Characterization of the yeast ecosystem in grape must and wine using real-time PCR.

The complex microbial ecosystem of grape must and wine harbours a wide diversity of yeast species. Specific oligonucleotide primers for real-time quantitative PCR(QPCR) were designed to analyse several important non-Saccharomyces yeasts (Issatchenkia orientalis, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Candida zemplinina and Hanseniaspora spp.) and Saccharomyces spp. in fresh wine must, during fermentation and in the finished wine. The specificity of all primer couples for their target yeast species were validated and the QPCR methods developed were compared with a classic approach of colony identification by RFLP-ITS-PCR on cultured samples. Once the methods had been developed and validated, they were used to study these non-Saccharomyces yeasts in wine samples and to monitor their dynamics throughout the fermentation process. This study confirms the usefulness and the relevance of QPCR for studying non-Saccharomyces yeasts in the complex yeast ecosystem of grape must and wine.

Zott K ，Claisse O ，Lucas P ，Coulon J ，Lonvaud-Funel A ，Masneuf-Pomarede I ... -  《-》

Yeast species associated with wine grapes in China.

Having more information on the yeast ecology of grapes is important for wine-makers to produce wine with high quality and typical attributes. China is a significant wine-consuming country and is becoming a serious wine-producer, but little has been reported about the yeast ecology of local ecosystems. This study provides the first step towards the exploitation of the yeast wealth in China's vine-growing regions. The aim of this study was to investigate the yeast population density and diversity on three grape varieties cultivated in four representative vine-growing regions of China. Yeast species diversity was evaluated by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequence analysis of the 5.8S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) region of cultivable yeasts. The grapes harbored yeast populations at 10(2)-10(6)CFU/mL, consisting mostly of non-Saccharomyces species. Seventeen different yeast species belonging to eight genera were detected on the grape samples tested, including Hanseniaspora uvarum, Cryptococcus flavescens, Pichia fermentans, Candida zemplinina, Cryptococcus carnescens, Candida inconpicua, Zygosaccharomyces fermentati, Issatchenkia terricola, Candida quercitrusa, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Candida bombi, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Sporidiobolus pararoseus, Cryptococcus magnus, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Issatchenkia orientalis and Pichia guilliermondii. H. uvarum and C. flavescens were the dominant species present on the grapes. For the first time Sporidiobolus pararoseus was discovered as an inhabitant of the grape ecosystem. The yeast community on grape berries was influenced by the grape chemical composition, vine-variety and vine-growing region. This study is the first to identify the yeast communities associated with grapes in China using molecular methods. The results enrich our knowledge of wine-related microorganisms, and can be used to promote the development of the local wine industry.

Li SS ，Cheng C ，Li Z ，Chen JY ，Yan B ，Han BZ ，Reeves M ... -  《-》

Yeast biodiversity and dynamics during sweet wine production as determined by molecular methods.

In this study we investigated yeast biodiversity and dynamics during the production of a sweet wine obtained from dried grapes. Two wineries were selected in the Collio region and grapes, grape juices and wines during fermentations were analyzed by culture-dependent methods (plating on WLN medium) and culture-independent methods (PCR-DGGE). Moreover, the capability of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae starter cultures to take over the fermentation was assessed by RAPD-PCR. On WLN agar several species of non-Saccharomyces yeasts (Hanseniaspora, Metschnikowia, Pichia, Candida, Torulaspora and Debaryomyces), but also strains of S. cerevisiae, were isolated. After inoculation of the starter cultures, only colonies typical of S. cerevisiae were observed. Using PCR-DGGE, the great biodiversity of moulds on the grapes was underlined, both at the DNA and RNA level, while the yeast contribution started to become important only in the musts. Here, bands belonging to species of Candida zemplinina and Hanseniaspora uvarum were visible. Lastly, when the S. cerevisiae isolates were compared by RAPD-PCR, it was determined that only in one of the fermentations followed, the inoculated strain conducted the alcoholic fermentation. In the second fermentation, the starter culture was not able to promptly implant and other populations of S. cerevisiae could be isolated, most likely contributing to the final characteristics of the sweet wine produced.

Urso R ，Rantsiou K ，Dolci P ，Rolle L ，Comi G ，Cocolin L ... -  《FEMS YEAST RESEARCH》

Evaluation of fungal and yeast diversity in Slovakian wine-related microbial communities.

Since the yeast flora of Slovakian enology has not previously been investigated by culture-independent methods, this approach was applied to two most common cultivars Frankovka (red wine) and Veltlin (white wine), and complemented by cultivation. Model samples included grapes, initial must, middle fermenting must and must in the end-fermentation phase. The cultured isolates were characterized by length polymorphism of rDNA spacer two region using fluorescence PCR and capillary electrophoresis (f-ITS PCR), and some were identified by sequencing. The microbial DNA extracted directly from the samples without cultivation was analysed by f-ITS PCR, amplicons were cloned and sequenced. The use of universal fungal primers led to detection of both yeasts and filamentous fungi. The amplicon of highest intensity and present in all the samples corresponded to Hanseniaspora uvarum. Other species demonstrated by both approaches included Saccharomyces sp., Metschnikowia pulcherrima or M. chrysoperlae, Candida zemplinina, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Botryotinia fuckeliana, Pichia anomala, Candida railenensis, Cryptococcus magnus, Metschnikowia viticola or Candida kofuensis, Pichia kluyveri or Pichia fermentas, Pichia membranifaciens, Aureobasidium pullulans, Alternaria alternata, Erysiphe necator, Rhodotorula glutinis, Issatchenkia terricola and Debaryomyces hansenii. Endemism of Slovakian enological yeasts was suggested on the level of minor genetic variations of the known species and probably not accounting for novel species. The prevalence of H. uvarum over Saccharomyces sp. in the samples was indicated. This is the first culture-independent study of Slovakian enology and the first time f-ITS PCR profiling was used on wine-related microbial communities.

Brežná B ，Zenišová K ，Chovanová K ，Chebeňová V ，Kraková L ，Kuchta T ，Pangallo D ... -  《-》

Monitoring of Saccharomyces and Hanseniaspora populations during alcoholic fermentation by real-time quantitative PCR.

Hierro N ，Esteve-Zarzoso B ，Mas A ，Guillamón JM ... -  《FEMS YEAST RESEARCH》