Matilde Maqueda

A New Wine Saccharomyces cerevisiae Killer Toxin (Klus), Encoded by a Double-Stranded RNA Virus, with Broad Antifungal Activity Is Evolutionarily Related to a Chromosomal Host Gene

ABSTRACT Wine Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains producing a new killer toxin (Klus) were isolated. They killed all the previously known S. cerevisiae killer strains, in addition to other yeast species, including Kluyveromyces lactis and Candida albicans. The Klus phenotype is conferred by a medium-size double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae virus Mlus (ScV-Mlus), whose genome size ranged from 2.1 to 2.3 kb. ScV-Mlus depends on ScV-L-A for stable maintenance and replication. We cloned and sequenced Mlus. Its genome structure is similar to that of M1, M2, or M28 dsRNA, with a 5′-terminal coding region followed by two internal A-rich sequences and a 3′-terminal region without coding capacity. Mlus positive strands carry cis-acting signals at their 5′ and 3′ termini for transcription and replication similar to those of killer viruses. The open reading frame (ORF) at the 5′ portion codes for a putative preprotoxin with an N-terminal secretion signal, potential Kex2p/Kexlp processing sites, and N-glycosylation sites. No sequence homology was found either between the Mlus dsRNA and M1, M2, or M28 dsRNA or between Klus and the K1, K2, or K28 toxin. The Klus amino acid sequence, however, showed a significant degree of conservation with that of the product of the host chromosomally encoded ORF YFR020W of unknown function, thus suggesting an evolutionary relationship.

Genetic Instability of Heterozygous, Hybrid, Natural Wine Yeasts

ABSTRACT We describe a genetic instability found in natural wine yeasts but not in the common laboratory strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Spontaneous cyh2R/cyh2R mutants resistant to high levels of cycloheximide can be directly isolated from cyh2S/cyh2S wine yeasts. Heterozygous cyh2R/cyh2S hybrid clones vary in genetic instability as measured by loss of heterozygosity at cyh2. There were two main classes of hybrids. The lawn hybrids have high genetic instability and generally become cyh2R/cyh2R homozygotes and lose the killer phenotype under nonselective conditions. The papilla hybrids have a much lower rate of loss of heterozygosity and maintain the killer phenotype. The genetic instability in lawn hybrids is 3 to 5 orders of magnitude greater than the highest loss-of-heterozygosity rates previously reported. Molecular mechanisms such as DNA repair by break-induced replication might account for the asymmetrical loss of heterozygosity. This loss-of-heterozygosity phenomenon could be economically important if it causes sudden phenotype changes in industrial or pathogenic yeasts and of more basic importance to the degree that it influences the evolution of naturally occurring yeast populations.

Wine yeast molecular typing using a simplified method for simultaneously extracting mtDNA, nuclear DNA and virus dsRNA

Quick and accurate methods are required for the identification of industrial, environmental, and clinical yeast strains. We propose a rapid method for the simultaneous extraction of yeast mtDNA, nuclear DNA, and virus dsRNA. It is simpler, cheaper, and faster than the previously reported methods. It allows one to choose among a broad range of molecular analysis approaches for yeast typing, avoiding the need to use of several different methods for the separate extraction of each nucleic acid type. The application of this method followed by the combined analysis of mtDNA and dsRNA (ScV-M and W) is a highly attractive option for fast and efficient wine yeast typing.

A new wine Torulaspora delbrueckii killer strain with broad antifungal activity and its toxin-encoding double-stranded RNA virus.

Wine Torulaspora delbrueckii strains producing a new killer toxin (Kbarr-1) were isolated and selected for wine making. They killed all the previously known Saccharomyces cerevisiae killer strains, in addition to other non-Saccharomyces yeasts. The Kbarr-1 phenotype is encoded by a medium-size 1.7 kb dsRNA, TdV-Mbarr-1, which seems to depend on a large-size 4.6 kb dsRNA virus (TdV-LAbarr) for stable maintenance and replication. The TdV-Mbarr-1 dsRNA was sequenced by new generation sequencing techniques. Its genome structure is similar to those of S. cerevisiae killer M dsRNAs, with a 5′-end coding region followed by an internal A-rich sequence and a 3′-end non-coding region. Mbarr-1 RNA positive strand carries cis acting signals at its 5′ and 3′ termini for transcription and replication respectively, similar to those RNAs of yeast killer viruses. The ORF at the 5′ region codes for a putative preprotoxin with an N-terminal secretion signal, potential Kex2p/Kexlp processing sites, and N-glycosylation sites. No relevant sequence identity was found either between the full sequence of Mbarr-1 dsRNA and other yeast M dsRNAs, or between their respective toxin-encoded proteins. However, a relevant identity of TdV-Mbarr-1 RNA regions to the putative replication and packaging signals of most of the M-virus RNAs suggests that they are all evolutionarily related.

Characterization, Ecological Distribution, and Population Dynamics of Saccharomyces Sensu Stricto Killer Yeasts in the Spontaneous Grape Must Fermentations of Southwestern Spain

ABSTRACT Killer yeasts secrete protein toxins that are lethal to sensitive strains of the same or related yeast species. Among the four types of Saccharomyces killer yeasts already described (K1, K2, K28, and Klus), we found K2 and Klus killer yeasts in spontaneous wine fermentations from southwestern Spain. Both phenotypes were encoded by medium-size double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) viruses, Saccharomyces cerevisiae virus (ScV)-M2 and ScV-Mlus, whose genome sizes ranged from 1.3 to 1.75 kb and from 2.1 to 2.3 kb, respectively. The K2 yeasts were found in all the wine-producing subareas for all the vintages analyzed, while the Klus yeasts were found in the warmer subareas and mostly in the warmer ripening/harvest seasons. The middle-size isotypes of the M2 dsRNA were the most frequent among K2 yeasts, probably because they encoded the most intense K2 killer phenotype. However, the smallest isotype of the Mlus dsRNA was the most frequent for Klus yeasts, although it encoded the least intense Klus killer phenotype. The killer yeasts were present in most (59.5%) spontaneous fermentations. Most were K2, with Klus being the minority. The proportion of killer yeasts increased during fermentation, while the proportion of sensitive yeasts decreased. The fermentation speed, malic acid, and wine organoleptic quality decreased in those fermentations where the killer yeasts replaced at least 15% of a dominant population of sensitive yeasts, while volatile acidity and lactic acid increased, and the amount of bacteria in the tumultuous and the end fermentation stages also increased in an unusual way.

Influence of the dominance of must fermentation by Torulaspora delbrueckii on the malolactic fermentation and organoleptic quality of red table wine

Torulaspora delbrueckii can improve wine aroma complexity, but its impact on wine quality is still far from being satisfactory at the winery level, mainly because it is easily replaced by S. cerevisiae yeasts during must fermentation. New T. delbrueckii killer strains were selected to overcome this problem. These strains killed S. cerevisiae yeasts and dominated fermentation better than T. delbrueckii non-killer strains when they were single-inoculated into crushed red grape must. All the T. delbrueckii wines, but none of the S. cerevisiae wines, underwent malolactic fermentation. Putative lactic acid bacteria were always found in the T. delbrueckii wines, but none or very few in the S. cerevisiae wines. Malic acid degradation was the greatest in the wines inoculated with the killer strains, and these strains reached the greatest dominance ratios and had the slowest fermentation kinetics. The T. delbrueckii wines had dried-fruit/pastry aromas, but low intensities of fresh-fruit aromas. The aroma differences between the T. delbrueckii and the S. cerevisiae wines can be explained by the differences that were found in the amounts of some fruity aroma compounds such as isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, and some lactones. This T. delbrueckii effect significantly raised the organoleptic quality scores of full-bodied Cabernet-Sauvignon red wines inoculated with the killer strains. In particular, these wines were judged as having excellent aroma complexity, mouth-feel, and sweetness.

A low-cost procedure for production of fresh autochthonous wine yeast.

A low-cost procedure was designed for easy and rapid response-on-demand production of fresh wine yeast for local wine-making. The pilot plant produced fresh yeast culture concentrate with good microbial quality and excellent oenological properties from four selected wine yeasts. The best production yields were obtained using 2% sugar beet molasses and a working culture volume of less than 60% of the fermenter capacity. The yeast yield using 2% sugar grape juice was low and had poor cell viability after freeze storage, although the resulting yeast would be directly available for use in the winery. The performance of these yeasts in commercial wineries was excellent; they dominated must fermentation and improved its kinetics, as well as improving the physicochemical parameters and the organoleptic quality of red and white wines.