Multiple alpha-glucoside transporter genes in brewer's yeast

Maltose-Negative Yeast in Non-Alcoholic and Low-Alcoholic Beer Production

Although beer is a widely used beverage in many cultures, there is a need for a new drinking alternative in the face of rising issues such as health concerns or weight problems. However, non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic beers (NABLAB) still have some sensory problems that have not been fully remedied today, such as “wort-like”/”potato-like” flavours or a lack of aroma. These defects are due to the lack of alcohol (and the lack of the aldehyde-reducing effect of alcohol fermentation), as well as production techniques. The use of new yeast strains that cannot ferment maltose—the foremost sugar in the wort—is highly promising to produce a more palatable and sustainable NABLAB product because production with these yeast strains can be performed with standard brewery equipment. In the scientific literature, it is clear that interest in the production of NABLAB has increased recently, and experiments have been carried out with maltose-negative yeast strains isolated from many different environments. This study describes maltose-negative yeasts and their aromatic potential for the production of NABLAB by comprehensively examining recent academic studies.

Massive QTL analysis identifies pleiotropic genetic determinants for stress resistance, aroma formation, and ethanol, glycerol and isobutanol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

BACKGROUND

The brewer's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is exploited in several industrial processes, ranging from food and beverage fermentation to the production of biofuels, pharmaceuticals and complex chemicals. The large genetic and phenotypic diversity within this species offers a formidable natural resource to obtain superior strains, hybrids, and variants. However, most industrially relevant traits in S. cerevisiae strains are controlled by multiple genetic loci. Over the past years, several studies have identified some of these QTLs. However, because these studies only focus on a limited set of traits and often use different techniques and starting strains, a global view of industrially relevant QTLs is still missing.

RESULTS

Here, we combined the power of 1125 fully sequenced inbred segregants with high-throughput phenotyping methods to identify as many as 678 QTLs across 18 different traits relevant to industrial fermentation processes, including production of ethanol, glycerol, isobutanol, acetic acid, sulfur dioxide, flavor-active esters, as well as resistance to ethanol, acetic acid, sulfite and high osmolarity. We identified and confirmed several variants that are associated with multiple different traits, indicating that many QTLs are pleiotropic. Moreover, we show that both rare and common variants, as well as variants located in coding and non-coding regions all contribute to the phenotypic variation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings represent an important step in our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of industrially relevant yeast traits and open new routes to study complex genetics and genetic interactions as well as to engineer novel, superior industrial yeasts. Moreover, the major role of rare variants suggests that there is a plethora of different combinations of mutations that can be explored in genome editing.

Packing a punch: understanding how flavours are produced in lager fermentations

Beer is one of the most popular beverages in the world and it has an irreplaceable place in culture. Although invented later than ale, lager beers dominate the current market. Many factors relating to the appearance (colour, clarity and foam stability) and sensory characters (flavour, taste and aroma) of beer, and other psychological determinants affect consumers' perception of the product and defines its drinkability. This review takes a wholistic approach to scrutinise flavour generation in the brewing process, focusing particularly on the contribution of the raw ingredients and the yeasts to the final flavour profiles of lager beers. In addition, we examine current developments to improve lager beer flavour profiles for the modern consumers.

Assessing Population Diversity of Brettanomyces Yeast Species and Identification of Strains for Brewing Applications

Brettanomyces yeasts have gained popularity in many sectors of the biotechnological industry, specifically in the field of beer production, but also in wine and ethanol production. Their unique properties enable Brettanomyces to outcompete conventional brewer’s yeast in industrially relevant traits such as production of ethanol and pleasant flavors. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and high-throughput screening techniques have facilitated large population studies allowing the selection of appropriate yeast strains with improved traits. In order to get a better understanding of Brettanomyces species and its potential for beer production, we sequenced the whole genome of 84 strains, which we make available to the scientific community and carried out several in vitro assays for brewing-relevant properties. The collection includes isolates from different substrates and geographical origin. Additionally, we have included two of the oldest Carlsberg Research Laboratory isolates. In this study, we reveal the phylogenetic pattern of Brettanomyces species by comparing the predicted proteomes of each strain. Furthermore, we show that the Brettanomyces collection is well described using similarity in genomic organization, and that there is a direct correlation between genomic background and phenotypic characteristics. Particularly, genomic patterns affecting flavor production, maltose assimilation, beta-glucosidase activity, and phenolic off-flavor (POF) production are reported. This knowledge yields new insights into Brettanomyces population survival strategies, artificial selection pressure, and loss of carbon assimilation traits. On a species-specific level, we have identified for the first time a POF negative Brettanomyces anomalus strain, without the main spoilage character of Brettanomyces species. This strain (CRL-90) has lost DaPAD1, making it incapable of converting ferulic acid to 4-ethylguaiacol (4-EG) and 4-ethylphenol (4-EP). This loss of function makes CRL-90 a good candidate for the production of characteristic Brettanomyces flavors in beverages, without the contaminant increase in POF. Overall, this study displays the potential of exploring Brettanomyces yeast species biodiversity to find strains with relevant properties applicable to the brewing industry.

Polymorphisms in the LAC12 gene explain lactose utilisation variability in Kluyveromyces marxianus strains

Kluyveromyces marxianus is a safe yeast used in the food and biotechnology sectors. One of the important traits that sets it apart from the familiar yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is its capacity to grow using lactose as a carbon source. Like in its close relative, Kluyveromyces lactis, this requires lactose transport via a permease and intracellular hydrolysis of the disaccharide. Given the importance of the trait, it was intriguing that most, but not all, strains of K. marxianus are reported to consume lactose efficiently. In this study, primarily through heterologous expression in S. cerevisiae and K. marxianus, it was established that a single gene, LAC12, is responsible for lactose uptake in K. marxianus. Strains that failed to transport lactose showed variation in 13 amino acids in the Lac12p protein, rendering the protein non-functional for lactose transport. Genome analysis showed that the LAC12 gene is present in four copies in the subtelomeric regions of three different chromosomes but only the ancestral LAC12 gene encodes a functional lactose transporter. Other copies of LAC12 may be non-functional or have alternative substrates. The analysis raises some interesting questions regarding the evolution of sugar transporters in K. marxianus.

Maltose and maltotriose utilisation by group I strains of the hybrid lager yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus

Brewer's wort is a challenging environment for yeast as it contains predominantly α-glucoside sugars. There exist two subgroups of the lager yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus which differ in sugar utilisation. We performed wort fermentations and compared representative strains from both groups with respect to their ability to transport and ferment maltose and maltotriose. Additionally, we mapped the transporters MALx1, AGT1, MPHx and MTT1 by Southern blotting. Contrary to previous observations, group I comprises a diverse set of strains, with varying ability to transport and ferment maltotriose. Of the eight group I strains, three efficiently utilised maltotriose, a property enabled by the presence of transmembrane transporters SeAGT1 and MTT1 A58, a variant of the group I type strain (CBS1513) performed particularly well, taking up maltotriose at a higher rate than maltose and retaining significant transport activity at temperatures as low as 0°C. Analysis of transporter distribution in this strain revealed an increased copy number of the MTT1 gene, which encodes the only permease known with higher affinity for maltotriose than maltose and low temperature dependence for transport. We propose that much of the variation in lager yeast fermentation behaviour is determined by the presence or absence of specific transmembrane transporters.

Lager yeast comes of age

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.

A putative α-glucoside transporter gene BbAGT1 contributes to carbohydrate utilization, growth, conidiation and virulence of filamentous entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

Carbohydrate transporters are critical players mediating nutrient uptake during saprophytic and pathogenic growth for most filamentous fungi. For entomopathogenic fungi, such as Beauveria bassiana, assimilation of α-glucosides, in particular, trehalose, the major carbohydrate constituent of the insect haemolymph, has been hypothesized to represent an important ability for infectious growth within the insect hemocoel. In this study, a B. bassiana α-glucoside transporter homolog was identified and genetically characterized via generation of a targeted gene disruption mutant. Trehalose utilization was compromised in the mutant strain. In addition, inactivation of the α-glucoside transporter resulted in decreased conidial germination, growth, and yield on various carbohydrates (α-glucosides, monosaccharides and polyols) as compared to the wild-type strain. Insect bioassays revealed decreased mean lethal mortality time using both topical and intrahemocoel injection assays, although final mortality levels were comparable in both the mutant and wild type. Gene expression profiles showed altered expression of other putative transporters in the knockout mutant as compared to the wild type. These results highlighted complex sugar utilization and responsiveness in B. bassiana and the potential role for trehalose assimilation during fungal pathogenesis of insects.

Characterization of maltotriose transporters from the Saccharomyces eubayanus subgenome of the hybrid Saccharomyces pastorianus lager brewing yeast strain Weihenstephan 34/70

The genome from the Saccharomyces pastorianus industrial lager brewing strain Weihenstephan 34/70, a natural Saccharomyces cerevisiae/Saccharomyces eubayanus hybrid, indicated the presence of two different maltotriose transporter genes: a new gene in the S. eubayanus subgenome with 81% of homology to the AGT1 permease from S. cerevisiae, and an amplification of the S. eubayanus MTY1 maltotriose permease previously identified in S. pastorianus yeasts. To characterize these S. eubayanus transporter genes, we used a S. cerevisiae strain deleted in the AGT1 permease and introduced the desired permease gene(s) into this locus through homologous recombination. Our results indicate that both the MTY1 and AGT1 genes from the S. eubayanus subgenome encode functional maltotriose transporters that allow fermentation of this sugar by yeast cells, despite their apparent differences in the kinetics of maltotriose-H(+) symport activity. The presence of two maltotriose transporters in the S. eubayanus subgenome not only highlights the importance of sugar transport for efficient maltotriose utilization by industrial yeasts, but these new genes can be used in breeding and/or selection programs aimed at increasing yeast fitness for the efficient fermentation of brewer's wort.

Identification of yeasts during alcoholic fermentation of tchapalo, a traditional sorghum beer from Côte d'Ivoire

This study investigated the diversity and dynamics of yeasts involved in alcoholic fermentation of a traditional sorghum beer from Côte d'Ivoire, tchapalo. A total of 240 yeast strains were isolated from fermenting sorghum wort inoculated with dry yeast from two geographic regions of Côte d'Ivoire (Abidjan and Bondoukou). Initial molecular identification to the species level was carried out using RFLP of PCR-amplified internal transcribed spacers of rDNA (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). Ten different profiles were obtained from the restriction of PCR products with the three endonucleases HaeIII, CfoI and HinfI. Sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rDNA and the ACT1 gene allowed us to assign these groups to six different species: Saccharomyces cerevisiae-like, Candida tropicalis, Pichia kudriavzevii, Pichia kluyveri, Kodamaea ohmeri and Meyerozyma caribbica. The most frequent species associated with tchapalo fermentation was S. cerevisiae-like (87.36%), followed by C. tropicalis (5.45%) and M. caribbica (2.71%). S. cerevisiae-like strains were diploid heterozygotes and exhibited three to four nucleotides divergence from the type strain in the D1/D2 domain and several indels in the more discriminant sequence of the intron of the ACT1 gene. During the process, the yeast species isolated and their frequencies varied according to the geographic origin of the dry yeast. The occurrence of some species was sporadic and only two non-Saccharomyces species were found in the final product.

Comparison of the MTT1- and MAL31-like maltose transporter genes in lager yeast strains

Maltose transporter genes were isolated from four lager yeast strains and sequenced. All four strains contain at least two different types of maltose transporter genes, MTT1 and MAL31. In addition, 'long' 2.7 kb, and 'short' 2.4 kb, versions of each type exist. The size difference is caused by the insertion of two repeats of 147 bp into the promoter regions of the long versions of the genes. As a consequence of the insertion, two Mal63-binding sites move 294 bp away from the transcription initiation site. The 2.4- and 2.7-kb versions are further highly similar. Only the 2.4-kb versions and not the 2.7-kb versions of MTT1 could restore the rapid growth of lager yeast strain A15 on maltotriose in the presence of antimycin A. These results suggest that insertion of the two repeats into the promoter region of the 'long versions' of MTT1 genes led to a diminished expression of these genes. None of the tested long and short versions of the MAL31 genes were able to restore this growth. As the promoter regions of the MTT1 and MAL31 genes are identical, small differences in the protein sequence may be responsible for the different properties of these genes.

Rapid expansion and functional divergence of subtelomeric gene families in yeasts

BACKGROUND

Subtelomeres, regions proximal to telomeres, exhibit characteristics unique to eukaryotic genomes. Genes residing in these loci are subject to epigenetic regulation and elevated rates of both meiotic and mitotic recombination. However, most genome sequences do not contain assembled subtelomeric sequences, and, as a result, subtelomeres are often overlooked in comparative genomics.

RESULTS

We studied the evolution and functional divergence of subtelomeric gene families in the yeast lineage. Our computational results show that subtelomeric families are evolving and expanding much faster than families that do not contain subtelomeric genes. Focusing on three related subtelomeric MAL gene families involved in disaccharide metabolism that show typical patterns of rapid expansion and evolution, we show experimentally how frequent duplication events followed by functional divergence yield novel alleles that allow the metabolism of different carbohydrates.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our computational and experimental analyses show that the extraordinary instability of eukaryotic subtelomeres supports rapid adaptation to novel niches by promoting gene recombination and duplication followed by functional divergence of the alleles.

The temperature dependence of maltose transport in ale and lager strains of brewer's yeast

Lager beers are traditionally made at lower temperatures (6–14 °C) than ales (15–25 °C). At low temperatures, lager strains (Saccharomyces pastorianus) ferment faster than ale strains (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Two lager and two ale strains had similar maltose transport activities at 20 °C, but at 0 °C the lager strains had fivefold greater activity. AGT1, MTT1 and MALx1 are major maltose transporter genes. In nine tested lager strains, the AGT1 genes contained premature stop codons. None of five tested ale strains had this defect. All tested lager strains, but no ale strain, contained MTT1 genes. When functional AGT1 from an ale strain was expressed in a lager strain, the resultant maltose transport activity had the high temperature dependence characteristic of ale yeasts. Lager yeast MTT1 and MALx1 genes were expressed in a maltose-negative laboratory strain of S. cerevisiae. The resultant Mtt1 transport activity had low temperature dependence and the Malx1 activity had high temperature dependence. Faster fermentation at low temperature by lager strains than ale strains may result from their different maltose transporters. The loss of Agt1 transporters during the evolution of lager strains may have provided plasma membrane space for the Mtt1 transporters that perform better at a low temperature.

Gly-46 and His-50 of yeast maltose transporter Mal21p are essential for its resistance against glucose-induced degradation

The maltose transporter gene is situated at the MAL locus, which consists of genes for a transporter, maltase, and transcriptional activator. Five unlinked MAL loci (MAL1, MAL2, MAL3, MAL4, and MAL6) constitute a gene family in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The expression of the maltose transporter is induced by maltose and repressed by glucose. The activity of the maltose transporter is also regulated post-translationally; Mal61p is rapidly internalized from the plasma membrane and degraded by ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis in the presence of glucose. We found that S. cerevisiae strain ATCC20598 harboring MAL21 could grow in maltose supplemented with a non- assimilable glucose analogue, 2-deoxyglucose, whereas strain ATCC96955 harboring MAL61 and strain CB11 with MAL31 and AGT1 could not. These observations implied a Mal21p-specific resistance against glucose-induced degradation. Mal21p found in ATCC20598 has 10 amino acids, including Gly-46 and His-50, that are inconsistent with the corresponding residues in Mal61p. The half-life of Mal21p for glucose-induced degradation was 118 min when expressed using the constitutive TPI1 promoter, which was significantly longer than that of Mal61p (25 min). Studies with mutant cells that are defective in endocytosis or the ubiquitination process indicated that Mal21p was less ubiquitinated than Mal61p, suggesting that Mal21p remains on the plasma membrane because of poor susceptibility to ubiquitination. Mutational studies revealed that both residues Gly-46 and His-50 in Mal21p are essential for the full resistance of maltose transporters against glucose-induced degradation.

Genome sequence of the lager brewing yeast, an interspecies hybrid

This work presents the genome sequencing of the lager brewing yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus) Weihenstephan 34/70, a strain widely used in lager beer brewing. The 25 Mb genome comprises two nuclear sub-genomes originating from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces bayanus and one circular mitochondrial genome originating from S. bayanus. Thirty-six different types of chromosomes were found including eight chromosomes with translocations between the two sub-genomes, whose breakpoints are within the orthologous open reading frames. Several gene loci responsible for typical lager brewing yeast characteristics such as maltotriose uptake and sulfite production have been increased in number by chromosomal rearrangements. Despite an overall high degree of conservation of the synteny with S. cerevisiae and S. bayanus, the syntenies were not well conserved in the sub-telomeric regions that contain lager brewing yeast characteristic and specific genes. Deletion of larger chromosomal regions, a massive unilateral decrease of the ribosomal DNA cluster and bilateral truncations of over 60 genes reflect a post-hybridization evolution process. Truncations and deletions of less efficient maltose and maltotriose uptake genes may indicate the result of adaptation to brewing. The genome sequence of this interspecies hybrid yeast provides a new tool for better understanding of lager brewing yeast behavior in industrial beer production.

Flocculation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is repressed by the COMPASS methylation complex during high-gravity fermentation

The significance of COMPASS on silencing of the FLO and MAL genes, located close to telomeres, was studied in different Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that fermented high concentrations of maltose (20%) with different efficiency. In one particular fast maltose-fermenting yeast strain, with constitutive expression of FLO11, the expression of FLO1, FLO5 and FLO9 was induced during fermentation of high concentrations of maltose or glucose. In another strain the expression of mainly FLO1 was induced. Mutants of these strains with a defective COMPASS, however, formed very large aggregates of cells earlier in the fermentation and more pronounced than the wild-type. The formation of the large flocs was dependent on calcium ions and was inhibited by mannose. The flocculation displayed by mutants defective in COMPASS was due to increased amounts of FLO1, FLO5 and FLO9 transcripts. COMPASS-mediated silencing of the MAL genes was detected at the later stages of fermentation in strains that fermented high concentrations of maltose slowly and incompletely, while silencing was not detectable in strains that fermented maltose fast. Thus, COMPASS, in addition to the MAL genes, is also involved in silencing the expression of the FLO1, FLO5 and FLO9 genes.

Stimulation of zero-trans rates of lactose and maltose uptake into yeasts by preincubation with hexose to increase the adenylate energy charge

Initial rates of sugar uptake (zero-trans rates) are often measured by incubating yeast cells with radiolabeled sugars for 5 to 30 s and determining the radioactivity entering the cells. The yeast cells used are usually harvested from growth medium, washed, suspended in nutrient-free buffer, and stored on ice before they are assayed. With this method, the specific rates of zero-trans lactose uptake by Kluyveromyces lactis or recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains harvested from lactose fermentations were three- to eightfold lower than the specific rates of lactose consumption during fermentation. No significant extracellular beta-galactosidase activity was detected. The ATP content and adenylate energy charge (EC) of the yeasts were relatively low before the [(14)C]lactose uptake reactions were started. A short (1- to 7-min) preincubation of the yeasts with 10 to 30 mM glucose caused 1.5- to 5-fold increases in the specific rates of lactose uptake. These increases correlated with increases in EC (from 0.6 to 0.9) and ATP (from 4 to 8 micromol x g dry yeast(-1)). Stimulation by glucose affected the transport V(max) values, with smaller increases in K(m) values. Similar observations were made for maltose transport, using a brewer's yeast. These findings suggest that the electrochemical proton potential that drives transport through sugar/H(+) symports is significantly lower in the starved yeast suspensions used for zero-trans assays than in actively metabolizing cells. Zero-trans assays with such starved yeast preparations can produce results that seriously underestimate the capacity of sugar/H(+) symports. A short exposure to glucose allows a closer approach to the sugar/H(+) symport capacity of actively metabolizing cells.

Comparison of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains of clinical and nonclinical origin by molecular typing and determination of putative virulence traits

Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains of clinical and nonclinical origin were compared by pulse field gel electrophoresis. Complete separation between strains of clinical origin and food strains by their chromosome length polymorphism was not obtained even though there was a tendency for the clinical and food strains to cluster separately. All the investigated strains, except for one food strain, were able to grow at temperatures > or =37 degrees C but not at 42 degrees C. Great strain variations were observed in pseudohyphal growth and invasiveness, but the characters were not linked to strains of clinical origin. The adhesion capacities of the yeast strains to a human intestinal epithelial cell line (Caco-2) in response to different nutritional availabilities were determined, as were the effects of the strains on the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) across polarized monolayers of Caco-2 cells. The yeast strains displayed very low adhesion capacities to Caco-2 cells (0.6-6.2%), and no significant difference was observed between the strains of clinical and nonclinical origin. Both S. cerevisiae strains of clinical and non-clinical origin increased the TER of polarized monolayers of Caco-2 cells. Based on the results obtained in this study, no specific virulence factor was found that clearly separated the strains of clinical origin from the strains of nonclinical origin. On the contrary, all investigated strains of S. cerevisiae were found to strengthen the epithelial barrier function.

Molecular analysis of maltotriose active transport and fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals a determinant role for the AGT1 permease

Incomplete and/or sluggish maltotriose fermentation causes both quality and economic problems in the ale-brewing industry. Although it has been proposed previously that the sugar uptake must be responsible for these undesirable phenotypes, there have been conflicting reports on whether all the known alpha-glucoside transporters in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MALx1, AGT1, and MPH2 and MPH3 transporters) allow efficient maltotriose utilization by yeast cells. We characterized the kinetics of yeast cell growth, sugar consumption, and ethanol production during maltose or maltotriose utilization by several S. cerevisiae yeast strains (both MAL constitutive and MAL inducible) and by their isogenic counterparts with specific deletions of the AGT1 gene. Our results clearly showed that yeast strains carrying functional permeases encoded by the MAL21, MAL31, and/or MAL41 gene in their plasma membranes were unable to utilize maltotriose. While both high- and low-affinity transport activities were responsible for maltose uptake from the medium, in the case of maltotriose, the only low-affinity (K(m), 36 +/- 2 mM) transport activity was mediated by the AGT1 permease. In conclusion, the AGT1 transporter is required for efficient maltotriose fermentation by S. cerevisiae yeasts, highlighting the importance of this permease for breeding and/or selection programs aimed at improving sluggish maltotriose fermentations.

Attachment ofMAL32-encoded maltase on the outside of yeast cells improves maltotriose utilization

The fermentation of maltotriose, the second most abundant fermentable sugar in wort, is often incomplete during high-gravity brewing. Poor maltotriose consumption is due to environmental stress conditions during high-gravity fermentation and especially to a low uptake of this sugar by some industrial strains. In this study we investigated whether the use of strains with an alpha-glucosidase attached to the outside of the cell might be a possible way to reduce residual maltotriose. To this end, the N-terminal leader sequence of Kre1 and the carboxy-terminal anchoring domain of either Cwp2 or Flo1 were used to target maltase encoded by MAL32 to the cell surface. We showed that Mal32 displayed on the cell surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae laboratory strains was capable of hydrolysis of alpha-1,4-linkages, and that it increased the ability of a strain lacking a functional maltose permease to grow on maltotriose. Moreover, the enzyme was also expressed and found to be active in an industrial strain. These data show that expressing a suitable maltase on the cell surface might provide a means of modifying yeast for more complete maltotriose utilization in brewing and other fermentation applications.

Improvement of maltotriose fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

AIMS

To enhance the fermentation of maltotriose by industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The capability to ferment maltotriose by an industrial yeast strain that uses this sugar aerobically was tested in shake flasks containing rich medium. While the presence of maltose in the medium did not improve maltotriose fermentation, enhanced and constitutive expression of the AGT1 permease not only increased the uptake of maltotriose, but allowed efficient maltotriose fermentation by this strain. Supplementation of the growth medium with 20 mmol magnesium l(-1) also increased maltotriose fermentation.

CONCLUSIONS

Over expression of the AGT1 permease and magnesium supplementation improved maltotriose fermentation by an industrial yeast strain that respired but did not ferment this sugar.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This work contributes to the elucidation of the roles of the AGT1 permease and nutrients in the fermentation of all sugars present in starch hydrolysates, a highly desirable trait for several industrial yeasts.

Fermentation of high concentrations of maltose by Saccharomyces cerevisiae is limited by the COMPASS methylation complex

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, genes encoding maltose permeases and maltases are located in the telomeric regions of different chromosomes. The COMPASS methylation complex, which methylates lysine 4 on histone H3, controls the silencing of telomeric regions. Yeast strains deleted for SWD1, SWD3, SDC1, SET1, BRE2, or SPP1, encoding components of the COMPASS complex, fermented a medium containing 22% maltose with noticeably higher attenuation than did the wild type, resulting in production of up to 29% more ethanol. The least effective strain was spp1. Absence of COMPASS components had no effect on the fermentation of media with 20% glucose, 20% sucrose, or 16% maltose. Deletion of SWD3 resulted in larger amounts of MAL12 transcript, encoding maltase, at the late stages of fermentation of 22% maltose. A similar effect on maltase activity and maltose uptake capability was seen. The lysine 4 residue of histone H3 was trimethylated in wild-type cells at the late stages, while only small amounts of the dimethylated form were detected. Trimethylation and dimethylation of this residue were not detected in strains deleted for SWD1, SWD3, SET1, BRE2, or SDC1. Trimethylated lysine 4 was apparent only at the early stages (48 and 96 h) of fermentation in an spp1 strain. This work indicates that the COMPASS complex represses the expression of maltose utilization genes during the late stages of fermentation of a high concentration of maltose.

Characterization and functional analysis of the MAL and MPH Loci for maltose utilization in some ale and lager yeast strains

Maltose and maltotriose are the major sugars in brewer's wort. Brewer's yeasts contain multiple genes for maltose transporters. It is not known which of these express functional transporters. We correlated maltose transport kinetics with the genotypes of some ale and lager yeasts. Maltose transport by two ale strains was strongly inhibited by other alpha-glucosides, suggesting the use of broad substrate specificity transporters, such as Agt1p. Maltose transport by three lager strains was weakly inhibited by other alpha-glucosides, suggesting the use of narrow substrate specificity transporters. Hybridization studies showed that all five strains contained complete MAL1, MAL2, MAL3, and MAL4 loci, except for one ale strain, which lacked a MAL2 locus. All five strains also contained both AGT1 (coding a broad specificity alpha-glucoside transporter) and MAL11 alleles. MPH genes (maltose permease homologues) were present in the lager but not in the ale strains. During growth on maltose, the lager strains expressed AGT1 at low levels and MALx1 genes at high levels, whereas the ale strains expressed AGT1 at high levels and MALx1 genes at low levels. MPHx expression was negligible in all strains. The AGT1 sequences from the ale strains encoded full-length (616 amino acid) polypeptides, but those from both sequenced lager strains encoded truncated (394 amino acid) polypeptides that are unlikely to be functional transporters. Thus, despite the apparently similar genotypes of these ale and lager strains revealed by hybridization, maltose is predominantly carried by AGT1-encoded transporters in the ale strains and by MALx1-encoded transporters in the lager strains.

Maltotriose utilization by industrial Saccharomyces strains: characterization of a new member of the alpha-glucoside transporter family

Maltotriose utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and closely related yeasts is important to industrial processes based on starch hydrolysates, where the trisaccharide is present in significant concentrations and often is not completely consumed. We undertook an integrated study to better understand maltotriose metabolism in a mixture with glucose and maltose. Physiological data obtained for a particularly fast-growing distiller's strain (PYCC 5297) showed that, in contrast to what has been previously reported for other strains, maltotriose is essentially fermented. The respiratory quotient was, however, considerably higher for maltotriose (0.36) than for maltose (0.16) or glucose (0.11). To assess the role of transport in the sequential utilization of maltose and maltotriose, we investigated the presence of genes involved in maltotriose uptake in the type strain of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis (PYCC 4457). To this end, a previously constructed genomic library was used to identify maltotriose transporter genes by functional complementation of a strain devoid of known maltose transporters. One gene, clearly belonging to the MAL transporter family, was repeatedly isolated from the library. Sequence comparison showed that the novel gene (designated MTY1) shares 90% and 54% identity with MAL31 and AGT1, respectively. However, expression of Mty1p restores growth of the S. cerevisiae receptor strain on both maltose and maltotriose, whereas the closely related Mal31p supports growth on maltose only and Agt1p supports growth on a wider range of substrates, including maltose and maltotriose. Interestingly, Mty1p displays higher affinity for maltotriose than for maltose, a new feature among all the alpha-glucoside transporters described so far.

Maltotriose utilization in lager yeast strains: MTT1 encodes a maltotriose transporter

Maltotriose is the second most abundant fermentable sugar in wort and, due to incomplete fermentation, residual maltotriose in beer causes both quality and economic problems in the brewing industry. To identify genes that might improve utilization of maltotriose, we developed a library containing genomic DNA from four lager strains and a laboratory Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain and isolated transformants that could grow on YP/2% maltotriose in the presence of 3 mg/l of the respiratory inhibitor antimycin A. In this way we found a gene which shared 74% similarity with MPH2 and MPH3, 62% similarity with AGT1 and 91% similarity with MAL61 and MAL31, all encoding known maltose transporters. Moreover, the gene shared an even higher similarity (98%) with the uncharacterized Saccharomyces pastorianus mty1 gene (M. Salema-Oom, unpublished; NCBI Accession No. AJ491328). Therefore, we named the gene MTT1 (mty1-like transporter). We showed that the gene was present in four different lager strains but was absent from the laboratory strain CEN.PK113-7D. The ORF in the plasmid isolated from the library lacks 66 base pairs from the 3'-end of MTT1 but instead contains 54 bp of the vector. We named this ORF MTT1alt (NCBI Accession No. DQ010174). 14C-Maltose and repurified 14C-maltotriose were used to show that MTT1 and, especially, MTT1alt, encode maltose transporters for which the ratio between activities to maltotriose and maltose is higher than for most known maltose transporters. Introduction of MTT1 or MTT1alt into lager strain A15 raised maltotriose uptake by about 17% or 105%, respectively.

In vitro screening of probiotic properties of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii and food-borne Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains

The probiotic potential of 18 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains used for production of foods or beverages or isolated from such, and eight strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii, was investigated. All strains included were able to withstand pH 2.5 and 0.3% Oxgall. Adhesion to the nontumorigenic porcine jejunal epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) was investigated by incorporation of 3H-methionine into the yeast cells and use of liquid scintillation counting. Only few of the food-borne S. cerevisiae strains exhibited noteworthy adhesiveness with the strongest levels of adhesion (13.6-16.8%) recorded for two isolates from blue veined cheeses. Merely 25% of the S. cerevisiae var. boulardii strains displayed good adhesive properties (16.2-28.0%). The expression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1alpha decreased strikingly in IPEC-J2 cells exposed to a Shiga-like toxin 2e producing Escherichia coli strain when the cells were pre- and coincubated with S. cerevisiae var. boulardii even though this yeast strain was low adhesive (5.4%), suggesting that adhesion is not a mandatory prerequisite for such a probiotic effect. A strain of S. cerevisiae isolated from West African sorghum beer exerted similar effects hence indicating that food-borne strains of S. cerevisiae may possess probiotic properties in spite of low adhesiveness.

Occurrence and taxonomic characteristics of strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae predominant in African indigenous fermented foods and beverages

Indigenous fermented foods and beverages play a major role in the diet of African people. The predominant yeast species seen is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, involved in basically three groups of indigenous fermented products: non-alcoholic starchy foods, alcoholic beverages and fermented milk. These products are to a great extent made by spontaneous fermentation and consequently S. cerevisiae often coexists with other microorganisms even though a microbiological succession usually takes place both between and within species. The functions of S. cerevisiae are mainly related to formation of alcohols and other aroma compounds, but stimulation of e.g. lactic acid bacteria, improvement of nutritional value, probiotic effects, inhibition of undesired microorganisms and production of tissue-degrading enzymes may also be observed. Several different isolates of S. cerevisiae have been shown to be involved in the fermentations and some of the isolates show pheno- and genotypic characteristics that deviate from those normally recognised for S. cerevisiae.

Molecular analysis of maltotriose transport and utilization by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Efficient fermentation of maltotriose is a desired property of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for brewing. In a standard wort, maltotriose is the second most abundant sugar, and slower uptake leads to residual maltotriose in the finished product. The limiting factor of sugar metabolism is its transport, and there are conflicting reports on whether a specific maltotriose permease exists or whether the mechanisms responsible for maltose uptake also carry out maltotriose transport. In this study, radiolabeled maltotriose was used to show that overexpression of the maltose permease gene, MAL61, in an industrial yeast strain resulted in an increase in the rate of transport of maltotriose as well as maltose. A strain derived from W303-1A and lacking any maltose or maltotriose transporter but carrying a functional maltose transport activator (MAL63) was developed. By complementing this strain with permeases encoded by MAL31, MAL61, and AGT1, it was possible to measure their specific transport kinetics by using maltotriose and maltose. All three permeases were capable of high-affinity transport of maltotriose and of allowing growth of the strain on the sugar. Maltotriose utilization from the permease encoded by AGT1 was regulated by the same genetic mechanisms as those involving the maltose transcriptional activator. Competition studies carried out with two industrial strains, one not containing any homologue of AGT1, showed that maltose uptake and maltotriose uptake were competitive and that maltose was the preferred substrate. These results indicate that the presence of residual maltotriose in beer is not due to a genetic or physiological inability of yeast cells to utilize the sugar but rather to the lower affinity for maltotriose uptake in conjunction with deteriorating conditions present at the later stages of fermentation. Here we identify molecular mechanisms regulating the uptake of maltotriose and determine the role of each of the transporter genes in the cells.

Characterization of the putative maltose transporters encoded by YDL247w and YJR160c

The maltose permease family of Saccharomyces cerevisiae comprises five proteins, three of which are characterized, MAL31, MAL61 and AGT1 and two putative permeases, YDL247w (MPH2) and YJR160c (MPH3). The two uncharacterized permeases share 100% identity and have 75% identity with MAL31 and MAL61 and 55% identity with AGT1. Characterization of the genes YDL247w and YJR160c confirmed that they encode alpha-glucoside permeases capable of transporting maltose, maltotriose, alpha-methylglucoside and turanose. Analysis of the promoter regions identified regulatory elements, binding sites for the transcriptional activator, Malx3p and the inhibitory protein, Mig1p. Further analysis of the flanking sequences located blocks of identity covering five open reading frames, indicating that this region was involved in chromosomal block duplication. The members of the maltose permease family are proteins that have strongly overlapping but nevertheless distinct functions, which is a selective advantage for yeast, as it reflects successful adaptation to the variety of environmental conditions to which the yeast cells are exposed; such adaptability is very important in an industrial context.

Colorimetric determination of active alpha-glucoside transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fermentation of alpha-glucosides (maltose, maltotriose) by Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells is a critical phase in the processes of brewing and breadmaking. Utilization of alpha-glucosides requires the active transport of the sugar across the cell membrane and, subsequently, its hydrolysis by cytoplasmic glucosidases. Although transport activities are usually assayed using radiolabeled substrates, we have developed a simple, cheap and reliable colorimetric assay for the determination of alpha-glucoside uptake using p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (pNPalphaG) as substrate. Our results show that pNPalphaG is actively transported by S. cerevisiae cells by a H+-symport mechanism, which depends on the electrochemical proton gradient across the plasma membrane. pNPalphaG uptake is mediated by the AGT1 alpha-glucoside permease, which has a high affinity (Km=3 mM) for this chromogenic substrate. This simple colorimetric uptake assay can be used to analyze the expression and regulation of the AGT1 permease in S. cerevisiae cells.

Identification and characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from West African sorghum beer

The occurrence and characterization of yeasts isolated from sorghum beer produced in Ghana and Burkina Faso, West Africa, were investigated. The yeasts involved in the fermentations were found to consist of Saccharomyces spp. almost exclusively. Of the isolates investigated, 45% were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whereas more than half of the isolates (53%) had physiological properties atypical of S. cerevisiae or any other member of the complex sensu strictu, as they were able to assimilate only glucose, maltose and ethanol as carbon sources. Both ITS-PCR RFLP and PFGE strongly indicated that these isolates were related to S. cerevisiae, regardless of their phenotypic characteristics. Sequencing of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rDNA confirmed the close relatedness to S. cerevisiae with 0.5% nucleotide differences. The MAL1 and MAL3 loci were found for all isolates as the only recognized MAL loci. Besides, for 40% of the isolates the MAL61 probe hybridized to a position of about 950 kbp, which has not formerly been described as a MAL locus. The results showed that the spontaneous fermentation of West African sorghum beer is dominated by a variety of strains of S.cerevisiae not previously described, among which starter cultures should be selected.

Kinetics of active alpha-glucoside transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

alpha-Glucosides are the most abundant fermentable sugars in the industrial applications of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the active transport across the plasma membrane is the rate-limiting step for their metabolism. In this report we performed a detailed kinetic analysis of the active alpha-glucoside transport system(s) present in a wild-type strain, and in strains with defined alpha-glucoside permeases. Our results indicate that the wild-type strain harbors active transporters with high and low affinity for maltose and trehalose, and low-affinity transport systems for maltotriose and alpha-methylglucoside. The maltose permease encoded by the MAL21 gene showed a high affinity (K(m) approximately 5 mM) for maltose, and a low affinity (K(m) approximately 90 mM) for trehalose. On the other hand, the alpha-glucoside permease encoded by the AGT1 gene had a high affinity (K(m) approximately 7 mM) for trehalose, a low affinity (K(m) approximately 18 mM) for maltose and maltotriose, and a very low affinity (K(m) approximately 35 mM) for alpha-methylglucoside.

Phenotypic and genetic diversity of Saccharomyces contaminants isolated from lager breweries and their phylogenetic relationship with brewing yeasts

A taxonomic study was carried out for isolates of Saccharomyces spp. identified as contaminants ("wild yeast") in 24 different lager breweries. With reference to the current taxonomy all isolates were found to belong to the Saccharomyces sensu stricto complex and 58% of the isolates were further identified as S. cerevisiae, 26% as S. pastorianus and 3% as S. bayanus. The remaining isolates (13%) could not be identified to the species level based on their phenotypic characteristics. However, some of these isolates were identified as S. cerevisiae by HaeIII restriction digest of PCR-amplified intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Chromosome length polymorphism (CLP) was evident among the Saccharomyces brewing contaminants with chromosome profiles typical of Saccharomyces sensu stricto. Based upon cluster analysis of their chromosome profiles the majority of the brewing contaminants could be grouped as either S. cerevisiae or S. pastorianus/S. bayanus. Further, the technique was able to differentiate between almost all brewing contaminants and to separate them from any specific lager brewing yeast. The diversity of the Saccharomyces brewing contaminants clearly demonstrated by their CLP was further reflected by MAL genotyping. For the majority of the isolates more than two MAL loci were found with MAL1, MAL2 MAL3, MAL4 and MAL11, MAL31, MAL41 as the dominant genotypes. For all isolates MAL11 and MAL31 were found whereas MAL61 only was found for one isolate. The high number of MAL loci found in the SaccharomYces brewing contaminants indicate their adaptation to a maltose-enriched environment.