking yeast strains, emphasizing the activation of regulatory mechanisms in response to carbon source and stress signaling and their importance in defining targets for strain selection and improvement.

  5. Cellular and molecular effects of yeast probiotics on cancer.

    PubMed

    Saber, Amir; Alipour, Beitollah; Faghfoori, Zeinab; Yari Khosroushahi, Ahmad

    2017-02-01

    The cancer is one of the main causes of human deaths worldwide. The exact mechanisms of initiation and progression of malignancies are not clear yet, but there is a common agreement about the role of colonic microbiota in the etiology of different cancers. Probiotics have been examined for their anti-cancer effects, and different mechanisms have been suggested about their antitumor functions. Nonpathogenic yeasts, as members of probiotics family, can be effective on gut microbiota dysbiosis. Generally safe yeasts have shown so many beneficial effects on human health. Probiotic yeasts influence physiology, metabolism, and immune homeostasis in the colon and contribute to cancer treatment due to possessing anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and anti-cancer properties. This study reviews some of the health-beneficial effects of probiotic yeasts and their biological substances like folic acid and β-glucan on cancer and focuses on the possible cellular and molecular mechanisms of probiotic yeasts such as influencing pathogenic bacteria, inactivation of carcinogenic compounds, especially those derived from food, improvement of intestinal barrier function, modulation of immune responses, antitoxic function, apoptosis, and anti-proliferative effects.

  6. Dietary glucose regulates yeast consumption in adult Drosophila males.

    PubMed

    Lebreton, Sébastien; Witzgall, Peter; Olsson, Marie; Becher, Paul G

    2014-01-01

    The adjustment of feeding behavior in response to hunger and satiety contributes to homeostatic regulation in animals. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster feeds on yeasts growing on overripe fruit, providing nutrients required for adult survival, reproduction and larval growth. Here, we present data on how the nutritional value of food affects subsequent yeast consumption in Drosophila adult males. After a period of starvation, flies showed intensive yeast consumption. In comparison, flies stopped feeding after having access to a nutritive cornmeal diet. Interestingly, dietary glucose was equally efficient as the complex cornmeal diet. In contrast, flies fed with sucralose, a non-metabolizable sweetener, behaved as if they were starved. The adipokinetic hormone and insulin-like peptides regulate metabolic processes in insects. We did not find any effect of the adipokinetic hormone pathway on this modulation. Instead, the insulin pathway was involved in these changes. Flies lacking the insulin receptor (InR) did not respond to nutrient deprivation by increasing yeast consumption. Together these results show the importance of insulin in the regulation of yeast consumption in response to starvation in adult D. melanogaster males.

  7. A Method of Visualizing Three-Dimensional Distribution of Yeast in Bread Dough

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maeda, Tatsurou; Do, Gab-Soo; Sugiyama, Junichi; Oguchi, Kosei; Shiraga, Seizaburou; Ueda, Mitsuyoshi; Takeya, Koji; Endo, Shigeru

    A novel technique was developed to monitor the change in three-dimensional (3D) distribution of yeast in frozen bread dough samples in accordance with the progress of mixing process. Application of a surface engineering technology allowed the identification of yeast in bread dough by bonding EGFP (Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein) to the surface of yeast cells. The fluorescent yeast (a biomarker) was recognized as bright spots at the wavelength of 520 nm. A Micro-Slicer Image Processing System (MSIPS) with a fluorescence microscope was utilized to acquire cross-sectional images of frozen dough samples sliced at intervals of 1 μm. A set of successive two-dimensional images was reconstructed to analyze 3D distribution of yeast. Samples were taken from each of four normal mixing stages (i.e., pick up, clean up, development, and final stages) and also from over mixing stage. In the pick up stage yeast distribution was uneven with local areas of dense yeast. As the mixing progressed from clean up to final stages, the yeast became more evenly distributed throughout the dough sample. However, the uniformity in yeast distribution was lost in the over mixing stage possibly due to the breakdown of gluten structure within the dough sample.

  8. The making of biodiversity across the yeast subphyllum

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Goals for this research project are to determine how the functional diversity of the yeast subphylum is encoded, and to reconstruct the history of yeasts to elucidate the tempo and mode of functional diversification. The impact of this work will be to integrate discoveries within broadly disseminate...

  9. Distribution of dimorphic yeast species in commercial extra virgin olive oil.

    PubMed

    Zullo, B A; Cioccia, G; Ciafardini, G

    2010-12-01

    Recent microbiological research has demonstrated the presence of a rich microflora mainly composed of yeasts in the suspended fraction of freshly produced olive oil. Some of the yeasts are considered useful as they improve the organoleptic characteristics of the oil during preservation, whereas others are considered harmful as they can damage the quality of the oil through the hydrolysis of the triglycerides. However, some dimorphic species can also be found among the unwanted yeasts present in the oil, considered to be opportunistic pathogens to man as they have often been isolated from immunocompromised hospital patients. Present research demonstrates the presence of dimorphic yeast forms in 26% of the commercial extra virgin olive oil originating from different geographical areas, where the dimorphic yeasts are represented by 3-99.5% of the total yeasts. The classified isolates belonged to the opportunistic pathogen species Candida parapsilosis and Candida guilliermondii, while among the dimorphic yeasts considered not pathogenic to man, the Candida diddensiae species was highlighted for the first time in olive oil. The majority of the studied yeast strains resulted lipase positive, and can consequently negatively influence the oil quality through the hydrolysis of the triglycerides. Furthermore, all the strains showed a high level of affinity with some organic solvents and a differing production of biofilm in "vitro" corresponded to a greater or lesser hydrophobia of their cells. Laboratory trials indicated that the dimorphic yeasts studied are sensitive towards some components of the oil among which oleic acid, linoleic acid and triolein, whereas a less inhibiting effect was observed with tricaprilin or when the total polyphenols extracted from the oil were used. The observations carried out on a scanning electron microscope (SEM), demonstrated the production of long un-branched pseudohyphae in all the tested dimorphic yeasts when cultivated on nutrient

  10. Are LIGO's Black Holes Made from Smaller Black Holes?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fishbach, Maya; Holz, Daniel; Farr, Ben; LIGO Collaboration

    2017-01-01

    We consider the hierarchical merger model for the formation of stellar mass black holes (such as the binary black holes observable by LIGO). In the hierarchical merger model, each black hole in a black hole binary is the result of a merger of two lesser black holes from a previous generation, and the previous generation's black holes may themselves be merger products of an even earlier generation. We apply the formulas of Hofmann, Barausse and Rezzolla (2016) to show that if black holes form in this hierarchical merger scenario, their spin magnitudes follow a certain probability distribution. We demonstrate how to compare this spin distribution to LIGO spin measurements in order to constrain the hierarchical merger scenario.

  11. Metabolic engineering of yeast for lignocellulosic biofuel production.

    PubMed

    Jin, Yong-Su; Cate, Jamie Hd

    2017-12-01

    Production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass remains an unsolved challenge in industrial biotechnology. Efforts to use yeast for conversion face the question of which host organism to use, counterbalancing the ease of genetic manipulation with the promise of robust industrial phenotypes. Saccharomyces cerevisiae remains the premier host for metabolic engineering of biofuel pathways, due to its many genetic, systems and synthetic biology tools. Numerous engineering strategies for expanding substrate ranges and diversifying products of S. cerevisiae have been developed. Other yeasts generally lack these tools, yet harbor superior phenotypes that could be exploited in the harsh processes required for lignocellulosic biofuel production. These include thermotolerance, resistance to toxic compounds generated during plant biomass deconstruction, and wider carbon consumption capabilities. Although promising, these yeasts have yet to be widely exploited. By contrast, oleaginous yeasts such as Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing high titers of lipids are rapidly advancing in terms of the tools available for their metabolic manipulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Selection of oleaginous yeasts for fatty acid production.

    PubMed

    Lamers, Dennis; van Biezen, Nick; Martens, Dirk; Peters, Linda; van de Zilver, Eric; Jacobs-van Dreumel, Nicole; Wijffels, René H; Lokman, Christien

    2016-05-27

    Oleaginous yeast species are an alternative for the production of lipids or triacylglycerides (TAGs). These yeasts are usually non-pathogenic and able to store TAGs ranging from 20 % to 70 % of their cell mass depending on culture conditions. TAGs originating from oleaginous yeasts can be used as the so-called second generation biofuels, which are based on non-food competing "waste carbon sources". In this study the selection of potentially new interesting oleaginous yeast strains is described. Important selection criteria were: a broad maximum temperature and pH range for growth (robustness of the strain), a broad spectrum of carbon sources that can be metabolized (preferably including C-5 sugars), a high total fatty acid content in combination with a low glycogen content and genetic accessibility. Based on these selection criteria, among 24 screened species, Schwanniomyces occidentalis (Debaromyces occidentalis) CBS2864 was selected as a promising strain for the production of high amounts of lipids.

  13. Immobilisation increases yeast cells' resistance to dehydration-rehydration treatment.

    PubMed

    Borovikova, Diana; Rozenfelde, Linda; Pavlovska, Ilona; Rapoport, Alexander

    2014-08-20

    This study was performed with the goal of revealing if the dehydration procedure used in our new immobilisation method noticeably decreases the viability of yeast cells in immobilised preparations. Various yeasts were used in this research: Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells that were rather sensitive to dehydration and had been aerobically grown in an ethanol-containing medium, a recombinant strain of S. cerevisiae grown in aerobic conditions which were completely non-resistant to dehydration and an anaerobically grown bakers' yeast strain S. cerevisiae, as well as a fairly resistant Pichia pastoris strain. Experiments performed showed that immobilisation of all these strains essentially increased their resistance to a dehydration-rehydration treatment. The increase of cells' viability (compared with control cells dehydrated in similar conditions) was from 30 to 60%. It is concluded that a new immobilisation method, which includes a dehydration stage, does not lead to an essential loss of yeast cell viability. Correspondingly, there is no risk of losing the biotechnological activities of immobilised preparations. The possibility of producing dry, active yeast preparations is shown, for those strains that are very sensitive to dehydration and which can be used in biotechnology in an immobilised form. Finally, the immobilisation approach can be used for the development of efficient methods for the storage of recombinant yeast strains. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Validity of black hole complementarity in the BTZ black hole

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gim, Yongwan; Kim, Wontae

    2018-01-01

    Based on the gedanken experiment for black hole complementarity in the Schwarzschild black hole, we calculate the energy required to duplicate information in the BTZ black hole under the assumption of absorbing boundary condition and its dual solution of the black string, respectively, in order to justify the validity of the no-cloning theorem in quantum mechanics. For the BTZ black hole, the required energy for the duplication of information can be made fairly small, whereas for the black string it exceeds the total mass of the black string, although they are related to each other under the dual transformation. So, the duplication of information might be possible in the BTZ black hole in contrast to the case of the black string, so that the no-cloning theorem could be violated for the former case. To save the duplication of information for the BTZ black hole, we perform an improved gedanken experiment by using the local thermodynamic quantities near the horizon rather than those defined at infinity, and show that the no-cloning theorem could be made valid even in the BTZ black hole. We also discuss how this local treatment for the no-cloning theorem can be applied to the black string as well as the Schwarzschild black hole innocuously.

  15. Brewers dried yeast as a source of mannan oligosaccharides for weanling pigs.

    PubMed

    White, L A; Newman, M C; Cromwell, G L; Lindemann, M D

    2002-10-01

    Brewers dried yeast, a source of mannan oligosaccharides (MOS), was assessed as an alternative to an antimicrobial agent (carbadox) for young pigs in two experiments. The yeast contained 5.2% MOS. Agglutination tests confirmed adsorption of several serovars of E. coli and Salmonella spp. onto the yeast product. In Exp. 1, seven replicates (five pigs per pen) of 22-d-old pigs were fed a nonmedicated basal diet or the basal diet with carbadox (55 mg/kg), yeast (3%), or a combination of 3% yeast and 2% citric acid for 28 d. Carbadox did not improve growth performance. Growth rate and feed intake were depressed (P < 0.05) in pigs fed yeast alone or in combination with acid. Log counts of total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens in feces were not affected by diet, but Bifidobacteria spp. counts were lower (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the yeast + acid diet and lactobacilli counts were higher (P < 0.05) in pigs fed yeast. Fecal pH and VFA concentrations and intestinal morphological traits were not consistently affected by diet. Serum IgG levels were elevated in the yeast + acid (P < 0.01) group. In Exp. 2, the effects of yeast and carbadox additions to the diet on enteric microbial populations in young pigs housed in isolation units were evaluated. Pigs (n = 24) were weaned at 11 d of age (4.1 kg BW) and placed in isolation chambers (two pigs per chamber) equipped with individual air filtering systems and excrement containers. Treatments were a nonmedicated basal diet and the basal diet with 55 mg/kg of carbadox or with 3% yeast. Diets were fed for 29 d, then each pig was orally dosed with approximately 9.5 x 10(8) CFU of E. coli K88. Daily fecal E. coli K88 counts were not different (P > 0.05) among treatments, but fecal shedding of carbadox-resistant coliforms was higher (P < 0.01) during the 9-d period in pigs fed carbadox. Total fecal coliforms were consistently lower throughout the postinoculation period in pigs fed yeast (P < 0.05). Yeast reduced

  16. Comparative genomics of biotechnologically important yeasts

    PubMed Central

    Riley, Robert; Haridas, Sajeet; Wolfe, Kenneth H.; Lopes, Mariana R.; Hittinger, Chris Todd; Göker, Markus; Salamov, Asaf A.; Wisecaver, Jennifer H.; Long, Tanya M.; Aerts, Andrea L.; Barry, Kerrie W.; Choi, Cindy; Clum, Alicia; Coughlan, Aisling Y.; Deshpande, Shweta; Douglass, Alexander P.; Hanson, Sara J.; Klenk, Hans-Peter; LaButti, Kurt M.; Lapidus, Alla; Lindquist, Erika A.; Lipzen, Anna M.; Meier-Kolthoff, Jan P.; Ohm, Robin A.; Otillar, Robert P.; Pangilinan, Jasmyn L.; Peng, Yi; Rosa, Carlos A.; Scheuner, Carmen; Sibirny, Andriy A.; Slot, Jason C.; Stielow, J. Benjamin; Sun, Hui; Kurtzman, Cletus P.; Blackwell, Meredith; Grigoriev, Igor V.

    2016-01-01

    Ascomycete yeasts are metabolically diverse, with great potential for biotechnology. Here, we report the comparative genome analysis of 29 taxonomically and biotechnologically important yeasts, including 16 newly sequenced. We identify a genetic code change, CUG-Ala, in Pachysolen tannophilus in the clade sister to the known CUG-Ser clade. Our well-resolved yeast phylogeny shows that some traits, such as methylotrophy, are restricted to single clades, whereas others, such as l-rhamnose utilization, have patchy phylogenetic distributions. Gene clusters, with variable organization and distribution, encode many pathways of interest. Genomics can predict some biochemical traits precisely, but the genomic basis of others, such as xylose utilization, remains unresolved. Our data also provide insight into early evolution of ascomycetes. We document the loss of H3K9me2/3 heterochromatin, the origin of ascomycete mating-type switching, and panascomycete synteny at the MAT locus. These data and analyses will facilitate the engineering of efficient biosynthetic and degradative pathways and gateways for genomic manipulation. PMID:27535936

  17. Production of a yeast artificial chromosome for stable expression of a synthetic xylose isomerase-xylulokinase polyprotein in a fuel ethanol yeast strain

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Commercialization of fuel ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass has focused on engineering the glucose-fermenting industrial yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to utilize pentose sugars. A yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) was engineered to contain a polyprotein gene construct expressing xylos...

  18. Black Alcoholism.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watts, Thomas D.; Wright, Roosevelt

    1988-01-01

    Examines some aspects of the problem of alcoholism among Blacks, asserting that Black alcoholism can best be considered in an ecological, environmental, sociocultural, and public health context. Notes need for further research on alcoholism among Blacks and for action to reduce the problem of Black alcoholism. (NB)

  19. Spent yeast as natural source of functional food additives

    PubMed

    Rakowska, Rita; Sadowska, Anna; Dybkowska, Ewa; Świderski, Franciszek

    Spent yeasts are by-products arising from beer and wine production which over many years have been chiefly used as feed additives for livestock. They contain many valuable and bioactive substances which has thereby generated much interest in their exploitation. Up till now, the main products obtained from beer-brewing yeasts are β-glucans and yeast extracts. Other like foodstuffs include dried brewer’s yeast, where this is dried and the bitterness removed to be fit for human consumption as well as mannan-oligosaccharides hitherto used in the feed industry. β-glucans constitute the building blocks of yeast cell walls and can thus be used in human nutrition as dietary supplements or serving as food additives in functional foods. β-glucans products obtained via post-fermentation of beer also exhibit a high and multi-faceted biological activity where they improve the blood’s lipid profile, enhance immunological status and have both prebiotic and anti-oxidant properties. Yeast extracts are currently being used more and more to enhance flavour in foodstuffs, particularly for meat and its products. Depending on how autolysis is carried out, it is possible to design extracts of various meat flavours characteristic of specific meats. Many different flavour profiles can be created which may be additionally increased in combination with vegetable extracts. Within the food market, yeast extracts can appear in various guises such as liquids, pastes or powders. They all contain significant amounts of glutamic acid, 5’-GMP and 5’-IMP nucleotides together with various amino acids and peptides that act synergistically for enhancing the flavour of foodstuff products. Recent studies have demonstrated additional benefits of yeast extracts as valuable sources of amino acids and peptides which can be used in functional foods and dietary supplements. These products possess GRAS status (Generally Recognised As Safe) which thereby also adds further as to why they should be used

  20. Laboratory evolution of copper tolerant yeast strains

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Yeast strains endowed with robustness towards copper and/or enriched in intracellular Cu might find application in biotechnology processes, among others in the production of functional foods. Moreover, they can contribute to the study of human diseases related to impairments of copper metabolism. In this study, we investigated the molecular and physiological factors that confer copper tolerance to strains of baker's yeasts. Results We characterized the effects elicited in natural strains of Candida humilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae by the exposure to copper in the culture broth. We observed that, whereas the growth of Saccharomyces cells was inhibited already at low Cu concentration, C. humilis was naturally robust and tolerated up to 1 g · L-1 CuSO4 in the medium. This resistant strain accumulated over 7 mg of Cu per gram of biomass and escaped severe oxidative stress thanks to high constitutive levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Both yeasts were then "evolved" to obtain hyper-resistant cells able to proliferate in high copper medium. While in S. cerevisiae the evolution of robustness towards Cu was paralleled by the increase of antioxidative enzymes, these same activities decreased in evolved hyper-resistant Candida cells. We also characterized in some detail changes in the profile of copper binding proteins, that appeared to be modified by evolution but, again, in a different way in the two yeasts. Conclusions Following evolution, both Candida and Saccharomyces cells were able to proliferate up to 2.5 g · L-1 CuSO4 and to accumulate high amounts of intracellular copper. The comparison of yeasts differing in their robustness, allowed highlighting physiological and molecular determinants of natural and acquired copper tolerance. We observed that different mechanisms contribute to confer metal tolerance: the control of copper uptake, changes in the levels of enzymes involved in oxidative stress response and changes in the copper

  1. Yeast Biodiversity from DOQ Priorat Uninoculated Fermentations.

    PubMed

    Padilla, Beatriz; García-Fernández, David; González, Beatriz; Izidoro, Iara; Esteve-Zarzoso, Braulio; Beltran, Gemma; Mas, Albert

    2016-01-01

    Climate, soil, and grape varieties are the primary characteristics of terroir and lead to the definition of various appellations of origin. However, the microbiota associated with grapes are also affected by these conditions and can leave a footprint in a wine that will be part of the characteristics of terroir. Thus, a description of the yeast microbiota within a vineyard is of interest not only to provide a better understanding of the winemaking process, but also to understand the source of microorganisms that maintain a microbial footprint in wine from the examined vineyard. In this study, two typical grape varieties, Grenache and Carignan, have been sampled from four different vineyards in the DOQ Priorat winegrowing region. Afterward, eight spontaneous alcoholic fermentations containing only grapes from one sampling point and of one variety were conducted at laboratory scale. The fermentation kinetics and yeast population dynamics within each fermentation experiment were evaluated. Yeast identification was performed by RFLP-PCR of the 5.8S-ITS region and by sequencing D1/D2 of the 26S rRNA gene of the isolates. The fermentation kinetics did not indicate clear differences between the two varieties of grapes or among vineyards. Approximately 1,400 isolates were identified, exhibiting high species richness in some fermentations. Of all the isolates studied, approximately 60% belong to the genus Hanseniaspora, 16% to Saccharomyces, and 11% to Candida. Other minor genera, such as Hansenula, Issatchenkia, Kluyveromyces, Saccharomycodes, and Zygosaccharomyces, were also found. The distribution of the identified yeast throughout the fermentation process was studied, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was found to be present mainly at the end of the fermentation process, while Aureobasidium pullulans was isolated primarily during the first days of fermentation in three of the eight spontaneous fermentations. This work highlights the complexity and diversity of the vineyard

  2. Yeast Biodiversity from DOQ Priorat Uninoculated Fermentations

    PubMed Central

    Padilla, Beatriz; García-Fernández, David; González, Beatriz; Izidoro, Iara; Esteve-Zarzoso, Braulio; Beltran, Gemma; Mas, Albert

    2016-01-01

    Climate, soil, and grape varieties are the primary characteristics of terroir and lead to the definition of various appellations of origin. However, the microbiota associated with grapes are also affected by these conditions and can leave a footprint in a wine that will be part of the characteristics of terroir. Thus, a description of the yeast microbiota within a vineyard is of interest not only to provide a better understanding of the winemaking process, but also to understand the source of microorganisms that maintain a microbial footprint in wine from the examined vineyard. In this study, two typical grape varieties, Grenache and Carignan, have been sampled from four different vineyards in the DOQ Priorat winegrowing region. Afterward, eight spontaneous alcoholic fermentations containing only grapes from one sampling point and of one variety were conducted at laboratory scale. The fermentation kinetics and yeast population dynamics within each fermentation experiment were evaluated. Yeast identification was performed by RFLP-PCR of the 5.8S-ITS region and by sequencing D1/D2 of the 26S rRNA gene of the isolates. The fermentation kinetics did not indicate clear differences between the two varieties of grapes or among vineyards. Approximately 1,400 isolates were identified, exhibiting high species richness in some fermentations. Of all the isolates studied, approximately 60% belong to the genus Hanseniaspora, 16% to Saccharomyces, and 11% to Candida. Other minor genera, such as Hansenula, Issatchenkia, Kluyveromyces, Saccharomycodes, and Zygosaccharomyces, were also found. The distribution of the identified yeast throughout the fermentation process was studied, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was found to be present mainly at the end of the fermentation process, while Aureobasidium pullulans was isolated primarily during the first days of fermentation in three of the eight spontaneous fermentations. This work highlights the complexity and diversity of the vineyard

  3. Yeast Communities of Chestnut Soils under Vineyards in Dagestan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abdullabekova, D. A.; Magomedova, E. S.; Magomedov, G. G.; Aliverdieva, D. A.; Kachalkin, A. V.

    2017-12-01

    The study of yeast communities in chestnut soils (Kastanozems) under vineyards in the Republic of Dagestan made it possible to isolate 20 yeast species. Most of the yeasts under vineyards belonged to ascomycetes, among which species of the Saccharomycetaceae family (in particular, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) comprised a significant part. The obtained results indicate that the soils under vineyards keep the pool of microbial diversity and ensure preservation of many species typical for grapes. The method of enrichment culture on grape juice medium proved to be more efficient than other methods of analysis with respect to the number of isolated species and the rate of their detection. However, implementation of different techniques to study yeasts' diversity can give somewhat different results; a set of methods should be used for an integrated analysis.

  4. Mitochondrial inheritance in budding yeasts: towards an integrated understanding.

    PubMed

    Solieri, Lisa

    2010-11-01

    Recent advances in yeast mitogenomics have significantly contributed to our understanding of the diversity of organization, structure and topology in the mitochondrial genome of budding yeasts. In parallel, new insights on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) inheritance in the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae highlighted an integrated scenario where recombination, replication and segregation of mtDNA are intricately linked to mitochondrial nucleoid (mt-nucleoid) structure and organelle sorting. In addition to this, recent discoveries of bifunctional roles of some mitochondrial proteins have interesting implications on mito-nuclear genome interactions and the relationship between mtDNA inheritance, yeast fitness and speciation. This review summarizes the current knowledge on yeast mitogenomics, mtDNA inheritance with regard to mt-nucleoid structure and organelle dynamics, and mito-nuclear genome interactions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The Fermentative and Aromatic Ability of Kloeckera and Hanseniaspora Yeasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Díaz-Montaño, Dulce M.; de Jesús Ramírez Córdova, J.

    Spontaneous alcoholic fermentation from grape, agave and others musts into an alcoholic beverage is usually characterized by the presence of several non-Saccharomyces yeasts. These genera yeasts are dominant in the early stages of the alcoholic fermentation. However the genera Hanseniaspora and Kloeckera may survive at a significant level during fermentation and can influence the chemical composition of the beverage. Several strains belonging to the species Kloeckera api-culata and Hanseniaspora guilliermondii have been extensively studied in relation to the formation of some metabolic compounds affecting the bouquet of the final product. Indeed some apiculate yeast showed positive oenological properties and their use in the alcoholic fermentations has been suggested to enhance the aroma and flavor profiles. The non- Saccharomyces yeasts have the capability to produce and secrete enzymes in the medium, such as β -glucosidases, which release monoterpenes derived from their glycosylated form. These compounds contribute to the higher fruit-like characteristic of final product. This chapter reviews metabolic activity of Kloeckera and Hanseniaspora yeasts in several aspects: fermentative capability, aromatic compounds production and transformation of aromatic precursor present in the must, also covers the molecular methods for identifying of the yeast

  6. Yeast Infection and Diabetes Mellitus among Pregnant Mother in Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Sopian, Iylia Liyana; Shahabudin, Sa’adiah; Ahmed, Mowaffaq Adam; Lung, Leslie Than Thian; Sandai, Doblin

    2016-01-01

    Background Vaginal yeast infection refers to irritation of the vagina due to the presence of opportunistic yeast of the genus Candida (mostly Candida albicans). About 75% of women will have at least one episode of vaginal yeast infection during their lifetime. Several studies have shown that pregnancy and uncontrolled diabetes increase the infection risk. Reproductive hormone fluctuations during pregnancy and elevated glucose levels characteristic of diabetes provide the carbon needed for Candida overgrowth and infection. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of vaginal yeast infection among pregnant women with and without diabetes. Methods This was a case-control study using cases reports from Kepala Batas Health Clinic, Penang State, Malaysia from 2006 to 2012. In total, 740 pregnant ladies were chosen as sample of which 370 were diabetic and 370 were non-diabetic cases. Results No relationship between diabetes and the occurrence of vaginal yeast infection in pregnant women was detected, and there was no significant association between infection and age group, race or education level. Conclusion In conclusion, within radius of this study, vaginal yeast infection can occur randomly in pregnant women. PMID:27540323

  7. Flor yeasts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae--their ecology, genetics and metabolism.

    PubMed

    Alexandre, Hervé

    2013-10-15

    The aging of certain white wines is dependent on the presence of yeast strains that develop a biofilm on the wine surface after the alcoholic fermentation. These strains belong to the genus Saccharomyces and are called flor yeasts. These strains possess distinctive characteristics compared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermenting strain. The most important one is their capacity to form a biofilm on the air-liquid interface of the wine. The major gene involved in this phenotype is FLO11, however other genes are also involved in velum formation by these yeast and will be detailed. Other striking features presented in this review are their aneuploidy, and their mitochondrial DNA polymorphism which seems to reflect adaptive evolution of the yeast to a stressful environment where acetaldehyde and ethanol are present at elevated concentration. The biofilm assures access to oxygen and therefore permits continued growth on non-fermentable ethanol. This specific metabolism explains the peculiar organoleptic profile of these wines, especially their content in acetaldehyde and sotolon. This review deals with these different specificities of flor yeasts and will also underline the existing gaps regarding these astonishing yeasts. © 2013.

  8. Black Music: Sound and Feeling for Black Liberation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McClendon, William H.

    1976-01-01

    Focuses on contemporary black music and the assortment of persons who produce it noting that black music is one area where black people provide their definitions and make their own judgements. (Author/AM)

  9. Tolerance of budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to ultra high pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shibata, M.; Torigoe, M.; Matsumoto, Y.; Yamamoto, M.; Takizawa, N.; Hada, Y.; Mori, Y.; Takarabe, K.; Ono, F.

    2014-05-01

    Our studies on the tolerance of plants and animals against very high pressure of several GPa have been extended to a smaller sized fungus, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Several pieces of budding yeast (dry yeast) were sealed in a small teflon capsule with a liquid pressure medium fluorinate, and exposed to 7.5 GPa by using a cubic anvil press. The pressure was kept constant for various duration of time from 2 to 24 h. After the pressure was released, the specimens were brought out from the teflon capsule, and they were cultivated on a potato dextrose agar. It was found that the budding yeast exposed to 7.5 GPa for up to 6 h showed multiplication. However, those exposed to 7.5 GPa for longer than 12 h were found dead. The high pressure tolerance of budding yeast is a little weaker than that of tardigrades.

  10. Conditions of activation of yeast plasma membrane ATPase.

    PubMed

    Sychrová, H; Kotyk, A

    1985-04-08

    The in vivo activation of the H+-ATPase of baker's yeast plasma membrane found by Serrano in 1983 was demonstrated with D-glucose aerobically and anaerobically (as well as in a respiration-deficient mutant) and, after suitable induction, with maltose, trehalose, and galactose. The activated but not the control ATPase was sensitive to oligomycin. No activation was possible in a cell-free extract with added glucose. The ATPase was not activated in yeast protoplasts which may account for the absence of glucose-stimulated secondary active transports in these wall-less cells and provide support for a microscopic coupling between ATPase activity and these transports in yeast cells.

  11. Co-fermentation of glucose, xylose and/or cellobiose by yeast

    DOEpatents

    Jeffries, Thomas W.; Willis, Laura B.; Long, Tanya M.; Su, Yi-Kai

    2013-09-10

    Provided herein are methods of using yeast cells to produce ethanol by contacting a mixture comprising xylose with a Spathaspora yeast cell under conditions suitable to allow the yeast to ferment at least a portion of the xylose to ethanol. The methods allow for efficient ethanol production from hydrolysates derived from lignocellulosic material and sugar mixtures including at least xylose and glucose or xylose, glucose and cellobiose.

  12. Yeast: An Overlooked Component of Bactrocera tryoni (Diptera: Tephritidae) Larval Gut Microbiota.

    PubMed

    Deutscher, Ania T; Reynolds, Olivia L; Chapman, Toni A

    2017-02-01

    Yeasts, often in hydrolyzed form, are key ingredients in the larval and adult diets of tephritid fruit fly colonies. However, very little is known about the presence or role of yeasts in the diets of tephritid fruit flies in nature. Previous studies have identified bacteria but not detected yeasts in the gut of Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt), one of Australia's most economically damaging insect pests of horticultural crops and of significant biosecurity concern domestically and internationally. Here we demonstrate that cultivable yeasts are commonly found in the gut of B. tryoni larvae from fruit hosts. Analysis of the ITS1, 5.8S rRNA gene, and ITS2 sequences of randomly selected isolates identified yeasts and yeast-like fungi of the genera Aureobasidium, Candida, Cryptococcus, Hanseniaspora, Pichia, and Starmerella. The prevalence of these yeasts in fruits suggests that larvae consume the yeasts as part of their diet. This work highlights that yeasts should be considered in future tephritid larval gut microbiota studies. Understanding tephritid-microbial symbiont interactions will lead to improvements in artificial diets and the quality of mass-reared tephritids for the sterile insect technique. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Yeast prions: structure, biology, and prion-handling systems.

    PubMed

    Wickner, Reed B; Shewmaker, Frank P; Bateman, David A; Edskes, Herman K; Gorkovskiy, Anton; Dayani, Yaron; Bezsonov, Evgeny E

    2015-03-01

    A prion is an infectious protein horizontally transmitting a disease or trait without a required nucleic acid. Yeast and fungal prions are nonchromosomal genes composed of protein, generally an altered form of a protein that catalyzes the same alteration of the protein. Yeast prions are thus transmitted both vertically (as genes composed of protein) and horizontally (as infectious proteins, or prions). Formation of amyloids (linear ordered β-sheet-rich protein aggregates with β-strands perpendicular to the long axis of the filament) underlies most yeast and fungal prions, and a single prion protein can have any of several distinct self-propagating amyloid forms with different biological properties (prion variants). Here we review the mechanism of faithful templating of protein conformation, the biological roles of these prions, and their interactions with cellular chaperones, the Btn2 and Cur1 aggregate-handling systems, and other cellular factors governing prion generation and propagation. Human amyloidoses include the PrP-based prion conditions and many other, more common amyloid-based diseases, several of which show prion-like features. Yeast prions increasingly are serving as models for the understanding and treatment of many mammalian amyloidoses. Patients with different clinical pictures of the same amyloidosis may be the equivalent of yeasts with different prion variants. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  14. Black Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Angela Khristin

    2013-01-01

    The migration of blacks in North America through slavery became united. The population of blacks passed down a tradition of artist through art to native born citizens. The art tradition involved telling stories to each generation in black families. The black culture elevated by tradition created hope to determine their personal freedom to escape…

  15. A polyphasic study on the taxonomic position of industrial sour dough yeasts.

    PubMed

    Mäntynen, V H; Korhola, M; Gudmundsson, H; Turakainen, H; Alfredsson, G A; Salovaara, H; Lindström, K

    1999-02-01

    The sour dough bread making process is extensively used to produce wholesome palatable rye bread. The process is traditionally done using a back-slopping procedure. Traditional sour doughs in Finland comprise of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The yeasts present in these doughs have been enriched in the doughs due to their metabolic activities, e.g. acid tolerance. We characterized the yeasts in five major sour bread bakeries in Finland. We found that most of the commercial sour doughs contained yeasts which were similar to Candida milleri on the basis of 18S rDNA and EF-3 PCR-RFLP patterns and metabolic activities. Some of the bakery yeasts exhibited extensive karyotype polymorphism. The minimum growth temperature was 8 degrees C for C. milleri and also for most of sour dough yeasts.

  16. Mitochondrial metabolism and stress response of yeast: Applications in fermentation technologies.

    PubMed

    Kitagaki, Hiroshi; Takagi, Hiroshi

    2014-04-01

    Mitochondria are sites of oxidative respiration. During sake brewing, sake yeasts are exposed to long periods of hypoxia; the structure, role, and metabolism of mitochondria of sake yeasts have not been studied in detail. It was first elucidated that the mitochondrial structure of sake yeast transforms from filamentous to dotted structure during sake brewing, which affects malate metabolism. Based on the information of yeast mitochondria during sake brewing, practical technologies have been developed; (i) breeding pyruvate-underproducing sake yeast by the isolation of a mutant resistant to an inhibitor of mitochondrial pyruvate transport; and (ii) modifying malate and succinate production by manipulating mitochondrial activity. During the bread-making process, baker's yeast cells are exposed to a variety of baking-associated stresses, such as freeze-thaw, air-drying, and high sucrose concentrations. These treatments induce oxidative stress generating reactive oxygen species due to mitochondrial damage. A novel metabolism of proline and arginine catalyzed by N-acetyltransferase Mpr1 in the mitochondria eventually leads to synthesis of nitric oxide, which confers oxidative stress tolerance on yeast cells. The enhancement of proline and arginine metabolism could be promising for breeding novel baker's yeast strains that are tolerant to multiple baking-associated stresses. These new and practical methods provide approaches to improve the processes in the field of industrial fermentation technologies. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Carbon source utilization and inhibitor tolerance of 45 oleaginous yeast species

    PubMed Central

    Sitepu, Irnayuli; Selby, Tylan; Lin, Ting; Zhu, Shirley; Boundy-Mills, Kyria

    2014-01-01

    Conversion of lignocellulosic hydrolysates to lipids using oleaginous (high lipid) yeasts requires alignment of the hydrolysate composition with the characteristics of the yeast strain, including ability to utilize certain nutrients, ability to grow independently of costly nutrients such as vitamins, and ability to tolerate inhibitors. Some combination of these characteristics may be present in wild strains. In this study, 48 oleaginous yeast strains belonging to 45 species were tested for ability to utilize carbon sources associated with lignocellulosic hydrolysates, tolerate inhibitors, and grow in medium without supplemented vitamins. Some well-studied oleaginous yeast species, as well as some that have not been frequently utilized in research or industrial production, emerged as promising candidates for industrial use due to ability to utilize many carbon sources, including Cryptococcus aureus, Cryptococcus laurentii, Hanaella aff. zeae, Tremella encephala, and Trichosporon coremiiforme. Other species excelled in inhibitor tolerance, including Candida aff. tropicalis, Cyberlindnera jadinii, Metschnikowia pulcherrima Schwanniomyces occidentalis and Wickerhamomyces ciferii. No yeast tested could utilize all carbon sources and tolerate all inhibitors tested. These results indicate that yeast strains should be selected based on characteristics compatible with the composition of the targeted hydrolysate. Other factors to consider include the production of valuable co-products such as carotenoids, availability of genetic tools, biosafety level, and flocculation of the yeast strain. The data generated in this study will aid in aligning yeasts with compatible hydrolysates for conversion of carbohydrates to lipids to be used for biofuels and other oleochemicals. PMID:24818698

  18. Solving ethanol production problems with genetically modified yeast strains

    PubMed Central

    Abreu-Cavalheiro, A.; Monteiro, G.

    2013-01-01

    The current world demand for bioethanol is increasing as a consequence of low fossil fuel availability and a growing number of ethanol/gasoline flex-fuel cars. In addition, countries in several parts of the world have agreed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and the use of ethanol as a fuel (which produces fewer pollutants than petroleum products) has been considered to be a good alternative to petroleum products. The ethanol that is produced in Brazil from the first-generation process is optimized and can be accomplished at low cost. However, because of the large volume of ethanol that is produced and traded each year, any small improvement in the process could represent a savings of billions dollars. Several Brazilian research programs are investing in sugarcane improvement, but little attention has been given to the improvement of yeast strains that participate in the first-generation process at present. The Brazilian ethanol production process uses sugarcane as a carbon source for the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast is then grown at a high cellular density and high temperatures in large-capacity open tanks with cells recycle. All of these culture conditions compel the yeast to cope with several types of stress. Among the main stressors are high temperatures and high ethanol concentrations inside the fermentation tanks during alcohol production. Moreover, the competition between the desired yeast strains, which are inoculated at the beginning of the process, with contaminants such as wild type yeasts and bacteria, requires acid treatment to successfully recycle the cells. This review is focused on describing the problems and stressors within the Brazilian ethanol production system. It also highlights some genetic modifications that can help to circumvent these difficulties in yeast. PMID:24516432

  19. Solving ethanol production problems with genetically modified yeast strains.

    PubMed

    Abreu-Cavalheiro, A; Monteiro, G

    2013-01-01

    The current world demand for bioethanol is increasing as a consequence of low fossil fuel availability and a growing number of ethanol/gasoline flex-fuel cars. In addition, countries in several parts of the world have agreed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and the use of ethanol as a fuel (which produces fewer pollutants than petroleum products) has been considered to be a good alternative to petroleum products. The ethanol that is produced in Brazil from the first-generation process is optimized and can be accomplished at low cost. However, because of the large volume of ethanol that is produced and traded each year, any small improvement in the process could represent a savings of billions dollars. Several Brazilian research programs are investing in sugarcane improvement, but little attention has been given to the improvement of yeast strains that participate in the first-generation process at present. The Brazilian ethanol production process uses sugarcane as a carbon source for the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast is then grown at a high cellular density and high temperatures in large-capacity open tanks with cells recycle. All of these culture conditions compel the yeast to cope with several types of stress. Among the main stressors are high temperatures and high ethanol concentrations inside the fermentation tanks during alcohol production. Moreover, the competition between the desired yeast strains, which are inoculated at the beginning of the process, with contaminants such as wild type yeasts and bacteria, requires acid treatment to successfully recycle the cells. This review is focused on describing the problems and stressors within the Brazilian ethanol production system. It also highlights some genetic modifications that can help to circumvent these difficulties in yeast.

  20. Multiple α-Glucoside Transporter Genes in Brewer’s Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Jespersen, Lene; Cesar, Lene B.; Meaden, Philip G.; Jakobsen, Mogens

    1999-01-01

    Maltose and maltotriose are the two most abundant fermentable sugars in brewer’s wort, and the rate of uptake of these sugars by brewer’s yeast can have a major impact on fermentation performance. In spite of this, no information is currently available on the genetics of maltose and maltotriose uptake in brewing strains of yeast. In this work, we studied 30 brewing strains of yeast (5 ale strains and 25 lager strains) with the aim of examining the alleles of maltose and maltotriose transporter genes contained by them. To do this, we hybridized gene probes to chromosome blots. Studies performed with laboratory strains have shown that maltose utilization is conferred by any one of five unlinked but highly homologous MAL loci (MAL1 to MAL4 and MAL6). Gene 1 at each locus encodes a maltose transporter. All of the strains of brewer’s yeast examined except two were found to contain MAL11 and MAL31 sequences, and only one of these strains lacked MAL41. MAL21 was not present in the five ale strains and 12 of the lager strains. MAL61 was not found in any of the yeast strains. In three of the lager strains, there was evidence that MAL transporter gene sequences occurred on chromosomes other than those known to carry MAL loci. Sequences corresponding to the AGT1 gene, which encodes a transporter of several α-glucosides, including maltose and maltotriose, were detected in all but one of the yeast strains. Homologues of AGT1 were identified in three of the lager strains, and two of these homologues were mapped, one to chromosome II and the other to chromosome XI. AGT1 appears to be a member of a family of closely related genes, which may have arisen in brewer’s yeast in response to selective pressure. PMID:9925567

  1. Association between Grape Yeast Communities and the Vineyard Ecosystems

    PubMed Central

    Drumonde-Neves, João; Lima, Teresa; Schuller, Dorit; Pais, Célia

    2017-01-01

    The grape yeast biota from several wine-producing areas, with distinct soil types and grapevine training systems, was assessed on five islands of Azores Archipelago, and differences in yeast communities composition associated with the geographic origin of the grapes were explored. Fifty-seven grape samples belonging to the Vitis vinifera grapevine cultivars Verdelho dos Açores (Verdelho), Arinto da Terceira (Arinto) and Terrantez do Pico (Terrantez) were collected in two consecutive years and 40 spontaneous fermentations were achieved. A total of 1710 yeast isolates were obtained from freshly crushed grapes and 1200 from final stage of fermentations. Twenty-eight species were identified, Hanseniaspura uvarum, Pichia terricola and Metschnikowia pulcherrima being the three most representative species isolated. Candida carpophila was encountered for the first time as an inhabitant of grape or wine-associated environments. In both sampling years, a higher proportion of H. uvarum in fresh grapes from Verdelho cultivar was observed, in comparison with Arinto cultivar. Qualitatively significant differences were found among yeast communities from several locations on five islands of the Archipelago, particularly in locations with distinctive agro-ecological compositions. Our results are in agreement with the statement that grape-associated microbial biogeography is non-randomly associated with interactions of climate, soil, cultivar, and vine training systems in vineyard ecosystems. Our observations strongly support a possible linkage between grape yeast and wine typicality, reinforcing the statement that different viticultural terroirs harbor distinctive yeast biota, in particular in vineyards with very distinctive environmental conditions. PMID:28085916

  2. Characterization of the interaction of yeast enolase with polynucleotides.

    PubMed

    al-Giery, A G; Brewer, J M

    1992-09-23

    Yeast enolase is inhibited under certain conditions by DNA. The enzyme binds to single-stranded DNA-cellulose. Inhibition was used for routine characterization of the interaction. The presence of the substrate 2-phospho-D-glycerate reduces inhibition and binding. Both yeast enolase isozymes behave similarly. Impure yeast enolase was purified by adsorption onto a single-stranded DNA-cellulose column followed by elution with substrate. Interaction with RNA, double-stranded DNA, or degraded DNA results in less inhibition, suggesting that yeast enolase preferentially binds single-stranded DNA. However, yeast enolase is not a DNA-unwinding protein. The enzyme is inhibited by the short synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides G6, G8 and G10 but not T8 or T6, suggesting some base specificity in the interaction. The interaction is stronger at more acid pH values, with an apparent pK of 5.6. The interaction is prevented by 0.3 M KCl, suggesting that electrostatic factors are important. Histidine or lysine reverse the inhibition at lower concentrations, while phosphate is still more effective. Binding of single-stranded DNA to enolase reduces the reaction of protein histidyl residues with diethylpyrocarbonate. The inhibition of yeast enolase by single-stranded DNA is not total, and suggests the active site is not directly involved in the interaction. Binding of substrate may induce a conformational change in the enzyme that interferes with DNA binding and vice versa.

  3. Dietary glucose regulates yeast consumption in adult Drosophila males

    PubMed Central

    Lebreton, Sébastien; Witzgall, Peter; Olsson, Marie; Becher, Paul G.

    2014-01-01

    The adjustment of feeding behavior in response to hunger and satiety contributes to homeostatic regulation in animals. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster feeds on yeasts growing on overripe fruit, providing nutrients required for adult survival, reproduction and larval growth. Here, we present data on how the nutritional value of food affects subsequent yeast consumption in Drosophila adult males. After a period of starvation, flies showed intensive yeast consumption. In comparison, flies stopped feeding after having access to a nutritive cornmeal diet. Interestingly, dietary glucose was equally efficient as the complex cornmeal diet. In contrast, flies fed with sucralose, a non-metabolizable sweetener, behaved as if they were starved. The adipokinetic hormone and insulin-like peptides regulate metabolic processes in insects. We did not find any effect of the adipokinetic hormone pathway on this modulation. Instead, the insulin pathway was involved in these changes. Flies lacking the insulin receptor (InR) did not respond to nutrient deprivation by increasing yeast consumption. Together these results show the importance of insulin in the regulation of yeast consumption in response to starvation in adult D. melanogaster males. PMID:25566097

  4. The Yeast Copper Response Is Regulated by DNA Damage

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Kangzhen; Addinall, Stephen G.; Lydall, David

    2013-01-01

    Copper is an essential but potentially toxic redox-active metal, so the levels and distribution of this metal are carefully regulated to ensure that it binds to the correct proteins. Previous studies of copper-dependent transcription in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have focused on the response of genes to changes in the exogenous levels of copper. We now report that yeast copper genes are regulated in response to the DNA-damaging agents methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and hydroxyurea by a mechanism(s) that requires the copper-responsive transcription factors Mac1 and AceI, copper superoxide dismutase (Sod1) activity, and the Rad53 checkpoint kinase. Furthermore, in copper-starved yeast, the response of the Rad53 pathway to MMS is compromised due to a loss of Sod1 activity, consistent with the model that yeast imports copper to ensure Sod1 activity and Rad53 signaling. Crucially, the Mac1 transcription factor undergoes changes in its redox state in response to changing levels of copper or MMS. This study has therefore identified a novel regulatory relationship between cellular redox, copper homeostasis, and the DNA damage response in yeast. PMID:23959798

  5. Primers-4-Yeast: a comprehensive web tool for planning primers for Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Yofe, Ido; Schuldiner, Maya

    2014-02-01

    The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a key model organism of functional genomics, due to its ease and speed of genetic manipulations. In fact, in this yeast, the requirement for homologous sequences for recombination purposes is so small that 40 base pairs (bp) are sufficient. Hence, an enormous variety of genetic manipulations can be performed by simply planning primers with the correct homology, using a defined set of transformation plasmids. Although designing primers for yeast transformations and for the verification of their correct insertion is a common task in all yeast laboratories, primer planning is usually done manually and a tool that would enable easy, automated primer planning for the yeast research community is still lacking. Here we introduce Primers-4-Yeast, a web tool that allows primers to be designed in batches for S. cerevisiae gene-targeting transformations, and for the validation of correct insertions. This novel tool enables fast, automated, accurate primer planning for large sets of genes, introduces consistency in primer planning and is therefore suggested to serve as a standard in yeast research. Primers-4-Yeast is available at: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/Primers-4-Yeast Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Black holes.

    PubMed

    Brügmann, B; Ghez, A M; Greiner, J

    2001-09-11

    Recent progress in black hole research is illustrated by three examples. We discuss the observational challenges that were met to show that a supermassive black hole exists at the center of our galaxy. Stellar-size black holes have been studied in x-ray binaries and microquasars. Finally, numerical simulations have become possible for the merger of black hole binaries.

  7. Clinical and tree hollow populations of human pathogenic yeast in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada are different.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, Chris; Yang, Jiaqi; Vogan, Aaron; Maganti, Harinad; Yamamura, Deborah; Xu, Jianping

    2014-05-01

    Yeast are among the most frequent pathogens in humans. The dominant yeast causing human infections belong to the genus Candida and Candida albicans is the most frequently isolated species. However, several non-C. albicans species are becoming increasingly common in patients worldwide. The relationships between yeast in humans and the natural environments remain poorly understood. Furthermore, it is often difficult to identify or exclude the origins of disease-causing yeast from specific environmental reservoirs. In this study, we compared the yeast isolates from tree hollows and from clinics in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Our surveys and analyses showed significant differences in yeast species composition, in their temporal dynamics, and in yeast genotypes between isolates from tree hollows and hospitals. Our results are inconsistent with the hypothesis that yeast from trees constitute a significant source of pathogenic yeast in humans in this region. Similarly, the yeast in humans and clinics do not appear to contribute to yeast in tree hollows. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  8. Genetically modified yeast species, and fermentation processes using genetically modified yeast

    DOEpatents

    Rajgarhia, Vineet [Kingsport, TN; Koivuranta, Kari [Helsinki, FI; Penttila, Merja [Helsinki, FI; Ilmen, Marja [Helsinki, FI; Suominen, Pirkko [Maple Grove, MN; Aristidou, Aristos [Maple Grove, MN; Miller, Christopher Kenneth [Cottage Grove, MN; Olson, Stacey [St. Bonifacius, MN; Ruohonen, Laura [Helsinki, FI

    2014-01-07

    Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications include deletion of non-specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.

  9. [Antivirus effect of polysaccharides of brewer yeast in vitro].

    PubMed

    Li, F; Shi, Y; Guan, X; Zhang, S; Tian, T

    1998-03-01

    The antivirus effect of polysaccharides of brewer yeast from yeast mud on 13 kinds of viruses including DNA and RNA virus along with their mechanisms were studied. The result showed that this effect was remarkable on the infections with poliovirus III, adenovirus III, ECHO6 virus, enterovirus 71, vesicular stomatitis virus, herpesvirus I, II, coxsackie A16 virus and coxsackie B3 virus. The polysaccharides of brewer yeast could also inhibit the development of cytopathic effect(CPE) and protect cultural cells from being infected with the above viruses.

  10. On the Charter Question: Black Marxism and Black Nationalism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stern, Mark; Hussain, Khuram

    2015-01-01

    This article brings two black intellectual traditions to bear on the question of charter schools: black Marxism and black nationalism. The authors examine the theoretical and rhetorical devices used to talk about charters schools by focusing on how notions of "black liberation" are deployed by the charter movement, and to what end. The…

  11. "Be Real Black for Me": Imagining BlackCrit in Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dumas, Michael J.; ross, kihana miraya

    2016-01-01

    The authors put forward a theorization of a Black Critical Theory, or what might be called BlackCrit, within, and in response to, Critical Race Theory, and then outline ways that BlackCrit in education helps us to more incisively analyze how the specificity of (anti)blackness matters in explaining how Black bodies become marginalized, disregarded,…

  12. Indigenous Georgian Wine-Associated Yeasts and Grape Cultivars to Edit the Wine Quality in a Precision Oenology Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Vigentini, Ileana; Maghradze, David; Petrozziello, Maurizio; Bonello, Federica; Mezzapelle, Vito; Valdetara, Federica; Failla, Osvaldo; Foschino, Roberto

    2016-01-01

    In Georgia, one of the most ancient vine-growing environment, the homemade production of wine is still very popular in every rural family and spontaneous fermentation of must, without addition of chemical preservatives, is the norm. The present work investigated the yeast biodiversity in five Georgian areas (Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kartli, Ratcha-Lechkhumi) sampling grapes and wines from 22 different native cultivars, in 26 vineyards and 19 family cellars. One hundred and eighty-two isolates were ascribed to 15 different species by PCR-ITS and RFLP, and partial sequencing of D1/D2 domain 26S rDNA gene. Metschnikowia pulcherrima (F’ = 0.56, I’ = 0.32), Hanseniaspora guilliermondii (F’ = 0.49, I’ = 0.27), and Cryptococcus flavescens (F’ = 0.31, I’ = 0.11) were the dominant yeasts found on grapes, whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed the highest prevalence into wine samples. Seventy four isolates with fermentative potential were screened for oenological traits such as ethanol production, resistance to SO2, and acetic acid, glycerol and H2S production. Three yeast strains (Kluyveromyces marxianus UMY207, S. cerevisiae UMY255, Torulaspora delbrueckii UMY196) were selected and separately inoculated in vinifications experiments at a Georgian cellar. Musts were prepared from healthy grapes of local varieties, Goruli Mtsvane (white berry cultivar) and Saperavi (black berry cultivar). Physical (°Brix) and microbial analyses (plate counts) were performed to monitor the fermentative process. The isolation of indigenous S. cerevisiae yeasts beyond the inoculated strains indicated that a co-presence occurred during the vinification tests. Results from quantitative GC-FID analysis of volatile compounds revealed that the highest amount of fermentation flavors, such as 4-ethoxy-4-oxobutanoic acid (monoethyl succinate), 2-methylpropan-1-ol, ethyl 2-hydroxypropanoate, and 2-phenylethanol, were significantly more produced in fermentation conducted in Saperavi variety

  13. RNA interactome capture in yeast.

    PubMed

    Beckmann, Benedikt M

    2017-04-15

    RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are key players in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. To be able to unbiasedly identify RBPs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we developed a yeast RNA interactome capture protocol which employs RNA labeling, covalent UV crosslinking of RNA and proteins at 365nm wavelength (photoactivatable-ribonucleoside-enhanced crosslinking, PAR-CL) and finally purification of the protein-bound mRNA. The method can be easily implemented in common workflows and takes about 3days to complete. Next to a comprehensive explanation of the method, we focus on our findings about the choice of crosslinking in yeast and discuss the rationale of individual steps in the protocol. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. The Yeast Nuclear Pore Complex

    PubMed Central

    Rout, Michael P.; Aitchison, John D.; Suprapto, Adisetyantari; Hjertaas, Kelly; Zhao, Yingming; Chait, Brian T.

    2000-01-01

    An understanding of how the nuclear pore complex (NPC) mediates nucleocytoplasmic exchange requires a comprehensive inventory of the molecular components of the NPC and a knowledge of how each component contributes to the overall structure of this large molecular translocation machine. Therefore, we have taken a comprehensive approach to classify all components of the yeast NPC (nucleoporins). This involved identifying all the proteins present in a highly enriched NPC fraction, determining which of these proteins were nucleoporins, and localizing each nucleoporin within the NPC. Using these data, we present a map of the molecular architecture of the yeast NPC and provide evidence for a Brownian affinity gating mechanism for nucleocytoplasmic transport. PMID:10684247

  15. Sake yeast strains have difficulty in entering a quiescent state after cell growth cessation.

    PubMed

    Urbanczyk, Henryk; Noguchi, Chiemi; Wu, Hong; Watanabe, Daisuke; Akao, Takeshi; Takagi, Hiroshi; Shimoi, Hitoshi

    2011-07-01

    Sake yeast strains produce a high concentration of ethanol during sake brewing compared to laboratory yeast strains. As ethanol fermentation by yeast cells continues even after cell growth stops, analysis of the physiological state of the stationary phase cells is very important for understanding the mechanism of producing higher concentrations of ethanol. We compared the physiological characteristics of stationary phase cells of both sake and laboratory yeast strains in an aerobic batch culture and under sake brewing conditions. We unexpectedly found that sake yeast cells in the stationary phase had a lower buoyant density and stress tolerance than did the laboratory yeast cells under both experimental conditions. These results suggest that it is difficult for sake yeast cells to enter a quiescent state after cell growth has stopped, which may be one reason for the higher fermentation rate of sake yeast compared to laboratory yeast strains. Copyright © 2011 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. [Urinary infection by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Emerging yeast?].

    PubMed

    Elkhihal, B; Elhalimi, M; Ghfir, B; Mostachi, A; Lyagoubi, M; Aoufi, S

    2015-12-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a commensal yeast of the digestive, respiratory and genito-urinary tract. It is widely used as a probiotic for the treatment of post-antibiotic diarrhea. It most often occurs in immunocompromised patients frequently causing fungemia. We report the case of an adult diabetic patient who had a urinary tract infection due to S. cerevisiae. The disease started with urination associated with urinary frequency burns without fever. The diagnosis was established by the presence of yeasts on direct examination and positivity of culture on Sabouraud-chloramphenicol three times. The auxanogramme gallery (Auxacolor BioRad(®)) allowed the identification of S. cerevisiae. The patient was put on fluconazole with good outcome. This observation points out that this is an opportunistic yeast in immunocompromised patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Light-mediated control of DNA transcription in yeast

    PubMed Central

    Hughes, Robert M.; Bolger, Steven; Tapadia, Hersh; Tucker, Chandra L.

    2012-01-01

    A variety of methods exist for inducible control of DNA transcription in yeast. These include the use of native yeast promoters or regulatory elements that are responsive to small molecules such as galactose, methionine, and copper, or engineered systems that allow regulation by orthogonal small molecules such as estrogen. While chemically regulated systems are easy to use and can yield high levels of protein expression, they often provide imprecise control over protein levels. Moreover, chemically regulated systems can affect many other proteins and pathways in yeast, activating signaling pathways or physiological responses. Here, we describe several methods for light mediated control of DNA transcription in vivo in yeast. We describe methodology for using a red light and phytochrome dependent system to induce transcription of genes under GAL1 promoter control, as well as blue light / cryptochrome dependent systems to control transcription of genes under GAL1 promoter or LexA operator control. Light is dose dependent, inexpensive to apply, easily delivered, and does not interfere with cellular pathways, and thus has significant advantages over chemical systems. PMID:22922268

  18. The yeast flora of the coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens.

    PubMed

    Middelhoven, W J

    2003-01-01

    Only four yeast species could be isolated from young and perannual shoots of the coast redwood tree, Sequoia sempervirens, and from soil beneath the trees, viz. both varieties of Debaryomyces hansenii, Trichosporon pullulans, T. porosum and an unidentified red basidiomycetous yeast.

  19. Yeast diversity of sourdoughs and associated metabolic properties and functionalities.

    PubMed

    De Vuyst, Luc; Harth, Henning; Van Kerrebroeck, Simon; Leroy, Frédéric

    2016-12-19

    Together with acidifying lactic acid bacteria, yeasts play a key role in the production process of sourdough, where they are either naturally present or added as a starter culture. Worldwide, a diversity of yeast species is encountered, with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida humilis, Kazachstania exigua, Pichia kudriavzevii, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, and Torulaspora delbrueckii among the most common ones. Sourdough-adapted yeasts are able to withstand the stress conditions encountered during their growth, including nutrient starvation as well as the effects of acidic, oxidative, thermal, and osmotic stresses. From a technological point of view, their metabolism primarily contributes to the leavening and flavour of sourdough products. Besides ethanol and carbon dioxide, yeasts can produce metabolites that specifically affect flavour, such as organic acids, diacetyl, higher alcohols from branched-chain amino acids, and esters derived thereof. Additionally, several yeast strains possess functional properties that can potentially lead to nutritional and safety advantages. These properties encompass the production of vitamins, an improvement of the bioavailability of phenolic compounds, the dephosphorylation of phytic acid, the presence of probiotic potential, and the inhibition of fungi and their mycotoxin production. Strains of diverse species are new candidate functional starter cultures, offering opportunities beyond the conventional use of baker's yeast. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Culturable yeasts in meltwaters draining from two glaciers in the Italian Alps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buzzini, Pietro; Turchetti, Benedetta; Diolaiuti, Guglielmina; D'Agata, Carlo; Martini, Alessandro; Smiraglia, Claudio

    The meltwaters draining from two glaciers in the Italian Alps contain metabolically active yeasts isolable by culture-based laboratory procedures. The average number of culturable yeast cells in the meltwaters was 10 20 colony-forming units (CFU) L-1, whereas supraglacial stream waters originating from overlying glacier ice contained <1 CFU L-1. Yeast cell number increased as the suspended-sediment content of the water samples increased. Basidiomycetous yeasts represent >80% of isolated strains (Cryptococcus spp. and Rhodotorula spp. were 33.3% and 17.8% of total strains, respectively). Culturable yeasts were psychrotolerant, predominantly obligate aerobes and able to degrade organic macromolecules (e.g. starch, esters, lipids, proteins). To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to report the presence of culturable yeasts in meltwaters originating from glaciers. On the basis of these results, it is reasonable to suppose that the viable yeasts observed in meltwaters derived predominantly from the subglacial zone and that they originated from the subglacial microbial community. Their metabolic abilities could contribute to the microbial activity occurring in subglacial environments.

  1. Black holes

    PubMed Central

    Brügmann, B.; Ghez, A. M.; Greiner, J.

    2001-01-01

    Recent progress in black hole research is illustrated by three examples. We discuss the observational challenges that were met to show that a supermassive black hole exists at the center of our galaxy. Stellar-size black holes have been studied in x-ray binaries and microquasars. Finally, numerical simulations have become possible for the merger of black hole binaries. PMID:11553801

  2. Synthetic genome engineering forging new frontiers for wine yeast.

    PubMed

    Pretorius, Isak S

    2017-02-01

    Over the past 15 years, the seismic shifts caused by the convergence of biomolecular, chemical, physical, mathematical, and computational sciences alongside cutting-edge developments in information technology and engineering have erupted into a new field of scientific endeavor dubbed Synthetic Biology. Recent rapid advances in high-throughput DNA sequencing and DNA synthesis techniques are enabling the design and construction of new biological parts (genes), devices (gene networks) and modules (biosynthetic pathways), and the redesign of biological systems (cells and organisms) for useful purposes. In 2014, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae became the first eukaryotic cell to be equipped with a fully functional synthetic chromosome. This was achieved following the synthesis of the first viral (poliovirus in 2002 and bacteriophage Phi-X174 in 2003) and bacterial (Mycoplasma genitalium in 2008 and Mycoplasma mycoides in 2010) genomes, and less than two decades after revealing the full genome sequence of a laboratory (S288c in 1996) and wine (AWRI1631 in 2008) yeast strain. A large international project - the Synthetic Yeast Genome (Sc2.0) Project - is now underway to synthesize all 16 chromosomes (∼12 Mb carrying ∼6000 genes) of the sequenced S288c laboratory strain by 2018. If successful, S. cerevisiae will become the first eukaryote to cross the horizon of in silico design of complex cells through de novo synthesis, reshuffling, and editing of genomes. In the meantime, yeasts are being used as cell factories for the semi-synthetic production of high-value compounds, such as the potent antimalarial artemisinin, and food ingredients, such as resveratrol, vanillin, stevia, nootkatone, and saffron. As a continuum of previously genetically engineered industrially important yeast strains, precision genome engineering is bound to also impact the study and development of wine yeast strains supercharged with synthetic DNA. The first taste of what the future

  3. Genetically modified yeast species, and fermentation processes using genetically modified yeast

    DOEpatents

    Rajgarhia, Vineet; Koivuranta, Kari; Penttila, Merja; Ilmen, Marja; Suominen, Pirkko; Aristidou, Aristos; Miller, Christopher Kenneth; Olson, Stacey; Ruohonen, Laura

    2013-05-14

    Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.

  4. Genetically modified yeast species, and fermentation processes using genetically modified yeast

    DOEpatents

    Rajgarhia, Vineet; Koivuranta, Kari; Penttila, Merja; Ilmen, Marja; Suominen, Pirkko; Aristidou, Aristos; Miller, Christopher Kenneth; Olson, Stacey; Ruohonen, Laura

    2017-09-12

    Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.

  5. Genetically modified yeast species and fermentation processes using genetically modified yeast

    DOEpatents

    Rajgarhia, Vineet [Kingsport, TN; Koivuranta, Kari [Helsinki, FI; Penttila, Merja [Helsinki, FI; Ilmen, Marja [Helsinki, FI; Suominen, Pirkko [Maple Grove, MN; Aristidou, Aristos [Maple Grove, MN; Miller, Christopher Kenneth [Cottage Grove, MN; Olson, Stacey [St. Bonifacius, MN; Ruohonen, Laura [Helsinki, FI

    2011-05-17

    Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications', include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.

  6. Genetically modified yeast species, and fermentation processes using genetically modified yeast

    DOEpatents

    Rajgarhia, Vineet; Koivuranta, Kari; Penttila, Merja; Ilmen, Marja; Suominen, Pirkko; Aristidou, Aristos; Miller, Christopher Kenneth; Olson, Stacey; Ruohonen, Laura

    2016-08-09

    Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.

  7. Non-conventional Yeast Species for Lowering Ethanol Content of Wines

    PubMed Central

    Ciani, Maurizio; Morales, Pilar; Comitini, Francesca; Tronchoni, Jordi; Canonico, Laura; Curiel, José A.; Oro, Lucia; Rodrigues, Alda J.; Gonzalez, Ramon

    2016-01-01

    Rising sugar content in grape must, and the concomitant increase in alcohol levels in wine, are some of the main challenges affecting the winemaking industry nowadays. Among the several alternative solutions currently under study, the use of non-conventional yeasts during fermentation holds good promise for contributing to relieve this problem. Non-Saccharomyces wine yeast species comprise a high number or species, so encompassing a wider physiological diversity than Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Indeed, the current oenological interest of these microorganisms was initially triggered by their potential positive contribution to the sensorial complexity of quality wines, through the production of aroma and other sensory-active compounds. This diversity also involves ethanol yield on sugar, one of the most invariant metabolic traits of S. cerevisiae. This review gathers recent research on non-Saccharomyces yeasts, aiming to produce wines with lower alcohol content than those from pure Saccharomyces starters. Critical aspects discussed include the selection of suitable yeast strains (considering there is a noticeable intra-species diversity for ethanol yield, as shown for other fermentation traits), identification of key environmental parameters influencing ethanol yields (including the use of controlled oxygenation conditions), and managing mixed fermentations, by either the sequential or simultaneous inoculation of S. cerevisiae and non-Saccharomyces starter cultures. The feasibility, at the industrial level, of using non-Saccharomyces yeasts for reducing alcohol levels in wine will require an improved understanding of the metabolism of these alternative yeast species, as well as of the interactions between different yeast starters during the fermentation of grape must. PMID:27199967

  8. Breeding research on sake yeasts in Japan: history, recent technological advances, and future perspectives.

    PubMed

    Kitagaki, Hiroshi; Kitamoto, Katsuhiko

    2013-01-01

    Sake is an alcoholic beverage of Japan, with a tradition lasting more than 1,300 years; it is produced from rice and water by fermenting with the koji mold Aspergillus oryzae and sake yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Breeding research on sake yeasts was originally developed in Japan by incorporating microbiological and genetic research methodologies adopted in other scientific areas. Since the advent of a genetic paradigm, isolation of yeast mutants has been a dominant approach for the breeding of favorable sake yeasts. These sake yeasts include (a) those that do not form foams (produced by isolating a mutant that does not stick to foams, thus decreasing the cost of sake production); (b) those that do not produce urea, which leads to the formation of ethyl carbamate, a possible carcinogen (isolated by positive selection in a canavanine-, arginine-, and ornithine-containing medium); (c) those that produce an increased amount of ethyl caproate, an apple-like flavor (produced by isolating a mutant resistant to cerulenin, an inhibitor of fatty-acid synthesis); and (d) those that produce a decreased amount of pyruvate (produced by isolating a mutant resistant to an inhibitor of mitochondrial transport, thus decreasing the amount of diacetyl). Given that sake yeasts perform sexual reproduction, sporulation and mating are potent approaches for their breeding. Recently, the genome sequences of sake yeasts have been determined and made publicly accessible. By utilizing this information, the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the brewing characteristics of sake yeasts have been identified, which paves a way to DNA marker-assisted selection of the mated strains. Genetic engineering technologies for experimental yeast strains have recently been established by academic groups, and these technologies have also been applied to the breeding of sake yeasts. Sake yeasts whose genomes have been modified with these technologies correspond to genetically modified organisms (GMOs

  9. Analysis of non-Saccharomyces yeast populations isolated from grape musts from Sicily (Italy).

    PubMed

    Romancino, D P; Di Maio, S; Muriella, R; Oliva, D

    2008-12-01

    The aim of this study was to identify the non-Saccharomyces yeast populations present in the grape must microflora from wineries from different areas around the island of Sicily. Yeasts identification was conducted on 2575 colonies isolated from six musts, characterized using Wallerstein Laboratory (WL) nutrient agar, restriction analysis of the amplified 5.8S-internal transcribed spacer region and restriction profiles of amplified 26S rDNA. In those colonies, we identified 11 different yeast species originating from wine musts from two different geographical areas of the island of Sicily. We isolated non-Saccharomyces yeasts and described the microflora in grape musts from different areas of Sicily. Moreover, we discovered two new colony morphologies for yeasts on WL agar never previously described. This investigation is a first step in understanding the distribution of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in grape musts from Sicily. The contribution is important as a tool for monitoring the microflora in grape musts and for establishing a new non-Saccharomyces yeast collection; in the future, this collection will be used for understanding the significance of these yeasts in oenology.

  10. The presence of Enterococcus, coliforms and E. coli in a commercial yeast manufacturing process.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, S S; Lindsay, D; von Holy, A

    2004-07-01

    This study evaluated a typical commercial yeast manufacturing process for bacterial contamination. Product line samples of a commercial yeast manufacturing process and the corresponding seed yeast manufacturing process were obtained upstream from the final compressed and dry yeast products. All samples were analysed before (non-PI) and after preliminary incubation (PI) at 37 degrees C for 24 h. The PI procedure was incorporated for amplification of bacterial counts below the lower detection limit. Enterococcus, coliform and Escherichia coli counts were quantified by standard pour-plate techniques using selective media. Presence at all stages and progressive increases in counts of Enterococcus, coliforms and E. coli during processing in the commercial manufacturing operation suggested that the primary source of contamination of both compressed and dry yeast with these bacteria was the seed yeast manufacturing process and that contamination was amplified throughout the commercial yeast manufacturing process. This was confirmed by surveys of the seed yeast manufacturing process which indicated that contamination of the seed yeast with Enterococcus, coliforms and E. coli occurred during scale up of seed yeast biomass destined as inoculum for the commercial fermentation.

  11. [Study on mechanism of inactivated cider yeast adsorbing patulin by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy].

    PubMed

    Guo, Cai-Xia; Yue, Tian-Li; Yuan, Ya-Hong; Wang, Zhou-Li; Wang, Ling; Cai, Rui

    2013-03-01

    The mechanism of patulin adsorption by inactivated cider yeast was studied by chemical modification and FTIR The results of patulin removal by various modified yeast biomass showed that the ability of patulin biosorption by acetone-treated yeast and NaOH-treated yeast increased siginificantly, while the methylation of amino group and esterification of carboxylate functionalities of yeast cell surface caused a decrease in patulin binding, which indicated that amino group and carboxyl group presented in the cell walls of yeast might be involved in the binding of patulin to the yeast. The FTIR analysis indicated that the main functional groups were amino group, carboxyl group and hydroxy group which are associated with protein and polysaccharides.

  12. Divergence of iron metabolism in wild Malaysian yeast.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hana N; Mostovoy, Yulia; Hsu, Tiffany Y; Chang, Amanda H; Brem, Rachel B

    2013-12-09

    Comparative genomic studies have reported widespread variation in levels of gene expression within and between species. Using these data to infer organism-level trait divergence has proven to be a key challenge in the field. We have used a wild Malaysian population of S. cerevisiae as a test bed in the search to predict and validate trait differences based on observations of regulatory variation. Malaysian yeast, when cultured in standard medium, activated regulatory programs that protect cells from the toxic effects of high iron. Malaysian yeast also showed a hyperactive regulatory response during culture in the presence of excess iron and had a unique growth defect in conditions of high iron. Molecular validation experiments pinpointed the iron metabolism factors AFT1, CCC1, and YAP5 as contributors to these molecular and cellular phenotypes; in genome-scale sequence analyses, a suite of iron toxicity response genes showed evidence for rapid protein evolution in Malaysian yeast. Our findings support a model in which iron metabolism has diverged in Malaysian yeast as a consequence of a change in selective pressure, with Malaysian alleles shifting the dynamic range of iron response to low-iron concentrations and weakening resistance to extreme iron toxicity. By dissecting the iron scarcity specialist behavior of Malaysian yeast, our work highlights the power of expression divergence as a signpost for biologically and evolutionarily relevant variation at the organismal level. Interpreting the phenotypic relevance of gene expression variation is one of the primary challenges of modern genomics.

  13. Phenotypic and metabolic traits of commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Currently, pursuing yeast strains that display both a high potential fitness for alcoholic fermentation and a favorable impact on quality is a major goal in the alcoholic beverage industry. This considerable industrial interest has led to many studies characterizing the phenotypic and metabolic traits of commercial yeast populations. In this study, 20 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains from different geographical origins exhibited high phenotypic diversity when their response to nine biotechnologically relevant conditions was examined. Next, the fermentation fitness and metabolic traits of eight selected strains with a unique phenotypic profile were evaluated in a high-sugar synthetic medium under two nitrogen regimes. Although the strains exhibited significant differences in nitrogen requirements and utilization rates, a direct relationship between nitrogen consumption, specific growth rate, cell biomass, cell viability, acetic acid and glycerol formation was only observed under high-nitrogen conditions. In contrast, the strains produced more succinic acid under the low-nitrogen regime, and a direct relationship with the final cell biomass was established. Glucose and fructose utilization patterns depended on both yeast strain and nitrogen availability. For low-nitrogen fermentation, three strains did not fully degrade the fructose. This study validates phenotypic and metabolic diversity among commercial wine yeasts and contributes new findings on the relationship between nitrogen availability, yeast cell growth and sugar utilization. We suggest that measuring nitrogen during the stationary growth phase is important because yeast cells fermentative activity is not exclusively related to population size, as previously assumed, but it is also related to the quantity of nitrogen consumed during this growth phase. PMID:24949272

  14. Phenotypic and metabolic traits of commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts.

    PubMed

    Barbosa, Catarina; Lage, Patrícia; Vilela, Alice; Mendes-Faia, Arlete; Mendes-Ferreira, Ana

    2014-01-01

    Currently, pursuing yeast strains that display both a high potential fitness for alcoholic fermentation and a favorable impact on quality is a major goal in the alcoholic beverage industry. This considerable industrial interest has led to many studies characterizing the phenotypic and metabolic traits of commercial yeast populations. In this study, 20 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains from different geographical origins exhibited high phenotypic diversity when their response to nine biotechnologically relevant conditions was examined. Next, the fermentation fitness and metabolic traits of eight selected strains with a unique phenotypic profile were evaluated in a high-sugar synthetic medium under two nitrogen regimes. Although the strains exhibited significant differences in nitrogen requirements and utilization rates, a direct relationship between nitrogen consumption, specific growth rate, cell biomass, cell viability, acetic acid and glycerol formation was only observed under high-nitrogen conditions. In contrast, the strains produced more succinic acid under the low-nitrogen regime, and a direct relationship with the final cell biomass was established. Glucose and fructose utilization patterns depended on both yeast strain and nitrogen availability. For low-nitrogen fermentation, three strains did not fully degrade the fructose. This study validates phenotypic and metabolic diversity among commercial wine yeasts and contributes new findings on the relationship between nitrogen availability, yeast cell growth and sugar utilization. We suggest that measuring nitrogen during the stationary growth phase is important because yeast cells fermentative activity is not exclusively related to population size, as previously assumed, but it is also related to the quantity of nitrogen consumed during this growth phase.

  15. Yeast 5 – an expanded reconstruction of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolic network

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Efforts to improve the computational reconstruction of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae biochemical reaction network and to refine the stoichiometrically constrained metabolic models that can be derived from such a reconstruction have continued since the first stoichiometrically constrained yeast genome scale metabolic model was published in 2003. Continuing this ongoing process, we have constructed an update to the Yeast Consensus Reconstruction, Yeast 5. The Yeast Consensus Reconstruction is a product of efforts to forge a community-based reconstruction emphasizing standards compliance and biochemical accuracy via evidence-based selection of reactions. It draws upon models published by a variety of independent research groups as well as information obtained from biochemical databases and primary literature. Results Yeast 5 refines the biochemical reactions included in the reconstruction, particularly reactions involved in sphingolipid metabolism; updates gene-reaction annotations; and emphasizes the distinction between reconstruction and stoichiometrically constrained model. Although it was not a primary goal, this update also improves the accuracy of model prediction of viability and auxotrophy phenotypes and increases the number of epistatic interactions. This update maintains an emphasis on standards compliance, unambiguous metabolite naming, and computer-readable annotations available through a structured document format. Additionally, we have developed MATLAB scripts to evaluate the model’s predictive accuracy and to demonstrate basic model applications such as simulating aerobic and anaerobic growth. These scripts, which provide an independent tool for evaluating the performance of various stoichiometrically constrained yeast metabolic models using flux balance analysis, are included as Additional files 1, 2 and 3. Conclusions Yeast 5 expands and refines the computational reconstruction of yeast metabolism and improves the predictive accuracy of a

  16. Anhydrobiosis in yeast: cell wall mannoproteins are important for yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae resistance to dehydration.

    PubMed

    Borovikova, Diana; Teparić, Renata; Mrša, Vladimir; Rapoport, Alexander

    2016-08-01

    The state of anhydrobiosis is linked with the reversible delay of metabolism as a result of strong dehydration of cells, and is widely distributed in nature. A number of factors responsible for the maintenance of organisms' viability in these conditions have been revealed. This study was directed to understanding how changes in cell wall structure may influence the resistance of yeasts to dehydration-rehydration. Mutants lacking various cell wall mannoproteins were tested to address this issue. It was revealed that mutants lacking proteins belonging to two structurally and functionally unrelated groups (proteins non-covalently attached to the cell wall, and Pir proteins) possessed significantly lower cell resistance to dehydration-rehydration than the mother wild-type strain. At the same time, the absence of the GPI-anchored cell wall protein Ccw12 unexpectedly resulted in an increase of cell resistance to this treatment; this phenomenon is explained by the compensatory synthesis of chitin. The results clearly indicate that the cell wall structure/composition relates to parameters strongly influencing yeast viability during the processes of dehydration-rehydration, and that damage to cell wall proteins during yeast desiccation can be an important factor leading to cell death. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Engineering yeasts for raw starch conversion.

    PubMed

    van Zyl, W H; Bloom, M; Viktor, M J

    2012-09-01

    Next to cellulose, starch is the most abundant hexose polymer in plants, an import food and feed source and a preferred substrate for the production of many industrial products. Efficient starch hydrolysis requires the activities of both α-1,4 and α-1,6-debranching hydrolases, such as endo-amylases, exo-amylases, debranching enzymes, and transferases. Although amylases are widely distributed in nature, only about 10 % of amylolytic enzymes are able to hydrolyse raw or unmodified starch, with a combination of α-amylases and glucoamylases as minimum requirement for the complete hydrolysis of raw starch. The cost-effective conversion of raw starch for the production of biofuels and other important by-products requires the expression of starch-hydrolysing enzymes in a fermenting yeast strain to achieve liquefaction, hydrolysis, and fermentation (Consolidated Bioprocessing, CBP) by a single organism. The status of engineering amylolytic activities into Saccharomyces cerevisiae as fermentative host is highlighted and progress as well as challenges towards a true CBP organism for raw starch is discussed. Conversion of raw starch by yeast secreting or displaying α-amylases and glucoamylases on their surface has been demonstrated, although not at high starch loading or conversion rates that will be economically viable on industrial scale. Once efficient conversion of raw starch can be demonstrated at commercial level, engineering of yeast to utilize alternative substrates and produce alternative chemicals as part of a sustainable biorefinery can be pursued to ensure the rightful place of starch converting yeasts in the envisaged bio-economy of the future.

  18. Reduction of selenite to red elemental selenium by moderately halotolerant Bacillus megaterium strains isolated from Bhitarkanika mangrove soil and characterization of reduced product.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Rashmi Ranjan; Prajapati, Sunita; Das, Jyotirmayee; Dangar, Tushar Kanti; Das, Nigamananda; Thatoi, Hrudayanath

    2011-08-01

    Two Gram (+) bacterial strains, BSB6 and BSB12, showing resistance and potential for Se(IV) reduction among 26 moderately halotolerant isolates from the Bhitarkanika mangrove soil were characterized by biochemical and 16S rDNA sequence analyses. Both of them were strictly aerobic and able to grow in a wide range of pH (4-11), temperature (4-40°C) and salt concentration (4-12%) having an optimum growth at 37°C, pH ∼7.5 and 7% salt (NaCl). The biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analysis of BSB6 and BSB12 showed the closest phylogenetic similarity with the species Bacillus megaterium. Both the strains effectively reduced Se(IV) and complete reduction of selenite (up to 0.25 mM) was achieved within 40 h. SEM with energy dispersive X-ray and TEM analyses revealed the formation of nano size spherical selenium particles in and around the bacterial cells which were also supported by the confocal micrograph study. The UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra and XRD of selenium precipitates revealed that the selenium particles are in the nanometric range and crystalline in nature. These bacterial strains may be exploited further for bioremediation process of Se(IV) at relatively high salt concentrations and green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. An original method for producing acetaldehyde and diacetyl by yeast fermentation.

    PubMed

    Rosca, Irina; Petrovici, Anca Roxana; Brebu, Mihai; Stoica, Irina; Minea, Bogdan; Marangoci, Narcisa

    In this study a natural culture medium that mimics the synthetic yeast peptone glucose medium used for yeast fermentations was designed to screen and select yeasts capable of producing high levels of diacetyl and acetaldehyde. The presence of whey powder and sodium citrate in the medium along with manganese and magnesium sulfate enhanced both biomass and aroma development. A total of 52 yeasts strains were cultivated in two different culture media, namely, yeast peptone glucose medium and yeast acetaldehyde-diacetyl medium. The initial screening of the strains was based on the qualitative reaction of the acetaldehyde with Schiff's reagent (violet color) and diacetyl with Brady's reagent (yellow precipitate). The fermented culture media of 10 yeast strains were subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography to quantify the concentration of acetaldehyde and diacetyl synthesized. Total titratable acidity values indicated that a total titratable acidity of 5.5°SH, implying culture medium at basic pH, was more favorable for the acetaldehyde biosynthesis using strain D15 (Candida lipolytica; 96.05mgL -1 acetaldehyde) while a total titratable acidity value of 7°SH facilitated diacetyl flavor synthesis by strain D38 (Candida globosa; 3.58mgL -1 diacetyl). Importantly, the results presented here suggest that this can be potentially used in the baking industry. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  20. Synthetic biology stretching the realms of possibility in wine yeast research.

    PubMed

    Jagtap, Umesh B; Jadhav, Jyoti P; Bapat, Vishwas A; Pretorius, Isak S

    2017-07-03

    It took several millennia to fully understand the scientific intricacies of the process through which grape juice is turned into wine. This yeast-driven fermentation process is still being perfected and advanced today. Motivated by ever-changing consumer preferences and the belief that the 'best' wine is yet to be made, numerous approaches are being pursued to improve the process of yeast fermentation and the quality of wine. Central to recent enhancements in winemaking processes and wine quality is the development of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains with improved robustness, fermentation efficiencies and sensory properties. The emerging science of Synthetic Biology - including genome engineering and DNA editing technologies - is taking yeast strain development into a totally new realm of possibility. The first example of how future wine strain development might be impacted by these new 'history-making' Synthetic Biology technologies, is the de novo production of the raspberry ketone aroma compound, 4-[4-hydroxyphenyl]butan-2-one, in a wine yeast containing a synthetic DNA cassette. This article explores how this breakthrough and the imminent outcome of the international Yeast 2.0 (or Sc2.0) project, aimed at the synthesis of the entire genome of a laboratory strain of S. cerevisiae, might accelerate the design of improved wine yeasts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Advances in metabolic engineering of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for production of chemicals.

    PubMed

    Borodina, Irina; Nielsen, Jens

    2014-05-01

    Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an important industrial host for production of enzymes, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical ingredients and recently also commodity chemicals and biofuels. Here, we review the advances in modeling and synthetic biology tools and how these tools can speed up the development of yeast cell factories. We also present an overview of metabolic engineering strategies for developing yeast strains for production of polymer monomers: lactic, succinic, and cis,cis-muconic acids. S. cerevisiae has already firmly established itself as a cell factory in industrial biotechnology and the advances in yeast strain engineering will stimulate development of novel yeast-based processes for chemicals production. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Yarrowia lipolytica: a model yeast for citric acid production.

    PubMed

    Cavallo, Ema; Charreau, Hernán; Cerrutti, Patricia; Foresti, María Laura

    2017-12-01

    Every year more than 2 million tons of citric acid (CA) are produced around the world for industrial uses. Although initially extracted from citrus, the low profitability of the process and the increasing demand soon stimulated the search for more efficient methods to produce CA. Currently, most world CA demand (99%) is satisfied by fermentations with microorganisms, especially filamentous fungi and yeasts. CA production with yeasts has certain advantages over molds (e.g. higher productivity and easier cultivation), which in the last two decades have triggered a clear increase in publications and patents devoted to the use of yeasts in this field. Yarrowia lipolytica has become a model yeast that proved to be successful in different production systems. Considering the current interest evidenced in the literature, the most significant information on CA production using Y. lipolytica is summarized. The relevance on CA yields of key factors such as strains, media formulation, environmental conditions and production regimes is thoroughly discussed, with particular focus on increasing CA productivity. Besides, the possibility of tuning the mentioned variables to reduce concomitant isocitric acid production-the biggest disadvantage of using yeasts-is analyzed. Available methods for CA purification/quantification are also discussed. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Mitochondrial fission proteins regulate programmed cell death in yeast.

    PubMed

    Fannjiang, Yihru; Cheng, Wen-Chih; Lee, Sarah J; Qi, Bing; Pevsner, Jonathan; McCaffery, J Michael; Hill, R Blake; Basañez, Gorka; Hardwick, J Marie

    2004-11-15

    The possibility that single-cell organisms undergo programmed cell death has been questioned in part because they lack several key components of the mammalian cell death machinery. However, yeast encode a homolog of human Drp1, a mitochondrial fission protein that was shown previously to promote mammalian cell death and the excessive mitochondrial fragmentation characteristic of apoptotic mammalian cells. In support of a primordial origin of programmed cell death involving mitochondria, we found that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog of human Drp1, Dnm1, promotes mitochondrial fragmentation/degradation and cell death following treatment with several death stimuli. Two Dnm1-interacting factors also regulate yeast cell death. The WD40 repeat protein Mdv1/Net2 promotes cell death, consistent with its role in mitochondrial fission. In contrast to its fission function in healthy cells, Fis1 unexpectedly inhibits Dnm1-mediated mitochondrial fission and cysteine protease-dependent cell death in yeast. Furthermore, the ability of yeast Fis1 to inhibit mitochondrial fission and cell death can be functionally replaced by human Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Together, these findings indicate that yeast and mammalian cells have a conserved programmed death pathway regulated by a common molecular component, Drp1/Dnm1, that is inhibited by a Bcl-2-like function.

  4. Yeast vitality during cider fermentation: assessment by energy metabolism.

    PubMed

    Dinsdale, M G; Lloyd, D; McIntyre, P; Jarvis, B

    1999-03-15

    In an apple juice-based medium, an ethanol-tolerant Australian wine-yeast used for cider manufacture produced more than 10% ethanol over a 5 week period. Growth of the inoculum (10(6) organisms ml(-1)) occurred to a population of 3.1 x 10(7) ml(-1) during the first few days; at the end of the fermentation only 5 x 10(5) yeasts ml(-1) could be recovered as colony-forming units on plates. Respiratory and fermentative activities were measured by mass spectrometric measurements (O2 consumption and CO2 and ethanol production) of washed yeast suspensions taken from the cider fermentation at intervals. Both endogenous and glucose-supported energy-yielding metabolism declined, especially during the first 20 days. Levels of adenine nucleotides also showed decreases after day 1, as did adenylate energy charge, although in a prolonged (16.5 week) fermentation the lowest value calculated was 0.55. AMP was released into the medium. 31P-NMR spectra showed that by comparison with aerobically grown yeast, that from the later stages of the cider fermentation showed little polyphosphate. However, as previously concluded from studies of 'acidification power' and fluorescent oxonol dye exclusion (Dinsdale et al., 1995), repitching of yeast indicated little loss of viability despite considerable loss of vitality.

  5. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae- the main character in beer brewing.

    PubMed

    Lodolo, Elizabeth J; Kock, Johan L F; Axcell, Barry C; Brooks, Martin

    2008-11-01

    Historically, mankind and yeast developed a relationship that led to the discovery of fermented beverages. Numerous inventions have led to improved technologies and capabilities to optimize fermentation technology on an industrial scale. The role of brewing yeast in the beer-making process is reviewed and its importance as the main character is highlighted. On considering the various outcomes of functions in a brewery, it has been found that these functions are focused on supporting the supply of yeast requirements for fermentation and ultimately to maintain the integrity of the product. The functions/processes include: nutrient supply to the yeast (raw material supply for brewhouse wort production); utilities (supply of water, heat and cooling); quality assurance practices (hygiene practices, microbiological integrity measures and other specifications); plant automation (vessels, pipes, pumps, valves, sensors, stirrers and centrifuges); filtration and packaging (product preservation until consumption); distribution (consumer supply); and marketing (consumer awareness). Considering this value chain of beer production and the 'bottle neck' during production, the spotlight falls on fermentation, the age-old process where yeast transforms wort into beer.

  6. Screening wild yeast strains for alcohol fermentation from various fruits.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yeon-Ju; Choi, Yu-Ri; Lee, So-Young; Park, Jong-Tae; Shim, Jae-Hoon; Park, Kwan-Hwa; Kim, Jung-Wan

    2011-03-01

    Wild yeasts on the surface of various fruits including grapes were surveyed to obtain yeast strains suitable for fermenting a novel wine with higher alcohol content and supplemented with rice starch. We considered selected characteristics, such as tolerance to alcohol and osmotic pressure, capability of utilizing maltose, and starch hydrolysis. Among 637 putative yeast isolates, 115 strains exhibiting better growth in yeast-peptone-dextrose broth containing 30% dextrose, 7% alcohol, or 2% maltose were selected, as well as five α-amylase producers. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 26S rDNA gene classified the strains into 13 species belonging to five genera; Pichia anomala was the most prevalent (41.7%), followed by Wickerhamomyces anomalus (19.2%), P. guilliermondii (15%), Candida spp. (5.8%), Kodamaea ohmeri (2.5%), and Metschnikowia spp. (2.5%). All of the α-amylase producers were Aureobasidium pullulans. Only one isolate (NK28) was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. NK28 had all of the desired properties for the purpose of this study, except α-amylase production, and fermented alcohol better than commercial wine yeasts.

  7. Diversity of soil yeasts isolated from South Victoria Land, Antarctica

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Connell, L.; Redman, R.; Craig, S.; Scorzetti, G.; Iszard, M.; Rodriguez, R.

    2008-01-01

    Unicellular fungi, commonly referred to as yeasts, were found to be components of the culturable soil fungal population in Taylor Valley, Mt. Discovery, Wright Valley, and two mountain peaks of South Victoria Land, Antarctica. Samples were taken from sites spanning a diversity of soil habitats that were not directly associated with vertebrate activity. A large proportion of yeasts isolated in this study were basidiomycetous species (89%), of which 43% may represent undescribed species, demonstrating that culturable yeasts remain incompletely described in these polar desert soils. Cryptococcus species represented the most often isolated genus (33%) followed by Leucosporidium (22%). Principle component analysis and multiple linear regression using stepwise selection was used to model the relation between abiotic variables (principle component 1 and principle component 2 scores) and yeast biodiversity (the number of species present at a given site). These analyses identified soil pH and electrical conductivity as significant predictors of yeast biodiversity. Species-specific PCR primers were designed to rapidly discriminate among the Dioszegia and Leucosporidium species collected in this study. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

  8. Yeast diversity associated to sediments and water from two Colombian artificial lakes

    PubMed Central

    Silva-Bedoya, L.M.; Ramírez-Castrillón, M.; Osorio-Cadavid, E.

    2014-01-01

    In Colombia, knowledge of the yeast and yeast-like fungi community is limited because most studies have focused on species with clinical importance. Sediments and water represent important habitats for the study of yeast diversity, especially for yeast species with industrial, biotechnological, and bioremediation potential. The main purpose of this study was to identify and compare the diversity of yeast species associated with sediment and water samples from two artificial lakes in Universidad del Valle (Cali-Colombia). Yeast samplings were performed from fifteen sediment samples and ten water samples. Grouping of similar isolates was initially based on colony and cell morphology, which was then complemented by micro/mini satellite primed PCR banding pattern analysis by using GTG5 as single primer. A representative isolate for each group established was chosen for D1/D2 domain sequencing and identification. In general, the following yeast species were identified: Candida albicans, Candida diversa, Candida glabrata, Candida pseudolambica, Cryptococcus podzolicus, Cryptococcus rajasthanensis, Cryptococcus laurentii, Williopsis saturnus, Hanseniaspora thailandica, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Torulaspora pretoriensis, Tricosporon jirovecii, Trichosporon laibachii and Yarrowia lypolitica. Two possible new species were also found, belonging to the Issatchenkia sp. and Bullera sp. genera. In conclusion, the lakes at the Universidad del Valle campus have significant differences in yeast diversity and species composition between them. PMID:24948924

  9. High-performance TiO(2) from Baker's yeast.

    PubMed

    He, Wen; Cui, Jingjie; Yue, Yuanzheng; Zhang, Xudong; Xia, Xi; Liu, Hong; Lui, Suwen

    2011-02-01

    Based on the biomineralization assembly concept, a biomimetic approach has been developed to synthesize high-performance mesoporous TiO(2). The key step of this approach is to apply Baker's yeast cells as biotemplates for deriving the hierarchically ordered mesoporous anatase structure. The mechanism of formation of the yeast-TiO(2) is revealed by characterizing its morphology, microstructure, and chemical composition. The yeast-TiO(2) exhibits outstanding photocatalytic performance. Under visible-light irradiation, the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color of the paper industry wastewater has reached 80.3% and nearly 100%, respectively. The approach may open new vistas for fabricating advanced mesoporous materials under ambient condition. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Dynamical analysis of yeast protein interaction network during the sake brewing process.

    PubMed

    Mirzarezaee, Mitra; Sadeghi, Mehdi; Araabi, Babak N

    2011-12-01

    Proteins interact with each other for performing essential functions of an organism. They change partners to get involved in various processes at different times or locations. Studying variations of protein interactions within a specific process would help better understand the dynamic features of the protein interactions and their functions. We studied the protein interaction network of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) during the brewing of Japanese sake. In this process, yeast cells are exposed to several stresses. Analysis of protein interaction networks of yeast during this process helps to understand how protein interactions of yeast change during the sake brewing process. We used gene expression profiles of yeast cells for this purpose. Results of our experiments revealed some characteristics and behaviors of yeast hubs and non-hubs and their dynamical changes during the brewing process. We found that just a small portion of the proteins (12.8 to 21.6%) is responsible for the functional changes of the proteins in the sake brewing process. The changes in the number of edges and hubs of the yeast protein interaction networks increase in the first stages of the process and it then decreases at the final stages.

  11. Yeast diversity on grapes in two German wine growing regions.

    PubMed

    Brysch-Herzberg, Michael; Seidel, Martin

    2015-12-02

    The yeast diversity on wine grapes in Germany, one of the most northern wine growing regions of the world, was investigated by means of a culture dependent approach. All yeast isolates were identified by sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rDNA and the ITS region. Besides Hanseniaspora uvarum and Metschnikowia pulcherrima, which are well known to be abundant on grapes, Metschnikowia viticola, Rhodosporidium babjevae, and Curvibasidium pallidicorallinum, as well as two potentially new species related to Sporidiobolus pararoseus and Filobasidium floriforme, turned out to be typical members of the grape yeast community. We found M. viticola in about half of the grape samples in high abundance. Our data strongly suggest that M. viticola is one of the most important fermenting yeast species on grapes in the temperate climate of Germany. The frequent occurrence of Cu. pallidicorallinum and strains related to F. floriforme is a new finding. The current investigation provides information on the distribution of recently described yeast species, some of which are known from a very few strains up to now. Interestingly yeasts known for their role in the wine making process, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces bayanus ssp. uvarum, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii, were not found in the grape samples. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Celebration of Black Composers: Black Music at the Philharmonic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Current, Gloster B.

    1978-01-01

    The five-day celebration of black composers at the New York Philharmonic included a panel discussion of black music and three symphonic concerts featuring the premieres of new works by celebrated black composers. (Author/AM)

  13. Influence of Zero-Shear on Yeast Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGinnis, Michael R.

    1997-01-01

    The objective of the research was to begin evaluating the effect of zero-shear on the development of the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae employing the High Aspect Rotating-Wall Vessel (HARV) NASA bioreactor. This particular yeast has enormous potential for research as a model eukaryotic system on the International Space Station, as well as the production of food stuffs' at the future lunar colony. Because the cell wall is the barrier between the cell and the environment, its form and function as influenced by microgravity is of great importance. Morphologic studies revealed that the circularity and total area of the individual yeast cells were essentially the same in both the control and test HARV's. The growth rates were also essentially the same. In zero-shear, the yeast grew in clumps consisting of rudimentary pseudohyphae in contrast to solitary budding cells in the control. Based upon mechanical and sonic shear applied to the yeast cells, those grown in zero-shear had stronger cell walls and septa. This suggests that there are structural differences, most likely related to the chitin skeleton of the cell wall. From this research further NASA support was obtained to continue the work. Investigations will deal with gene expression and ultrastructure. These will lead to a clearer assessment of the value of S. cerevisiae eukaryotic as a model for space station research.

  14. Yeast Prions and Human Prion-like Proteins: Sequence Features and Prediction Methods

    PubMed Central

    Cascarina, Sean; Ross, Eric D.

    2014-01-01

    Prions are self-propagating infectious protein isoforms. A growing number of prions have been identified in yeast, each resulting from the conversion of soluble proteins into an insoluble amyloid form. These yeast prions have served as a powerful model system for studying the causes and consequences of prion aggregation. Remarkably, a number of human proteins containing prion-like domains, defined as domains with compositional similarity to yeast prion domains, have recently been linked to various human degenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This suggests that the lessons learned from yeast prions may help in understanding these human diseases. In this review, we examine what has been learned about the amino acid sequence basis for prion aggregation in yeast, and how this information has been used to develop methods to predict aggregation propensity. We then discuss how this information is being applied to understand human disease, and the challenges involved in applying yeast prediction methods to higher organisms. PMID:24390581

  15. Yeast prions and human prion-like proteins: sequence features and prediction methods.

    PubMed

    Cascarina, Sean M; Ross, Eric D

    2014-06-01

    Prions are self-propagating infectious protein isoforms. A growing number of prions have been identified in yeast, each resulting from the conversion of soluble proteins into an insoluble amyloid form. These yeast prions have served as a powerful model system for studying the causes and consequences of prion aggregation. Remarkably, a number of human proteins containing prion-like domains, defined as domains with compositional similarity to yeast prion domains, have recently been linked to various human degenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This suggests that the lessons learned from yeast prions may help in understanding these human diseases. In this review, we examine what has been learned about the amino acid sequence basis for prion aggregation in yeast, and how this information has been used to develop methods to predict aggregation propensity. We then discuss how this information is being applied to understand human disease, and the challenges involved in applying yeast prediction methods to higher organisms.

  16. Mitochondrial-morphology-targeted breeding of industrial yeast strains for alcohol fermentation.

    PubMed

    Kitagaki, Hiroshi

    2009-05-29

    Since mitochondrial genes are repressed under high glucose and low O2, and these conditions correspond to the conditions in which yeast cells are exposed during alcohol fermentation, the existence and structure of yeast mitochondria during alcohol fermentation have not been elucidated. Yeast mitochondria can be observed throughout brewing of sake (Japanese rice wine) and fragment during brewing. Furthermore, it has been revealed that Fis1 [fission 1 (mitochondrial outer membrane) homologue (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)], which is a transmembrane protein with its C-terminal anchor embedded in the outer membrane of mitochondria, is required for fragmentation of yeast mitochondria during sake brewing. By utilizing this knowledge, a fis1 disruptant of a sake yeast strain has been generated that has a networked mitochondrial structure throughout sake brewing. It transpired that this strain produces a high content of malate, which imparts a crisp acidic taste, during sake brewing. This strategy is a useful and a completely novel strategy towards developing a new yeast strain which produces a high content of malate in sake, and mitochondrial morphology has now emerged as a promising target for the breeding of practical industrial strains.

  17. UV and arsenate toxicity: a specific and sensitive yeast bioluminescence assay.

    PubMed

    Bakhrat, Anya; Eltzov, Evgeni; Finkelstein, Yishay; Marks, Robert S; Raveh, Dina

    2011-06-01

    We describe a Saccharomyces cerevisiae bioluminescence assay for UV and arsenate in which bacterial luciferase genes are regulated by the promoter of the yeast gene, UFO1. UFO1 encodes the F-box subunit of the Skp1–Cdc53–F-box protein ubiquitin ligase complex and is induced by DNA damage and by arsenate. We engineered the UFO1 promoter into an existing yeast bioreporter that employs human genes for detection of steroid hormone-disrupting compounds in water bodies. Our analysis indicates that use of an endogenous yeast promoter in different mutant backgrounds allows discrimination between different environmental signals. The UFO1-engineered yeast give a robust bioluminescence response to UVB and can be used for evaluating UV protective sunscreens. They are also effective in detecting extremely low concentrations of arsenate, particularly in pdr5Δ mutants that lack a mechanism to extrude toxic chemicals; however, they do not respond to cadmium or mercury. Combined use of endogenous yeast promoter elements and mutants of stress response pathways may facilitate development of high-specificity yeast bioreporters able to discriminate between closely related chemicals present together in the environment.

  18. Chemical genomic guided engineering of gamma-valerolactone tolerant yeast.

    PubMed

    Bottoms, Scott; Dickinson, Quinn; McGee, Mick; Hinchman, Li; Higbee, Alan; Hebert, Alex; Serate, Jose; Xie, Dan; Zhang, Yaoping; Coon, Joshua J; Myers, Chad L; Landick, Robert; Piotrowski, Jeff S

    2018-01-12

    Gamma valerolactone (GVL) treatment of lignocellulosic bomass is a promising technology for degradation of biomass for biofuel production; however, GVL is toxic to fermentative microbes. Using a combination of chemical genomics with the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) deletion collection to identify sensitive and resistant mutants, and chemical proteomics to monitor protein abundance in the presence of GVL, we sought to understand the mechanism toxicity and resistance to GVL with the goal of engineering a GVL-tolerant, xylose-fermenting yeast. Chemical genomic profiling of GVL predicted that this chemical affects membranes and membrane-bound processes. We show that GVL causes rapid, dose-dependent cell permeability, and is synergistic with ethanol. Chemical genomic profiling of GVL revealed that deletion of the functionally related enzymes Pad1p and Fdc1p, which act together to decarboxylate cinnamic acid and its derivatives to vinyl forms, increases yeast tolerance to GVL. Further, overexpression of Pad1p sensitizes cells to GVL toxicity. To improve GVL tolerance, we deleted PAD1 and FDC1 in a xylose-fermenting yeast strain. The modified strain exhibited increased anaerobic growth, sugar utilization, and ethanol production in synthetic hydrolysate with 1.5% GVL, and under other conditions. Chemical proteomic profiling of the engineered strain revealed that enzymes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis were more abundant in the presence of GVL compared to the background strain. The engineered GVL strain contained greater amounts of ergosterol than the background strain. We found that GVL exerts toxicity to yeast by compromising cellular membranes, and that this toxicity is synergistic with ethanol. Deletion of PAD1 and FDC1 conferred GVL resistance to a xylose-fermenting yeast strain by increasing ergosterol accumulation in aerobically grown cells. The GVL-tolerant strain fermented sugars in the presence of GVL levels that were inhibitory to the unmodified strain

  19. Interactions of Saprophytic Yeasts with a nor Mutant of Aspergillus flavus

    PubMed Central

    Hua, Sui-Sheng T.; Baker, James L.; Flores-Espiritu, Melanie

    1999-01-01

    The nor mutant of Aspergillus flavus has a defective norsolorinic acid reductase, and thus the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway is blocked, resulting in the accumulation of norsolorinic acid, a bright red-orange pigment. We developed a visual agar plate assay to monitor yeast strains for their ability to inhibit aflatoxin production by visually scoring the accumulation of this pigment of the nor mutant. We identified yeast strains that reduced the red-orange pigment accumulation in the nor mutant. These yeasts also reduced aflatoxin accumulation by a toxigenic strain of A. flavus. These yeasts may be useful for reducing aflatoxin contamination of food commodities. PMID:10347069

  20. An Evolutionary Perspective on Yeast Mating-Type Switching

    PubMed Central

    Hanson, Sara J.; Wolfe, Kenneth H.

    2017-01-01

    Cell differentiation in yeast species is controlled by a reversible, programmed DNA-rearrangement process called mating-type switching. Switching is achieved by two functionally similar but structurally distinct processes in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In both species, haploid cells possess one active and two silent copies of the mating-type locus (a three-cassette structure), the active locus is cleaved, and synthesis-dependent strand annealing is used to replace it with a copy of a silent locus encoding the opposite mating-type information. Each species has its own set of components responsible for regulating these processes. In this review, we summarize knowledge about the function and evolution of mating-type switching components in these species, including mechanisms of heterochromatin formation, MAT locus cleavage, donor bias, lineage tracking, and environmental regulation of switching. We compare switching in these well-studied species to others such as Kluyveromyces lactis and the methylotrophic yeasts Ogataea polymorpha and Komagataella phaffii. We focus on some key questions: Which cells switch mating type? What molecular apparatus is required for switching? Where did it come from? And what is the evolutionary purpose of switching? PMID:28476860

  1. Prion-based memory of heat stress in yeast

    PubMed Central

    Chernova, Tatiana A.; Wilkinson, Keith D.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Amyloids and amyloid-based prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates which can spread by converting a normal protein of the same sequence into a prion form. They are associated with diseases in humans and mammals, and control heritable traits in yeast and other fungi. Some amyloids are implicated in biologically beneficial processes. As prion formation generates reproducible memory of a conformational change, prions can be considered as molecular memory devices.  We have demonstrated that in yeast, stress-inducible cytoskeleton-associated protein Lsb2 forms a metastable prion in response to high temperature. This prion promotes conversion of other proteins into prions and can persist in a fraction of cells for a significant number of cell generations after stress, thus maintaining the memory of stress in a population of surviving cells. Acquisition of an amino acid substitution required for Lsb2 to form a prion coincides with acquisition of increased thermotolerance in the evolution of Saccharomyces yeast. Thus the ability to form an Lsb2 prion in response to stress coincides with yeast adaptation to growth at higher temperatures. These findings intimately connect prion formation to the cellular response to environmental stresses. PMID:28521568

  2. Prion-based memory of heat stress in yeast.

    PubMed

    Chernova, Tatiana A; Chernoff, Yury O; Wilkinson, Keith D

    2017-05-04

    Amyloids and amyloid-based prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates which can spread by converting a normal protein of the same sequence into a prion form. They are associated with diseases in humans and mammals, and control heritable traits in yeast and other fungi. Some amyloids are implicated in biologically beneficial processes. As prion formation generates reproducible memory of a conformational change, prions can be considered as molecular memory devices.  We have demonstrated that in yeast, stress-inducible cytoskeleton-associated protein Lsb2 forms a metastable prion in response to high temperature. This prion promotes conversion of other proteins into prions and can persist in a fraction of cells for a significant number of cell generations after stress, thus maintaining the memory of stress in a population of surviving cells. Acquisition of an amino acid substitution required for Lsb2 to form a prion coincides with acquisition of increased thermotolerance in the evolution of Saccharomyces yeast. Thus the ability to form an Lsb2 prion in response to stress coincides with yeast adaptation to growth at higher temperatures. These findings intimately connect prion formation to the cellular response to environmental stresses.

  3. Fission yeast Csk1 is a CAK-activating kinase (CAKAK).

    PubMed Central

    Hermand, D; Pihlak, A; Westerling, T; Damagnez, V; Vandenhaute, J; Cottarel, G; Mäkelä, T P

    1998-01-01

    Cell cycle progression is dependent on the sequential activity of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). For full activity, CDKs require an activating phosphorylation of a conserved residue (corresponding to Thr160 in human CDK2) carried out by the CDK-activating kinase (CAK). Two distinct CAK kinases have been described: in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Cak1/Civ1 kinase is responsible for CAK activity. In several other species including human, Xenopus, Drosophila and fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, CAK has been identified as a complex homologous to CDK7-cyclin H (Mcs6-Mcs2 in fission yeast). Here we identify the fission yeast Csk1 kinase as an in vivo activating kinase of the Mcs6-Mcs2 CAK defining Csk1 as a CAK-activating kinase (CAKAK). PMID:9857180

  4. Discovery of a nucleocytoplasmic O-mannose glycoproteome in yeast

    PubMed Central

    Halim, Adnan; Larsen, Ida Signe Bohse; Neubert, Patrick; Joshi, Hiren Jitendra; Petersen, Bent Larsen; Vakhrushev, Sergey Y.; Strahl, Sabine; Clausen, Henrik

    2015-01-01

    Dynamic cycling of N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) on serine and threonine residues (O-GlcNAcylation) is an essential process in all eukaryotic cells except yeast, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. O-GlcNAcylation modulates signaling and cellular processes in an intricate interplay with protein phosphorylation and serves as a key sensor of nutrients by linking the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway to cellular signaling. A longstanding conundrum has been how yeast survives without O-GlcNAcylation in light of its similar phosphorylation signaling system. We previously developed a sensitive lectin enrichment and mass spectrometry workflow for identification of the human O-linked mannose (O-Man) glycoproteome and used this to identify a pleothora of O-Man glycoproteins in human cell lines including the large family of cadherins and protocadherins. Here, we applied the workflow to yeast with the aim to characterize the yeast O-Man glycoproteome, and in doing so, we discovered hitherto unknown O-Man glycosites on nuclear, cytoplasmic, and mitochondrial proteins in S. cerevisiae and S. pombe. Such O-Man glycoproteins were not found in our analysis of human cell lines. However, the type of yeast O-Man nucleocytoplasmic proteins and the localization of identified O-Man residues mirror that of the O-GlcNAc glycoproteome found in other eukaryotic cells, indicating that the two different types of O-glycosylations serve the same important biological functions. The discovery opens for exploration of the enzymatic machinery that is predicted to regulate the nucleocytoplasmic O-Man glycosylations. It is likely that manipulation of this type of O-Man glycosylation will have wide applications for yeast bioprocessing. PMID:26644575

  5. Uranium bioprecipitation mediated by yeasts utilizing organic phosphorus substrates.

    PubMed

    Liang, Xinjin; Csetenyi, Laszlo; Gadd, Geoffrey Michael

    2016-06-01

    In this research, we have demonstrated the ability of several yeast species to mediate U(VI) biomineralization through uranium phosphate biomineral formation when utilizing an organic source of phosphorus (glycerol 2-phosphate disodium salt hydrate (C3H7Na2O6P·xH2O (G2P)) or phytic acid sodium salt hydrate (C6H18O24P6·xNa(+)·yH2O (PyA))) in the presence of soluble UO2(NO3)2. The formation of meta-ankoleite (K2(UO2)2(PO4)2·6(H2O)), chernikovite ((H3O)2(UO2)2(PO4)2·6(H2O)), bassetite (Fe(++)(UO2)2(PO4)2·8(H2O)), and uramphite ((NH4)(UO2)(PO4)·3(H2O)) on cell surfaces was confirmed by X-ray diffraction in yeasts grown in a defined liquid medium amended with uranium and an organic phosphorus source, as well as in yeasts pre-grown in organic phosphorus-containing media and then subsequently exposed to UO2(NO3)2. The resulting minerals depended on the yeast species as well as physico-chemical conditions. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that phosphatase-mediated uranium biomineralization can occur in yeasts supplied with an organic phosphate substrate as sole source of phosphorus. Further understanding of yeast interactions with uranium may be relevant to development of potential treatment methods for uranium waste and utilization of organic phosphate sources and for prediction of microbial impacts on the fate of uranium in the environment.

  6. Yeast and the AIDS Virus: The Odd Couple

    PubMed Central

    Andréola, Marie-Line; Litvak, Simon

    2012-01-01

    Despite being simple eukaryotic organisms, the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe have been widely used as a model to study human pathologies and the replication of human, animal, and plant viruses, as well as the function of individual viral proteins. The complete genome of S. cerevisiae was the first of eukaryotic origin to be sequenced and contains about 6,000 genes. More than 75% of the genes have an assigned function, while more than 40% share conserved sequences with known or predicted human genes. This strong homology has allowed the function of human orthologs to be unveiled starting from the data obtained in yeast. RNA plant viruses were the first to be studied in yeast. In this paper, we focus on the use of the yeast model to study the function of the proteins of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the search for its cellular partners. This human retrovirus is the cause of AIDS. The WHO estimates that there are 33.4 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS, with 2.7 million new HIV infections per year and 2.0 million annual deaths due to AIDS. Current therapy is able to control the disease but there is no permanent cure or a vaccine. By using yeast, it is possible to dissect the function of some HIV-1 proteins and discover new cellular factors common to this simple cell and humans that may become potential therapeutic targets, leading to a long-lasting treatment for AIDS. PMID:22778552

  7. Divergence of Iron Metabolism in Wild Malaysian Yeast

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Hana N.; Mostovoy, Yulia; Hsu, Tiffany Y.; Chang, Amanda H.; Brem, Rachel B.

    2013-01-01

    Comparative genomic studies have reported widespread variation in levels of gene expression within and between species. Using these data to infer organism-level trait divergence has proven to be a key challenge in the field. We have used a wild Malaysian population of S. cerevisiae as a test bed in the search to predict and validate trait differences based on observations of regulatory variation. Malaysian yeast, when cultured in standard medium, activated regulatory programs that protect cells from the toxic effects of high iron. Malaysian yeast also showed a hyperactive regulatory response during culture in the presence of excess iron and had a unique growth defect in conditions of high iron. Molecular validation experiments pinpointed the iron metabolism factors AFT1, CCC1, and YAP5 as contributors to these molecular and cellular phenotypes; in genome-scale sequence analyses, a suite of iron toxicity response genes showed evidence for rapid protein evolution in Malaysian yeast. Our findings support a model in which iron metabolism has diverged in Malaysian yeast as a consequence of a change in selective pressure, with Malaysian alleles shifting the dynamic range of iron response to low-iron concentrations and weakening resistance to extreme iron toxicity. By dissecting the iron scarcity specialist behavior of Malaysian yeast, our work highlights the power of expression divergence as a signpost for biologically and evolutionarily relevant variation at the organismal level. Interpreting the phenotypic relevance of gene expression variation is one of the primary challenges of modern genomics. PMID:24142925

  8. Interactions between Brettanomyces bruxellensis and other yeast species during the initial stages of winemaking.

    PubMed

    Renouf, V; Falcou, M; Miot-Sertier, C; Perello, M C; De Revel, G; Lonvaud-Funel, A

    2006-06-01

    Wine is the product of complex interactions between yeasts and bacteria in grape must. Amongst yeast populations, two groups can be distinguished. The first, named non-Saccharomyces (NS), colonizes, with many other micro-organisms, the surface of grape berries. In the past, NS yeasts were primarily considered as spoilage micro-organisms. However, recent studies have established a positive contribution of certain NS yeasts to wine quality. Amongst the group of NS yeasts, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, which is not prevalent on wine grapes, plays an important part in the evolution of wine aroma. Some of their secondary metabolites, namely volatile phenols, are responsible for wine spoilage. The other group contributing to wine aroma, which is also the main agent of alcoholic fermentation (AF), is composed of Saccharomyces species. The fermenting must is a complex microbial ecosystem where numerous yeast strains grow and die according to their adaptation to the medium. Yeast-yeast interactions occur during winemaking right from the onset of AF. The aim of this study was to describe the interactions between B. bruxellensis, other NS and Saccharomyces cerevisiae during laboratory and practical scale winemaking. Molecular methods such as internal transcribed spacer-restriction fragment length polymorphism and polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis were used in laboratory scale experiments and cellar observations. The influence of different oenological practices, like the level of sulphiting at harvest time, cold maceration preceding AF, addition of commercial active dry yeasts on B. bruxellensis and other yeast interactions and their evolution during the initial stages of winemaking have been studied. Brettanomyces bruxellensis was the most adapted NS yeast at the beginning of AF, and towards the end of AF it appeared to be more resistant than S. cerevisiae to the conditions of increased alcohol and sugar limitation. Among all NS yeast species

  9. Are LIGO's Black Holes Made From Smaller Black Holes?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2017-05-01

    The recent successes of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has raised hopes that several long-standing questions in black-hole physics will soon be answerable. Besides revealing how the black-hole binary pairs are built, could detections with LIGO also reveal how the black holes themselves form?Isolation or HierarchyThe first detection of gravitational waves, GW150914, was surprising for a number of reasons. One unexpected result was the mass of the two black holes that LIGO saw merging: they were a whopping 29 and 36 solar masses.On the left of this schematic, two first-generation (direct-collapse) black holes form a merging binary. The right illustrates a second-generation hierarchical merger: each black hole in the final merging binary was formed by the merger of two smaller black holes. [Adapted fromGerosa et al., a simultaneously published paper that also explores the problem of hierarchical mergers and reaches similar conclusions]How do black holes of this size form? One possibility is that they form in isolation from the collapse of a single massive star. In an alternative model, they are created through the hierarchical merger of smaller black holes, gradually building up to the size we observed.A team of scientists led by Maya Fishbach (University of Chicago) suggests that we may soon be able to tell whether or not black holes observed by LIGO formed hierarchically. Fishbach and collaborators argue that hierarchical formation leaves a distinctive signature on the spins of the final black holes and that as soon as we have enough merger detections from LIGO, we can use spin measurements to statistically determine if LIGO black holes were formed hierarchically.Spins from Major MergersWhen two black holes merge, both their original spins and the angular momentum of the pair contribute to the spin of the final black hole that results. Fishbach and collaborators calculate the expected distribution of these final spins assuming that

  10. The Budding Yeast Nucleus

    PubMed Central

    Taddei, Angela; Schober, Heiko; Gasser, Susan M.

    2010-01-01

    The budding yeast nucleus, like those of other eukaryotic species, is highly organized with respect to both chromosomal sequences and enzymatic activities. At the nuclear periphery interactions of nuclear pores with chromatin, mRNA, and transport factors promote efficient gene expression, whereas centromeres, telomeres, and silent chromatin are clustered and anchored away from pores. Internal nuclear organization appears to be function-dependent, reflecting localized sites for tRNA transcription, rDNA transcription, ribosome assembly, and DNA repair. Recent advances have identified new proteins involved in the positioning of chromatin and have allowed testing of the functional role of higher-order chromatin organization. The unequal distribution of silent information regulatory factors and histone modifying enzymes, which arises in part from the juxtaposition of telomeric repeats, has been shown to influence chromatin-mediated transcriptional repression. Other localization events suppress unwanted recombination. These findings highlight the contribution budding yeast genetics and cytology have made to dissecting the functional role of nuclear structure. PMID:20554704

  11. Exploring the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Protein Degradation Pathway in Yeast

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Will, Tamara J.; McWatters, Melissa K.; McQuade, Kristi L.

    2006-01-01

    This article describes an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory investigating the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in yeast. In this exercise, the enzyme beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) is expressed in yeast under the control of a stress response promoter. Following exposure to heat stress to induce beta-gal expression, cycloheximide is added to halt…

  12. Identification of superior lipid producing Lipomyces and Myxozyma yeasts

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Oleaginous yeasts are of interest for production of single cell oils from sugars. Here 17 members of the Lipomyces and Myxozyma clade were screened for lipid production when cultured on glucose. The highest ranking yeasts included L. tetrasporus (21 g/l), L. kononenkoae (19.6 g/l), and L. lipofer (1...

  13. High-Gravity Brewing: Effects of Nutrition on Yeast Composition, Fermentative Ability, and Alcohol Production

    PubMed Central

    Casey, Gregory P.; Magnus, Carol A.; Ingledew, W. M.

    1984-01-01

    A number of economic and product quality advantages exist in brewing when high-gravity worts of 16 to 18% dissolved solids are fermented. Above this level, production problems such as slow or stuck fermentations and poor yeast viability occur. Ethanol toxicity has been cited as the main cause, as brewers' yeasts are reported to tolerate only 7 to 9% (vol/vol) ethanol. The inhibitory effect of high osmotic pressure has also been implicated. In this report, it is demonstrated that the factor limiting the production of high levels of ethanol by brewing yeasts is actually a nutritional deficiency. When a nitrogen source, ergosterol, and oleic acid are added to worts up to 31% dissolved solids, it is possible to produce beers up to 16.2% (vol/vol) ethanol. Yeast viability remains high, and the yeasts can be repitched at least five times. Supplementation does not increase the fermentative tolerance of the yeasts to ethanol but increases the length and level of new yeast cell mass synthesis over that seen in unsupplemented wort (and therefore the period of more rapid wort attenuation). Glycogen, protein, and sterol levels in yeasts were examined, as was the importance of pitching rate, temperature, and degree of anaerobiosis. The ethanol tolerance of brewers' yeast is suggested to be no different than that of sake or distillers' yeast. PMID:16346630

  14. Yeast succession in the Amazon fruit Parahancornia amapa as resource partitioning among Drosophila spp.

    PubMed Central

    Morais, P B; Martins, M B; Klaczko, L B; Mendonça-Hagler, L C; Hagler, A N

    1995-01-01

    The succession of yeasts colonizing the fallen ripe amapa fruit, from Parahancornia amapa, was examined. The occupation of the substrate depended on both the competitive interactions of yeast species, such as the production of killer toxins, and the selective dispersion by the drosophilid guild of the amapa fruit. The yeast community associated with this Amazon fruit differed from those isolated from other fruits in the same forest. The physiological profile of these yeasts was mostly restricted to the assimilation of a few simple carbon sources, mainly L-sorbose, D-glycerol, DL-lactate, cellobiose, and salicin. Common fruit-associated yeasts of the genera Kloeckera and Hanseniaspora, Candida guilliermondii, and Candida krusei colonized fruits during the first three days after the fruit fell. These yeasts were dispersed and served as food for the invader Drosophila malerkotliana. The resident flies of the Drosophila willistoni group fed selectively on patches of yeasts colonizing fruits 3 to 10 days after the fruit fell. The killer toxin-producing yeasts Pichia kluyveri var. kluyveri and Candida fructus were probably involved in the exclusion of some species during the intermediate stages of fruit deterioration. An increase in pH, inhibiting toxin activity and the depletion of simple sugars, may have promoted an increase in yeast diversity in the later stages of decomposition. The yeast succession provided a patchy environment for the drosophilids sharing this ephemeral substrate. PMID:8534092

  15. In situ rheology of yeast biofilms.

    PubMed

    Brugnoni, Lorena I; Tarifa, María C; Lozano, Jorge E; Genovese, Diego

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present work was to investigate the in situ rheological behavior of yeast biofilms growing on stainless steel under static and turbulent flow. The species used (Rhodototula mucilaginosa, Candida krusei, Candida kefyr and Candida tropicalis) were isolated from a clarified apple juice industry. The flow conditions impacted biofilm composition over time, with a predominance of C. krusei under static and turbulent flow. Likewise, structural variations occurred, with a tighter appearance under dynamic flow. Under turbulent flow there was an increase of 112 μm in biofilm thickness at 11 weeks (p < 0.001) and cell morphology was governed by hyphal structures and rounded cells. Using the in situ growth method introduced here, yeast biofilms were determined to be viscoelastic materials with a predominantly solid-like behavior, and neither this nor the G'0 values were significantly affected by the flow conditions or the growth time, and at large deformations their weak structure collapsed beyond a critical strain of about 1.5-5%. The present work could represent a starting point for developing in situ measurements of yeast rheology and contribute to a thin body of knowledge about fungal biofilm formation.

  16. Human gut Bacteroidetes can utilize yeast mannan through a selfish mechanism

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Yanping; Cameron, Elizabeth; Pudlo, Nicholas A.; Porter, Nathan T.; Urs, Karthik; Thompson, Andrew J.; Cartmell, Alan; Rogowski, Artur; Hamilton, Brian S.; Chen, Rui; Tolbert, Thomas J.; Piens, Kathleen; Bracke, Debby; Vervecken, Wouter; Hakki, Zalihe; Speciale, Gaetano; Munōz-Munōz, Jose L.; Day, Andrew; Peña, Maria J.; McLean, Richard; Suits, Michael D.; Boraston, Alisdair B.; Atherly, Todd; Ziemer, Cherie J.; Williams, Spencer J.; Davies, Gideon J.; Abbott, D. Wade; Martens, Eric C.; Gilbert, Harry J.

    2016-01-01

    Yeasts, which have been a component of the human diet for at least 7000 years, possess an elaborate cell wall α-mannan. The influence of yeast mannan on the ecology of the human microbiota is unknown. Here we show that yeast α-mannan is a viable food source for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt), a dominant member of the microbiota. Detailed biochemical analysis and targeted gene disruption studies support a model whereby limited cleavage of α-mannan on the surface generates large oligosaccharides that are subsequently depolymerized to mannose by the action of periplasmic enzymes. Co-culturing studies showed that metabolism of yeast mannan by Bt presents a ‘selfish’ model for the catabolism of this recalcitrant polysaccharide. This report shows how a cohort of highly successful members of the microbiota has evolved to consume sterically-restricted yeast glycans, an adaptation that may reflect the incorporation of eukaryotic microorganisms into the human diet. PMID:25567280

  17. Structural differences between yeast and mammalian microtubules revealed by cryo-EM

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Howes, Stuart C.; Geyer, Elisabeth A.; LaFrance, Benjamin

    Microtubules are polymers of αβ-tubulin heterodimers essential for all eukaryotes. Despite sequence conservation, there are significant structural differences between microtubules assembled in vitro from mammalian or budding yeast tubulin. Yeast MTs were not observed to undergo compaction at the interdimer interface as seen for mammalian microtubules upon GTP hydrolysis. Lack of compaction might reflect slower GTP hydrolysis or a different degree of allosteric coupling in the lattice. The microtubule plus end–tracking protein Bim1 binds yeast microtubules both between αβ-tubulin heterodimers, as seen for other organisms, and within tubulin dimers, but binds mammalian tubulin only at interdimer contacts. At the concentrationsmore » used in cryo-electron microscopy, Bim1 causes the compaction of yeast microtubules and induces their rapid disassembly. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate structural differences between yeast and mammalian microtubules that likely underlie their differing polymerization dynamics. These differences may reflect adaptations to the demands of different cell size or range of physiological growth temperatures.« less

  18. Human gut Bacteroidetes can utilize yeast mannan through a selfish mechanism.

    PubMed

    Cuskin, Fiona; Lowe, Elisabeth C; Temple, Max J; Zhu, Yanping; Cameron, Elizabeth; Pudlo, Nicholas A; Porter, Nathan T; Urs, Karthik; Thompson, Andrew J; Cartmell, Alan; Rogowski, Artur; Hamilton, Brian S; Chen, Rui; Tolbert, Thomas J; Piens, Kathleen; Bracke, Debby; Vervecken, Wouter; Hakki, Zalihe; Speciale, Gaetano; Munōz-Munōz, Jose L; Day, Andrew; Peña, Maria J; McLean, Richard; Suits, Michael D; Boraston, Alisdair B; Atherly, Todd; Ziemer, Cherie J; Williams, Spencer J; Davies, Gideon J; Abbott, D Wade; Martens, Eric C; Gilbert, Harry J

    2015-01-08

    Yeasts, which have been a component of the human diet for at least 7,000 years, possess an elaborate cell wall α-mannan. The influence of yeast mannan on the ecology of the human microbiota is unknown. Here we show that yeast α-mannan is a viable food source for the Gram-negative bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a dominant member of the microbiota. Detailed biochemical analysis and targeted gene disruption studies support a model whereby limited cleavage of α-mannan on the surface generates large oligosaccharides that are subsequently depolymerized to mannose by the action of periplasmic enzymes. Co-culturing studies showed that metabolism of yeast mannan by B. thetaiotaomicron presents a 'selfish' model for the catabolism of this difficult to breakdown polysaccharide. Genomic comparison with B. thetaiotaomicron in conjunction with cell culture studies show that a cohort of highly successful members of the microbiota has evolved to consume sterically-restricted yeast glycans, an adaptation that may reflect the incorporation of eukaryotic microorganisms into the human diet.

  19. The Genetics of Non-conventional Wine Yeasts: Current Knowledge and Future Challenges

    PubMed Central

    Masneuf-Pomarede, Isabelle; Bely, Marina; Marullo, Philippe; Albertin, Warren

    2016-01-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae is by far the most widely used yeast in oenology. However, during the last decade, several other yeasts species has been purposed for winemaking as they could positively impact wine quality. Some of these non-conventional yeasts (Torulaspora delbrueckii, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Pichia kluyveri, Lachancea thermotolerans, etc.) are now proposed as starters culture for winemakers in mixed fermentation with S. cerevisiae, and several others are the subject of various studies (Hanseniaspora uvarum, Starmerella bacillaris, etc.). Along with their biotechnological use, the knowledge of these non-conventional yeasts greatly increased these last 10 years. The aim of this review is to describe the last updates and the current state-of-art of the genetics of non-conventional yeasts (including S. uvarum, T. delbrueckii, S. bacillaris, etc.). We describe how genomics and genetics tools provide new data into the population structure and biodiversity of non-conventional yeasts in winemaking environments. Future challenges will lie on the development of selection programs and/or genetic improvement of these non-conventional species. We discuss how genetics, genomics and the advances in next-generation sequencing will help the wine industry to develop the biotechnological use of non-conventional yeasts to improve the quality and differentiation of wines. PMID:26793188

  20. Oleaginous yeasts for biodiesel: current and future trends in biology and production.

    PubMed

    Sitepu, Irnayuli R; Garay, Luis A; Sestric, Ryan; Levin, David; Block, David E; German, J Bruce; Boundy-Mills, Kyria L

    2014-11-15

    Production of biodiesel from edible plant oils is quickly expanding worldwide to fill a need for renewable, environmentally-friendly liquid transportation fuels. Due to concerns over use of edible commodities for fuels, production of biodiesel from non-edible oils including microbial oils is being developed. Microalgae biodiesel is approaching commercial viability, but has some inherent limitations such as requirements for sunlight. While yeast oils have been studied for decades, recent years have seen significant developments including discovery of new oleaginous yeast species and strains, greater understanding of the metabolic pathways that determine oleaginicity, optimization of cultivation processes for conversion of various types of waste plant biomass to oil using oleaginous yeasts, and development of strains with enhanced oil production. This review examines aspects of oleaginous yeasts not covered in depth in other recent reviews. Topics include the history of oleaginous yeast research, especially advances in the early 20th century; the phylogenetic diversity of oleaginous species, beyond the few species commonly studied; and physiological characteristics that should be considered when choosing yeast species and strains to be utilized for conversion of a given type of plant biomass to oleochemicals. Standardized terms are proposed for units that describe yeast cell mass and lipid production. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  1. Persistence of Two Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts (Hanseniaspora and Starmerella) in the Cellar

    PubMed Central

    Grangeteau, Cédric; Gerhards, Daniel; von Wallbrunn, Christian; Alexandre, Hervé; Rousseaux, Sandrine; Guilloux-Benatier, Michèle

    2016-01-01

    Different genera and/or species of yeasts present on grape berries, in musts and wines are widely described. Nevertheless, the community of non-Saccharomyces yeasts present in the cellar is still given little attention. Thus it is not known if the cellar is a real ecological niche for these yeasts or if it is merely a transient habitat for populations brought in by grape berries during the winemaking period. This study focused on three species of non-Saccharomyces yeasts commonly encountered during vinification: Starmerella bacillaris (synonymy with Candida zemplinina), Hanseniaspora guilliermondii and Hanseniaspora uvarum. More than 1200 isolates were identified at the strain level by FT-IR spectroscopy (207 different FTIR strain pattern). Only a small proportion of non-Saccharomyces yeasts present in musts came directly from grape berries for the three species studied. Some strains were found in the must in two consecutive years and some of them were also found in the cellar environment before the arrival of the harvest of second vintage. This study demonstrates for the first time the persistence of non-Saccharomyces yeast strains from year to year in the cellar. Sulfur dioxide can affect yeast populations in the must and therefore their persistence in the cellar environment. PMID:27014199

  2. The Genetics of Non-conventional Wine Yeasts: Current Knowledge and Future Challenges.

    PubMed

    Masneuf-Pomarede, Isabelle; Bely, Marina; Marullo, Philippe; Albertin, Warren

    2015-01-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae is by far the most widely used yeast in oenology. However, during the last decade, several other yeasts species has been purposed for winemaking as they could positively impact wine quality. Some of these non-conventional yeasts (Torulaspora delbrueckii, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Pichia kluyveri, Lachancea thermotolerans, etc.) are now proposed as starters culture for winemakers in mixed fermentation with S. cerevisiae, and several others are the subject of various studies (Hanseniaspora uvarum, Starmerella bacillaris, etc.). Along with their biotechnological use, the knowledge of these non-conventional yeasts greatly increased these last 10 years. The aim of this review is to describe the last updates and the current state-of-art of the genetics of non-conventional yeasts (including S. uvarum, T. delbrueckii, S. bacillaris, etc.). We describe how genomics and genetics tools provide new data into the population structure and biodiversity of non-conventional yeasts in winemaking environments. Future challenges will lie on the development of selection programs and/or genetic improvement of these non-conventional species. We discuss how genetics, genomics and the advances in next-generation sequencing will help the wine industry to develop the biotechnological use of non-conventional yeasts to improve the quality and differentiation of wines.

  3. Phenol degradation and heavy metal tolerance of Antarctic yeasts.

    PubMed

    Fernández, Pablo Marcelo; Martorell, María Martha; Blaser, Mariana G; Ruberto, Lucas Adolfo Mauro; de Figueroa, Lucía Inés Castellanos; Mac Cormack, Walter Patricio

    2017-05-01

    In cold environments, biodegradation of organic pollutants and heavy metal bio-conversion requires the activity of cold-adapted or cold-tolerant microorganisms. In this work, the ability to utilize phenol, methanol and n-hexadecane as C source, the tolerance to different heavy metals and growth from 5 to 30 °C were evaluated in cold-adapted yeasts isolated from Antarctica. Fifty-nine percent of the yeasts were classified as psychrotolerant as they could grow in all the range of temperature tested, while the other 41% were classified as psychrophilic as they only grew below 25 °C. In the assimilation tests, 32, 78, and 13% of the yeasts could utilize phenol, n-hexadecane, and methanol as C source, respectively, but only 6% could assimilate the three C sources evaluated. In relation to heavy metals ions, 55, 68, and 80% were tolerant to 1 mM of Cr(VI), Cd(II), and Cu(II), respectively. Approximately a half of the isolates tolerated all of them. Most of the selected yeasts belong to genera previously reported as common for Antarctic soils, but several other genera were also isolated, which contribute to the knowledge of this cold environment mycodiversity. The tolerance to heavy metals of the phenol-degrading cold-adapted yeasts illustrated that the strains could be valuable as inoculant for cold wastewater treatment in extremely cold environments.

  4. [Onychomycosis by yeast not common in diabetics of a health center].

    PubMed

    Imbert, J L; G Gomez, J V; Escudero, R B; Blasco, J L

    2016-10-01

    Mexican diabetic population frequently presents mycosis under foot hyperkeratosis; however, in another type of onychomycosis as the ones that is assumed Candida albicans is the causal agent, it is unknown the frequency, the prevalence and if another Candida species or other yeasts are found. Evaluate the frequency of yeasts causing onychomycosis in diabetic patients looked after in public institutions of health of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, and its association with clinical epidemiological variables. An observational, descriptive and transversal study was made on 261 patients, from which one nail sample of each one was obtained, used to isolate and identify dermatophytes and yeasts; the results were statistically correlated with 24 epidemiological parameters. The clinical study was done through interrogation and by medical exploration in order to evaluate Tinea pedis and onychomycosis. Onychomycosis were caused by Candida guilliermondii, Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida spp., Kodamaea ohmeri, Prototheca wickerhamii and unidentified yeasts. The prevalence for general onychomycosis, by dermatophytes, mixed onychomycosis and by yeasts were: 24.1, 19.5, 2.3 and 14.6%, respectively. Patients with significant probability to be diagnosed as having onychomycosis by yeasts are those wearing open shoes (2.59%); technicians and professionals (10.49%) and alcohol drinkers (3.72%). The fact that Candida albicans is not present in this study as causal agent of onychomycosis, and emerging and non-common yeasts were indeed isolated, creates new challenges. It is remarked the clinical criterion that when onychomycosis is suspected in diabetics, the diagnosis for culturing dermatophytes and yeasts should be included. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. Effects of a spoilage yeast from silage on in vitro ruminal fermentation.

    PubMed

    Santos, M C; Lock, A L; Mechor, G D; Kung, L

    2015-04-01

    Feeding silages with high concentrations of yeasts from aerobic spoilage is often implicated as a cause of poor animal performance on dairies. Our objective was to determine if a commonly found spoilage yeast, isolated from silage, had the potential to alter in vitro ruminal fermentations. A single colony of Issatchenkia orientalis, isolated from high-moisture corn, was grown in selective medium. The yeast culture was purified and added to in vitro culture tubes containing a total mixed ration (43% concentrate, 43% corn silage, 11% alfalfa haylage, and 3% alfalfa hay on a dry matter basis), buffer, and ruminal fluid to achieve added theoretical final concentrations of 0 (CTR), 4.40 (low yeast; LY), 6.40 (medium yeast; MY), and 8.40 (high yeast; HY) log10 cfu of yeast/mL of in vitro fluid. Seven separate tubes were prepared for each treatment and each time point and incubated for 12 and 24h at 39 °C. At the end of the incubation period, samples were analyzed for pH, yeast number, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and fatty acids (FA). We found that total viable yeast counts decreased for all treatments in in vitro incubations but were still relatively high (5.3 log10 cfu of yeasts/mL) for HY after 24h of incubation. Addition of HY resulted in a lower pH and higher concentration of total VFA in culture fluid compared with other treatments. Moreover, additions of MY and HY decreased in vitro NDF digestibility compared with CTR, and the effect was greatest for HY. Overall, the biohydrogenation of dietary unsaturated FA was not altered by addition of I. orientalis and decreased over time with an increase in the accumulation of saturated FA, especially palmitic and stearic acids. We conclude that addition of I. orientalis, especially at high levels, has the potential to reduce in vitro NDF digestion and alter other aspects of ruminal fermentations. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  6. Enhanced leavening properties of baker's yeast by reducing sucrase activity in sweet dough.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Cui-Ying; Lin, Xue; Feng, Bing; Liu, Xiao-Er; Bai, Xiao-Wen; Xu, Jia; Pi, Li; Xiao, Dong-Guang

    2016-07-01

    Leavening ability in sweet dough is required for the commercial applications of baker's yeast. This property depends on many factors, such as glycolytic activity, sucrase activity, and osmotolerance. This study explored the importance of sucrase level on the leavening ability of baker's yeast in sweet dough. Furthermore, the baker's yeast strains with varying sucrase activities were constructed by deleting SUC2, which encodes sucrase or replacing the SUC2 promoter with the VPS8/TEF1 promoter. The results verify that the sucrase activity negatively affects the leavening ability of baker's yeast strains under high-sucrose conditions. Based on a certain level of osmotolerance, sucrase level plays a significant role in the fermentation performance of baker's yeast, and appropriate sucrase activity is an important determinant for the leavening property of baker's yeast in sweet dough. Therefore, modification on sucrase activity is an effective method for improving the leavening properties of baker's yeast in sweet dough. This finding provides guidance for the breeding of industrial baker's yeast strains for sweet dough leavening. The transformants BS1 with deleted SUC2 genetic background provided decreased sucrase activity (a decrease of 39.3 %) and exhibited enhanced leavening property (an increase of 12.4 %). Such a strain could be useful for industrial applications.

  7. Technological properties of bakers' yeasts in durum wheat semolina dough.

    PubMed

    Giannone, Virgilio; Longo, Chiara; Damigella, Arcangelo; Raspagliesi, Domenico; Spina, Alfio; Palumbo, Massimo

    2010-04-01

    Properties of 13 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from different sources (traditional sourdoughs, industrial baking yeasts etc.) were studied in dough produced with durum wheat (Sicilian semolina, variety Mongibello). Durum wheat semolina and durum wheat flour are products prepared from grain of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) by grinding or milling processes in which the bran and germ are essentially removed and the remainder is comminuted to a suitable degree of fineness. Acidification and leavening properties of the dough were evaluated. Strains isolated from traditional sourdoughs (DSM PST18864, DSM PST18865 and DSM PST18866) showed higher leavening power, valuable after the first and second hours of fermentation, than commercial baking yeasts. In particular the strain DSM PST 18865 has also been successfully tested in bakery companies for the improvement of production processes. Baking and staling tests were carried out on five yeast strains to evaluate their fermentation ability directly and their resistance to the staling process. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP) was used to investigate genetic variations in the yeast strains. This study showed an appreciable biodiversity in the microbial populations of both wild and commercial yeast strains.

  8. Yeast identification: reassessment of assimilation tests as sole universal identifiers.

    PubMed

    Spencer, J; Rawling, S; Stratford, M; Steels, H; Novodvorska, M; Archer, D B; Chandra, S

    2011-11-01

    To assess whether assimilation tests in isolation remain a valid method of identification of yeasts, when applied to a wide range of environmental and spoilage isolates. Seventy-one yeast strains were isolated from a soft drinks factory. These were identified using assimilation tests and by D1/D2 rDNA sequencing. When compared to sequencing, assimilation test identifications (MicroLog™) were 18·3% correct, a further 14·1% correct within the genus and 67·6% were incorrectly identified. The majority of the latter could be attributed to the rise in newly reported yeast species. Assimilation tests alone are unreliable as a universal means of yeast identification, because of numerous new species, variability of strains and increasing coincidence of assimilation profiles. Assimilation tests still have a useful role in the identification of common species, such as the majority of clinical isolates. It is probable, based on these results, that many yeast identifications reported in older literature are incorrect. This emphasizes the crucial need for accurate identification in present and future publications. © 2011 The Authors. Letters in Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  9. Tolerance of budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to ultra high pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ono, Fumihisa; Shibata, Michiko; Torigoe, Motoki; Matsumoto, Yuta; Yamamoto, Shinsuke; Takizawa, Noboru; Hada, Yoshio; Mori, Yoshihisa; Takarabe, Kenichi

    2013-06-01

    In our previous studies on the tolerance of small plants and animals to the high hydrostatic pressure of 7.5 GPa, it was shown that all the living samples could be borne at this high pressure, which is more than one order of magnitude higher than the proteinic denaturation pressure. To make this inconsistency clear, we have extended these studies to a smaller sized fungus, budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A several pieces of budding yeast (dry yeast) were sealed in a small teflon capsule with a liquid pressure medium fluorinate (PC72, Sumitomo 3M), and exposed to 7.5 GPa by using a cubic anvil press. The pressure was kept constant for various duration of time from 2 to 24 h. After the pressure was released, the specimens were brought out from the teflon capsule, and they were cultivated on a potato dextrose agar (PDA). It was found that the budding yeast exposed to 7.5 GPa for up to 6 h showed multiplication. However, those exposed to 7.5 GPa for 12 and 24 h were found dead. The high pressure tolerance of budding yeast is weaker than that of tardigrades.

  10. The microbe-mineral environment and gypsum neogenesis in a weathered polar evaporite.

    PubMed

    Cockell, C S; Osinski, G R; Banerjee, N R; Howard, K T; Gilmour, I; Watson, J S

    2010-09-01

    Evaporitic deposits are a globally widespread habitat for micro-organisms. The microbe-mineral environment in weathered and remobilized gypsum from exposed mid-Ordovician marine evaporite beds in the polar desert of Devon Island, Nunavut, Canadian High Arctic was examined. The gypsum is characterized by internal green zones of cyanobacterial colonization (dominated by Gloeocapsa/Aphanothece and Chroococcidiopsis spp. morphotypes) and abundant black zones, visible from the surface, that contain pigmented cyanobacteria and fungi. Bioessential elements in the gypsum are primarily provided by allochthonous material from the present-day polar desert. The disruption, uplift and rotation of the evaporite beds by the Haughton meteorite impact 39 Ma have facilitated gypsum weathering and its accessibility as a habitat. No cultured cyanobacteria, bacteria and fungi were halophilic consistent with the expectation that halophily is not required to persist in gypsum habitats. Heterotrophic bacteria from the evaporite were slightly or moderately halotolerant, as were heterotrophs isolated from soil near the gypsum outcrop showing that halotolerance is common in arctic bacteria in this location. Psychrotolerant Arthrobacter species were isolated. No psychrophilic organisms were isolated. Two Arthrobacter isolates from the evaporite were used to mediate gypsum neogenesis in the laboratory, demonstrating a potential role for microbial biomineralization processes in polar environments.

  11. Improvement of Saccharomyces yeast strains used in brewing, wine making and baking.

    PubMed

    Donalies, Ute E B; Nguyen, Huyen T T; Stahl, Ulf; Nevoigt, Elke

    2008-01-01

    Yeast was the first microorganism domesticated by mankind. Indeed, the production of bread and alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine dates from antiquity, even though the fact that the origin of alcoholic fermentation is a microorganism was not known until the nineteenth century. The use of starter cultures in yeast industries became a common practice after methods for the isolation of pure yeast strains were developed. Moreover, effort has been undertaken to improve these strains, first by classical genetic methods and later by genetic engineering. In general, yeast strain development has aimed at improving the velocity and efficiency of the respective production process and the quality of the final products. This review highlights the achievements in genetic engineering of Saccharomyces yeast strains applied in food and beverage industry.

  12. Further studies on the quaternary structure of yeast casein kinase II.

    PubMed

    Szyszka, R; Lopaczyński, W; Gałasiński, W; Grankowski, N; Gasior, E

    1986-01-01

    Casein kinase type II were isolated by the same procedure, from rat liver, human placenta, Querin carcinoma and yeast, and characterized. The mammalian enzymes were composed of three subunits alpha, alpha' and beta, whereas yeast kinase was composed of two subunits alpha and alpha'. It was shown that the catalytic activity, substrate and phosphate donor specificity, sensitivity to heparin and spermine were the same for all the kinases tested. The results give additional support to the suggestion [1] that the beta subunit is not required for optimal activity and specificity of yeast casein kinase II. The quaternary structure of the yeast enzyme of a molecular weight of approximately 150 000 is proposed as alpha2 alpha'2.

  13. Low-mass black holes as the remnants of primordial black hole formation.

    PubMed

    Greene, Jenny E

    2012-01-01

    Bridging the gap between the approximately ten solar mass 'stellar mass' black holes and the 'supermassive' black holes of millions to billions of solar masses are the elusive 'intermediate-mass' black holes. Their discovery is key to understanding whether supermassive black holes can grow from stellar-mass black holes or whether a more exotic process accelerated their growth soon after the Big Bang. Currently, tentative evidence suggests that the progenitors of supermassive black holes were formed as ∼10(4)-10(5) M(⊙) black holes via the direct collapse of gas. Ongoing searches for intermediate-mass black holes at galaxy centres will help shed light on this formation mechanism.

  14. Associations of Yeasts with Spotted-Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii; Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Cherries and Raspberries

    PubMed Central

    Hernández, Alejandro; Zalom, Frank G.

    2012-01-01

    A rich history of investigation documents various Drosophila-yeast mutualisms, suggesting that Drosophila suzukii similarly has an association with a specific yeast species or community. To discover candidate yeast species, yeasts were isolated from larval frass, adult midguts, and fruit hosts of D. suzukii. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) technology and decimal dilution plating were used to identify and determine the relative abundance of yeast species present in fruit juice samples that were either infested with D. suzukii or not infested. Yeasts were less abundant in uninfested than infested samples. A total of 126 independent yeast isolates were cultivated from frass, midguts, and fruit hosts of D. suzukii, representing 28 species of yeasts, with Hanseniaspora uvarum predominating. This suggests an association between D. suzukii and H. uvarum that could be utilized for pest management of the highly pestiferous D. suzukii. PMID:22582060

  15. Pilot-scale continuous recycling of growth medium for the mass culture of a halotolerant Tetraselmis sp. in raceway ponds under increasing salinity: a novel protocol for commercial microalgal biomass production.

    PubMed

    Fon Sing, S; Isdepsky, A; Borowitzka, M A; Lewis, D M

    2014-06-01

    The opportunity to recycle microalgal culture medium for further cultivation is often hampered by salinity increases from evaporation and fouling by dissolved and particulate matter. In this study, the impact of culture re-use after electro-flocculation of seawater-based medium on growth and biomass productivity of the halotolerant green algal strain Tetraselmis sp., MUR 233, was investigated in pilot-scale open raceway ponds over 5months. Despite a salinity increase from 5.5% to 12% (w/v) NaCl, Tetraselmis MUR 233 grown on naturally DOC-enriched recycled medium produced 48-160% more ash free dry weight (AFDW) biomass daily per unit pond area than when grown on non-recycled medium. A peak productivity of 37.5±3.1gAFDWm(-2)d(-1) was reached in the recycled medium upon transition from ∼14% to ∼7% NaCl. The combination of high biomass-yielding mixotrophic growth under high salinity has been proven to be a successful sustainable cultivation strategy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Evolutionary biology through the lens of budding yeast comparative genomics.

    PubMed

    Marsit, Souhir; Leducq, Jean-Baptiste; Durand, Éléonore; Marchant, Axelle; Filteau, Marie; Landry, Christian R

    2017-10-01

    The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a highly advanced model system for studying genetics, cell biology and systems biology. Over the past decade, the application of high-throughput sequencing technologies to this species has contributed to this yeast also becoming an important model for evolutionary genomics. Indeed, comparative genomic analyses of laboratory, wild and domesticated yeast populations are providing unprecedented detail about many of the processes that govern evolution, including long-term processes, such as reproductive isolation and speciation, and short-term processes, such as adaptation to natural and domestication-related environments.

  17. Determination of Glucose Concentration in Yeast Culture Medium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hara, Seiichi; Kishimoto, Tomokazu; Muraji, Masafumi; Tsujimoto, Hiroaki; Azuma, Masayuki; Ooshima, Hiroshi

    The present paper describes a sensor for measuring the glucose concentration of yeast culture medium. The sensor determines glucose concentration by measuring the yield of hydrogen peroxide produced by glucose oxidase, which is monitored as luminescence using photomultiplier. The present sensor is able to measure low glucose concentration in media in which yeast cells keep respiration state. We herein describe the system and the characteristics of the glucose sensor.

  18. Phenotypic evaluation and characterization of 21 industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains.

    PubMed

    Kong, In Iok; Turner, Timothy Lee; Kim, Heejin; Kim, Soo Rin; Jin, Yong-Su

    2018-02-01

    Microorganisms have been studied and used extensively to produce value-added fuels and chemicals. Yeasts, specifically Saccharomyces cerevisiae, receive industrial attention because of their well-known ability to ferment glucose and produce ethanol. Thousands of natural or genetically modified S. cerevisiae have been found in industrial environments for various purposes. These industrial strains are isolated from industrial fermentation sites, and they are considered as potential host strains for superior fermentation processes. In many cases, industrial yeast strains have higher thermotolerance, increased resistances towards fermentation inhibitors and increased glucose fermentation rates under anaerobic conditions when compared with laboratory yeast strains. Despite the advantages of industrial strains, they are often not well characterized. Through screening and phenotypic characterization of commercially available industrial yeast strains, industrial fermentation processes requiring specific environmental conditions may be able to select an ideal starting yeast strain to be further engineered. Here, we have characterized and compared 21 industrial S. cerevisiae strains under multiple conditions, including their tolerance to varying pH conditions, resistance to fermentation inhibitors, sporulation efficiency and ability to ferment lignocellulosic sugars. These data may be useful for the selection of a parental strain for specific biotechnological applications of engineered yeast. © FEMS 2018. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Soil yeast communities under the aggressive invasion of Sosnowsky's hogweed ( Heracleum sosnowskyi)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glushakova, A. M.; Kachalkin, A. V.; Chernov, I. Yu.

    2015-02-01

    The year-round dynamics of the number and taxonomic composition of yeast communities in the soddy-podzolic soils under invasive thickets of Heracleum sosnowskyi were investigated. The yeast groups that are formed in the soil under the continuous Sosnowsky's hogweed thickets significantly differ from the indigenous yeast communities under the adjacent meadows. In the soils of both biotopes, typical eurybiotic yeast species predominate. In the soil under Heracleum sosnowskyi, the share of the ascomycetes Candida vartiovaarae and Wickerhamomyces anomalus is much lower, and the portion of yeast-like fungi with high hydrolytic activity such as Trichosporon moniliforme and Trichosporon porosum is greater. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is that Sosnowsky's hogweed, unlike most aboriginal meadow grasses, does not hibernate with green leaves that do not gradually die out with the formation of semidecomposed plant residues—the main source of nutrients for the soil-litter microbial complex. In addition, grasses of the lower layer do not develop under Sosnowsky's hogweed due to the strong shading and allelopathic impact preventing the development of typical epiphytic copiotrophic species of yeasts.

  20. Effect of temperature on replicative aging of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Molon, Mateusz; Zadrag-Tecza, Renata

    2016-04-01

    The use of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in gerontological studies was based on the assumption that the reproduction limit of a single cell (replicative aging) is a consequence of accumulation of a hypothetical universal "senescence factor" within the mother cell. However, some evidence suggests that molecules or structures proposed as the "aging factor", such as rDNA circles, oxidatively damaged proteins (with carbonyl groups) or mitochondria, have little effect on replicative lifespan of yeast cells. Our results also suggest that protein aggregates associated with Hsp104, treated as a marker of yeast aging, do not seem to affect the numeric value of replicative lifespan of yeast. What these results indicate, however, is the need for finding a different way of expressing age and longevity of yeast cells instead of the commonly used number of daughters produced over units of time, as in the case of other organisms. In this paper, we show that the temperature has a stronger influence on the time of life (the total lifespan) than on the reproductive potential of yeast cells.