Global gene expression analysis of yeast cells during sake brewing

During the brewing of Japanese sake, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells produce a high concentration of ethanol compared with other ethanol fermentation methods. We analyzed the gene expression profiles of yeast cells during sake brewing using DNA microarray analysis. This analysis revealed some characteristics of yeast gene expression during sake brewing and provided a scaffold for a molecular level understanding of the sake brewing process.     

Formation of cytoplasmic P-bodies in sake yeast during Japanese sake brewing and wine making

Recent studies have revealed that cytoplasmic processing bodies (P-bodies) play important roles in the control of eukaryotic gene expression in response to stress. Since the formation of P-bodies is in dynamic competition with translation, the status of translation is reflected in the assembly and disassembly of P-bodies in eukaryotic cells. During the brewing of Japanese sake and the making of wine, yeast cells are exposed to stress caused by increases in the concentration of ethanol. Here we found that ethanol stress enhances the formation of P-bodies in yeast cells in SD medium. In the wine-making process, P-body formation was also enhanced as alcoholic fermentation proceeded, but the formation of P-bodies was not simply affected by the ethanol concentration in the sake mash. These findings suggest differences in the rate of translation and the cytoplasmic mRNA flux during the sake brewing and wine making processes.     

Induction of laccase production inCyathus bulleri under shaking and static culture conditions

Laccase production byCyathus bulleri was lower in lignins and phenolic compounds as compared to malt extract medium (8 U/mL) which increased significantly on supplementing these compounds with malt extract. Of the different lignins and phenolic compounds, Reax, lignin and orcinol exhibited maximum laccase formation (12 and 68 U/mL, respectively) under static culture conditions, while sugars repressed it. Laccase activity inC. bulleri was higher under static than under shaking cultivation conditions. Moreover, agitation repressed laccase formation even in the presence of inducers.     

Dynamical analysis of yeast protein interaction network during the sake brewing process

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.     

Sake brewing characteristics of a new type of cerulenin-resistant sake yeast mutant

Several new types of cerulenin-resistant mutants of sake yeast were isolated. These mutants showed respiratory deficiency and could grow on media containing a higher concentration of antibiotics than could the parent. Sakes brewed by the mutants produced less succinate than by both the parent yeast and the mutants with respiratory deficiency induced by ethidium bromide. In addition, the acidity of these mutants was decreased. Since low acidity is favourable in both sake and wine, these mutants might be applicable for both sake and wine brewing.     

Critical importance of phytase for yeast growth and alcohol fermentation in Japanese sake brewing

The high phytase producing mutant of Aspergillus oryzae (KL-38) previously isolated was employed for koji making, and the produced koji rice then supplied for sake brewing. The alcohol fermentation was improved compared to that with the parent strain (A. oryzae BP-1). The effects of two phytase isozymes (Phy I and Phy II) produced by A. oryzae on yeast growth and inorganic phosphate liberation were investigated using a synthetic medium containing phytic acid as a sole phosphate source. Yeast growth and the liberation of inorganic phosphate were both enhanced by the combination of Phy I and Phy II at a ratio of 1 to 3, which was compatible with the production ratio in KL-38. Based on these results, phytase plays important role in sake brewing, and that the maximum inorganic phosphate liberation from phytic acid can be obtained by a suitable combination of Phy I and Phy II.     

辣椒OSCA基因家族的全基因组鉴定及不同胁迫条件下表达分析

钙通透性阳离子通道蛋白(OSCA)在渗透胁迫感应中发挥重要的作用.本研究利用辣椒(Capsicum an-nuum L.)全基因组信息,鉴定出14个OSCA基因(CaOSCA),染色体定位及同源性分析表明,它们分别位于1、2、4、6、7、8、9、12号染色体上,亚细胞定位预测表明其编码产物均位于质膜上.系统进化树分析这...     

Effect of L-proline on sake brewing and ethanol stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

During the fermentation of sake, cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are exposed to high concentrations of ethanol, thereby damaging the cell membrane and functional proteins. L-proline protects yeast cells from damage caused by freezing or oxidative stress. In this study, we evaluated the role of intracellular L-proline in cells of S. cerevisiae grown under ethanol stress. An L-proline-accumulating laboratory strain carries a mutant allele of PRO1, pro1(D154N), which encodes the Asp154Asn mutant gamma-glutamyl kinase. This mutation increases the activity of gamma-glutamyl kinase and gamma-glutamyl phosphate reductase, which catalyze the first two steps of L-proline synthesis and which together may form a complex in vivo. When cultured in liquid medium in the presence of 9% and 18% ethanol under static conditions, the cell viability of the L-proline-accumulating laboratory strain is greater than the cell viability of the parent strain. This result suggests that intracellular accumulation of L-proline may confer tolerance to ethanol stress. We constructed a novel sake yeast strain by disrupting the PUT1 gene, which is required for L-proline utilization, and replacing the wild-type PRO1 allele with the pro1(D154N) allele. The resultant strain accumulated L-proline and was more tolerant to ethanol stress than was the control strain. We used the strain that could accumulate L-proline to brew sake containing five times more L-proline than what is found in sake brewed with the control strain, without affecting the fermentation profiles.     

Effect of cultivation conditions on cell-surface display of Flo1 fusion protein using sake yeast

The cell-surface display of the Flo1p anchor system with a flocculation functional domain was examined under various cultivation conditions. As a model system, lipase from Rhizopus oryzae with the pro sequence was genetically fused to the Flo1 short (FS) anchor (FSProROL) and displayed on the sake yeast cell-surface under the control of the SED800 promoter (pSED800). The nutrients and carbon source in the culture media affected the display of the fusion protein FSProROL on the sake yeast cell-surface. The lipase activity in whole cells cultivated in poor media, without peptone and/or yeast extracts, were higher than those cultivated in rich media. In addition, glucose and maltose were effective carbon sources for increasing the lipase activity in whole cells, and the addition of di- or tri-saccharide as the carbon source reduced the release of the lipase activity into the culture supernatants. The initial glucose concentration was found to influence the total lipase activity and it mainly affected the lipase activity in whole cells. Under the optimum condition, sake yeast was found to show high cell density and high lipase activity in short time cultivation.     

高温高浓发酵工业啤酒酵母菌种的构建

高温高浓发酵技术作为一项新兴的啤酒生产技术,它为啤酒生产带来诸多利益的同时,也存在着发酵结束后酵母絮凝性下降、高级醇生成量过高等系列问题。为提高高温高浓发酵条件下酿酒酵母的絮凝性同时降低高级醇的合成能力,首先构建了以酿酒酵母BAT2基因为整合位点过表达FLO5基因的菌株,重组菌株S6-BF的絮凝性达到67.67%,比出发菌株S6提高了29%,而高级醇生成量仅降低5.9%;进一步构建以BAT2基因为整合位点再次过表达FLO5基因的菌株,与出发菌株S6相比,重组菌株S6-BF2的絮凝性提高了63%,达到85.44%,高级醇生成量下降至159.58 mg/L,降低了9.0%;通过弱化线粒体支链氨基酸转氨酶(BAT1)的表达,高级醇的生成量得到进一步的降低,达到142.13 mg/L,比原始菌株S6降低了18.4%,同时重组菌株S6-BF2B1的絮凝性没有受到影响;风味物质的测定结果表明啤酒中醇酯比例较为合理。研究结果对工业啤酒酵母发酵后的沉降分离和提高啤酒风味品质有着重要的意义。     

Monitoring the influence of high-gravity brewing and fermentation temperature on flavour formation by analysis of gene expression levels in brewing yeast

During fermentation, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae produces a broad range of aroma-active substances, which are vital for the complex flavour of beer. In order to obtain insight into the influence of high-gravity brewing and fermentation temperature on flavour formation, we analysed flavour production and the expression level of ten genes (ADH1, BAP2, BAT1, BAT2, ILV5, ATF1, ATF2, IAH1, EHT1 and EEB1) during fermentation of a lager and an ale yeast. Higher initial wort gravity increased acetate ester production, while the influence of higher fermentation temperature on aroma compound production was rather limited. In addition, there is a good correlation between flavour production and the expression level of specific genes involved in the biosynthesis of aroma compounds. We conclude that yeasts with desired amounts of esters and higher alcohols, in accordance with specific consumer preferences, may be identified based on the expression level of flavour biosynthesis genes. Moreover, these results demonstrate that the initial wort density can determine the final concentration of important volatile aroma compounds, thereby allowing beneficial adaptation of the flavour of beer.     

History,lineage and phenotypic differentiation of sake yeast

ABSTRACT

Sake yeast was first isolated as a single yeast strain, Saccharomyces sake, during the Meiji era. Yeast strains suitable for sake fermentation were subsequently isolated from sake brewers and distributed as Kyokai yeast strains. Sake yeast strains that produce characteristic flavors have been bred in response to various market demands and individual preferences. Interestingly, both genetic and morphological studies have indicated that sake yeast used during the Meiji era differs from new sake yeasts derived from Kyokai Strain No. 7 lineage. Here, we discuss the history of sake yeast breeding, from the discovery of sake yeast to the present day, to highlight the achievements of great Japanese scientists and engineers.