Biofuel yeast sequencing

Diploid genome sequencing and comparative analysis of fuel-ethanol fermentative Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains widely used for ethanol production have been developed by selection, meaning the underlying beneficial mutations remain unknown. These existing industrial strains are a rich source of unexplored genetic diversity that can be explored to understand what makes a good industrial strain. Identifying and characterizing the mutations controlling traits relevant to industrial fermentation could provide the basis for a forward genetics approach to developing better fermenter strains. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in a fermentation reaction are exposed to constant environmental changes such as feedstock, temperature, ethanol concentration, solute concentration, ionic strength, and toxins in the culture media. Uncovering the genetic control of variation in ethanol tolerance and other fermentation-related traits is essential for understanding the biology behind an effective fermentation reaction, and for enhancing fermentation efficiency by generating improved strains. We have determined the diploid genome sequence of the S. cerevisiae strains, which are dominant fuel-ethanol fermentative strain from sugarcane in Brazil, using the next-generation sequencing platform – 454 Pyrosequencing platform.