Yoshinori Wakai

Purification and characterization of isoamyl acetate-hydrolyzing esterase encoded by the IAH1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from a recombinant Escherichia coli

Abstract The IAH1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes an esterase that preferentially acts on isoamyl acetate; however, the enzyme has not yet been completely purified from the yeast S. cerevisiae. We constructed the IAH1 gene expression system in Escherichia coli, and purified the IAH1 gene product (Iah1p). The amount of Iah1p produced by recombinant E. coli was more than 40% of total cellular proteins. The molecular size of Iah1p was 28 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Judging from the molecular weight estimation by gel filtration of purified Iah1p, the enzyme was thought to be a homodimer. The Km values for isoamyl acetate and isobutyl acetate were 40.3 mM and 15.3 mM, respectively. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg2+, p-chloromercuribenzoate, and diisopropylfluorophosphate.

Brewing properties of sake yeast whose EST2 gene encoding isoamyl acetate-hydrolyzing esterase was disrupted

Abstract The EST2 gene, encoding an isoamyl acetate-hydrolyzing esterase, was disrupted in a diploid strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae UT-1 (MATa/MATα ura3/ura3 trp1/trp1 EST2/EST2 ), which is derived from the industrial sake yeast Kyokai no. 701 (strain K-701), by using two disruption plasmids (pDest2U, est2 :: URA3 ; and pDest2T, est2 :: TRP1 ) sequentially. Genomic Southern blot analysis revealed that both loci of the EST2 gene on the chromosome of strain UT-1 were disrupted. The resultant mutants were named UTUT-1 and UTUT-2 (a/MATα ura3/ura3 trp1/trp1 est2::URA3/est2::TRP1 ). Deficiency in Est2p esterase was also confirmed by activity staining of the gel after native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell extracts of the two mutant strains. Small scale sake brewing was carried out using these sake yeasts and the strains they were derived from, and their brewing properties were compared. The fermentation profiles of the four strains (strains K-701, UT-1, UTUT-1, and UTUT-2) were largely similar. The components of the resulting sake were also similar except for the acetate ester concentration, although strains UTUT-1 and UTUT-2 produced approximately 2-times more isoamyl acetate than the wild type K-701. These resuts strongly suggest that the EST2 gene product is likely to play a crucial role in the hydrolysis of isoamyl acetate in the sake mash. Strains UTUT-1 and UTUT-2, deficient in Est2p esterase, are suitable for sake brewing.

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of the isoamyl acetate-hydrolyzing esterase gene (EST2) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A mutant deficient carboxylesterase which hydrolyzes isoamyl acetate (est2) was isolated from a yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The EST2 gene was cloned and its nucleotide sequence determined. The EST2 gene has an open reading frame of 714 bp (238 amino acids), and the molecular weight of the gene product calculated from the predicted amino acid sequence was 27,304.66. The EST2 gene product lacks the consensus sequence (Gly-Xaa-Ser-Xaa-Gly) that is observed in the serine type esterase or lipase, although a quite similar sequence (Ala-Cys-Ser-Ala-Gly) was found. Genomic Southern analysis revealed that the EST2 gene was present as a single copy on the chromosomal DNA of laboratory strains of S. cerevisiae as well as the sake brewing yeasts. The est2 mutant accumulated approximately 19 times higher amounts of isoamyl acetate compared with the parent strain in laboratory scale sake brewing. Therefore, the EST2 gene product is likely to play a crucial role in the hydrolysis of isoamyl acetate in sake mash.

Distribution of storage proteins in low-glutelin rice seed determined using a fluorescent antibody.

To compare the distribution of storage proteins in low-glutelin rice seed with that in other cultivars having normal protein compositions, immunofluorescence labeling with specific antibodies was applied to visualize the distribution of storage proteins in endosperm tissues. The endosperm tissues from five cultivars were reacted with anti-prolamin and anti-glutelin antibodies, and then observed by light microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In low-glutelin rice, using microscopic analysis, a large proportion of storage proteins was observed in the endosperm tissue of 70% polished rice. To determine the localization of two types of protein bodies in endosperm tissues, images of the distribution of the type I protein body (PB-I) and the type II protein body (PB-II) were obtained by CLSM. The CLSM images showed that, in low-glutelin rice, prolamin which accumulates in PB-I remains in the center of 70% polished rice grains despite the elimination of 30% of the outer layer of brown rice grains. However, the other cultivars mostly contained glutelin which accumulates in PB-II and is distributed throughout the endosperm tissues. This shows that low-glutelin rice differs from the other cultivars not only in the major storage protein composition but also in the distribution of storage proteins in endosperm tissues.

Vacuolar morphology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the process of wine making and Japanese sake brewing

Although ethanol and osmotic stress affect the vacuolar morphology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, little information is available about changes in vacuolar morphology during the processes of wine making and Japanese sake (rice wine) brewing. Here, we elucidated changes in the morphology of yeast vacuoles using Zrc1p-GFP, a vacuolar membrane protein, so as to better understand yeast physiology during the brewing process. Wine yeast cells (OC-2 and EC1118) contained highly fragmented vacuoles in the sake mash (moromi) as well as in the grape must. Although sake yeast cells (Kyokai no. 9 and no. 10) also contained highly fragmented vacuoles during the wine-making process, they showed quite a distinct vacuolar morphology during sake brewing. Since the environment surrounding sake yeast cells in the sake mash did not differ much from that surrounding wine yeast cells, the difference in vacuolar morphology during sake brewing between wine yeast and sake yeast was likely caused by innate characters.

Influence of rice proteins on eating quality of cooked rice and on aroma and flavor of sake

ABSTRACT An improved method for the extraction of storage proteins from rice endosperm under conditions safe for producing food was developed. The contribution of the protein extracts to the eating quality of cooked rice and to the aroma and flavor of sake was examined. Sensory analysis was performed to evaluate the eating quality of cooked rice enriched with the protein extracts. Prolamin-enrichment increased the hardness of cooked rice, and glutelin-enrichment degraded the appearance of cooked rice. Physical analyses confirmed that prolamin-enrichment changed, whereas the glutelin-enrichment did not change the physical properties of cooked rice. Light and scanning electron microscopy of rice protein extracts revealed small particles of the prolamin extract and larger aggregated particles of the glutelin extract; these features remained after heating. The aroma and flavor of sake were negatively affected by the addition of the protein extracts. Especially, addition of prolamin significantly lowered the e...

Water absorption characteristics and structural properties of rice for sake brewing.

This study investigated the water absorption curve characteristics and structural properties of rice used for sake brewing. The parameter values in the water absorption rate equation were calculated using experimental data. Differences between sample parameters for rice used for sake brewing and typical rice were confirmed. The water absorption curve for rice suitable for sake brewing showed a quantitatively sharper turn in the S-shaped water absorption curve than that of typical rice. Structural characteristics, including specific volume, grain density, and powdered density of polished rice, were measured by a liquid substitution method using a Gay-Lussac pycnometer. In addition, we calculated internal porosity from whole grain and powdered grain densities. These results showed that a decrease in internal porosity resulted from invasion of water into the rice grain, and that a decrease in the grain density affected expansion during the water absorption process. A characteristic S-shape water absorption curve for rice suitable for sake brewing was related to the existence of an invisible Shinpaku-like structure.

Efficient extraction of thioreodoxin from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by ethanol.

ABSTRACT Thioredoxin, an antioxidant protein, is a promising molecule for development of functional foods because it protects the gastric mucosa and reduces the allergenicity of allergens. To establish a method for obtaining an ample amount of yeast thioredoxin, we found here that thioredoxin is released from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by treatment with 20% ethanol. We also found that Japanese sake contains a considerable amount of thioredoxin.

Characterization of Rat8 localization and mRNA export in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the brewing of Japanese sake

Ethanol affects the nuclear export of mRNA in a similar way to heat shock in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We recently reported that the nuclear accumulation of Rat8 caused by ethanol stress correlates well with blocking of the export of bulk poly(A)+ mRNA. Here, we characterize the localization of Rat8 and bulk poly(A)+ mRNA in sake (Japanese rice wine) yeast during the brewing of sake. In wine must and synthetic dextrose medium, sake yeast showed the same responses to ethanol regarding changes in the localization of Rat8 as wine yeast and a laboratory strain: i.e., cells began the nuclear accumulation of Rat8 at an ethanol concentration of 6% and completed it at 9%. In contrast, during the sake-brewing process, sake yeast showed unique phenomena: i.e., cells did not start the nuclear accumulation of Rat8 until the ethanol concentration of the sake mash reached around 12% and they showed a normal localization of Rat8 around the nuclear envelope at the late stage of fermentation. These results provide new information about the transport of mRNA in yeast cells during actual alcoholic fermentation.

Metabolite profiling of the fermentation process of "yamahai-ginjo-shikomi" Japanese sake

Sake is a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage prepared by multiple parallel fermentation of rice. The fermentation process of “yamahai-ginjo-shikomi” sake is mainly performed by three microbes, Aspergillus oryzae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Lactobacilli; the levels of various metabolites fluctuate during the fermentation of sake. For evaluation of the fermentation process, we monitored the concentration of moderate-sized molecules (m/z: 200–1000) dynamically changed during the fermentation process of “yamahai-ginjo-shikomi” Japanese sake. This analysis revealed that six compounds were the main factors with characteristic differences in the fermentation process. Among the six compounds, four were leucine- or isoleucine-containing peptides and the remaining two were predicted to be small molecules. Quantification of these compounds revealed that their quantities changed during the month of fermentation process. Our metabolomic approach revealed the dynamic changes observed in moderate-sized molecules during the fermentation process of sake, and the factors found in this analysis will be candidate molecules that indicate the progress of “yamahai-ginjo-shikomi” sake fermentation.