Increased osmotolerance of genetically modified ethanol producing strains of Saccharomyces Sp.

Summary A stable spheroplast fusion product of the polyploid brewing strain Saccharomyces uvarum (cares bergensis) , strain 21 and a genetically constructed diploid Saccharomyces diastaticus, strain 1384 has been shown to have improved ethanol producing capability in defined media (Panchal et al., 1982). This fusion product, strain 1400 was further subjected to fermentations in defined media containing glucose substrate and varying concentrations of the non-metabolized sugars sorbitol or mannitol.While the fermentation efficiencies of all the three strains decreased with increasing osmotic pressure imparted by sorbitol or mannitol, the detrimental effect was least apparent with the fusion product than with either of the fusion partners. This attribute of the stable fusion product has major significance in relation to its potential for industrial ethanol production.