Evaluation of the genetic variability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains exhibiting pseudohyphal growth isolated from fermentative processes

• Grant number: 08/10849-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2009
• End date: August 31, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Regina Ceccato Antonini
• Grantee: Wesley Cardoso Generoso
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Araras , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bacterial contaminations have been the focus of the research applied to alcoholic fermentation problems while the contamination by wild yeasts have been scarcely studied. Among these, the yeasts exhibiting wrinkled colonies, with clusters of cells, are very common in the process, although a little is known about their genetic characteristics. They are generally Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the understanding of their growth and fermentation characteristics could help to manage them along the fermentation. This work aims to evaluate the intra-specific variation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with characteristics of pseudohyphal growth (cells in clusters) isolated from fermentative process, by fingerprinting utilizing the SRAP molecular marker technique. Strains from different producing units and harvesting periods for ethanol and cachaça production will be utilized aiming to test a different and nowadays technique for fingerprinting, contributing to the knowledge of this important group of wild yeasts.