Comparison of fermentative capacities of industrial baking and wild-type yeasts of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae in different sugar media.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the fermentative capacity of wild and domesticated isolates of the genus Saccharomyces.


RESULTS
The fermentative capacity of yeasts from a variety of wild and domesticated sources was tested in synthetic dough media that mimic major bread dough types. Domesticated yeast strains were found to have better maltose-utilizing capacity than wild yeast strains. The capacity to ferment sugars under high osmotic stress was randomly distributed amongst wild and baking strains of Saccharomyces.


CONCLUSIONS
The domestication of bakers' yeast has enhanced the ability of yeasts to ferment maltose, without a similar impact on the fermentative capacity under high osmotic conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study, combined with molecular studies of both wild and domesticated yeast, showed that domestication of bakers' yeast has resulted in improved maltose utilization, apparently via the duplication and mutation of the MAL genes.
Bell
P J
PJ
Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. pbell@rna.bio.mq.edu.au
Higgins
V J
VJ
Attfield
P V
PV
D001939:Bread / Q000382:microbiology; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D005285:Fermentation; D008320:Maltose / Q000378:metabolism; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity
D003470:Culture Media; D008320:Maltose