Thesis (PhD (Viticulture and Oenology. Wine Biotechnology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / In many industrial fermentation processes, Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast should ideally meet two partially conflicting demands. During fermentation a high suspended yeast count is of paramount importance to maintain a rapid fermentation rate, whilst efficient flocculation should ideally be initiated only on completion of the primary alcoholic fermentation, so as to enhance product clarification and recovery. Most commercial wine yeast strains are non-flocculent, probably because this trait was counter-selected to avoid fermentation problems. In this study, we assessed molecular strategies to optimise the flocculation behaviour of non-flocculent laboratory and wine yeast strains. For this purpose, the chromosomal copies of three dominant flocculation genes, FLO1, FLO5 and FLO11, of a non-flocculent S. cerevisiae laboratory strain (FY23) and two commercial wine yeast strains (BM45 and VIN13) were placed under the transcriptional control of the stationary phase-inducible promoters of the S. cerevisiae ADH2 or HSP30 genes. Under standard laboratory media and culture conditions, all six promoter-gene combinations resulted in specific flocculation behaviours in terms of timing and intensity. The data show that the strategy resulted in the expected and stable expression patterns of these genes in both laboratory and industrial wine yeast strains. Most importantly, the data confirm that inducible expression of the native FLO1 and FLO5 open reading frames, albeit to varying degrees, are responsible for a quantifiable cell-cell adhesion phenotype that can be characterized as a Flo1 flocculation phenotype. On the other hand, we found that inducible expression of the native FLO11 ORF under these conditions resulted in flor/biofilm formation and invasive growth phenotypes. However, the specific impact of the expression of individual dominant FLO genes with regard to characteristics such as flocculation efficiency, cell wall hydrophobicity, biofilm formation and substrate adhesion properties showed significant differences between the commercial strains as well as between commercial and laboratory strains. These adhesion phenotype differences may at least in part be attributed to wine yeast FLO gene open reading frames containing significantly smaller intragenic repeat regions than laboratory strains. The data show that the ADH2 regulatory sequences employed in this study were unsuitable for the purpose of driving FLO gene expression under wine-making conditions. However, HSP30p-based FLO1 and FLO5 wine yeast transformants displayed similar flocculent phenotypes under both synthetic and authentic red wine-making conditions, and the intensities of these phenotypes were closely aligned to those observed under nutrient-rich YEPD conditions. The fermentation activities of HSP30p-based transgenic yeast strains were indistinguishable from that of their parental host wine yeast strains. The chemical composition of wines obtained using transgenic yeast strains were similar to those produced by parental strains. The BM45-derived HSP30p-FLO5 transformant in particular was capable of generating compacted or ‘caked’ lees fractions, thereby providing a distinct separation of the fermented wine product and lees fractions. Furthermore, in this study we report a novel FLO11 induced flocculation phenotype that seems to exclusively develop under authentic red wine-making conditions. This strong FLO11 flocculation phenotype was not wine yeast strain dependant, possessed both Ca2+-dependant and Ca2+-independent flocculation characteristics and was insensitive to inhibition by both glucose and mannose. A distinct advantage of this unique FLO11 phenotype was highlighted in its ability to dramatically promote faster lees settling rates. Moreover, wines produced by HSP30p-FLO11 wine yeast transformants were significantly less turbid than those produced by their wild type parental strains. The benefit of this attractive property is it facilitates simpler and faster recovery of wines and also promotes greater volume recovery of the wine product.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Wine protein haze formation is a major challenge for wine makers, and several wine clarifying agents such as bentonite are used in the industry to protect wine from this occurrence. However, clarifying agents may have an undesirable impact on wine quality. Yeast mannoproteins have been shown to possess haze-protective properties, while also positively impacting on the sensorial properties of the product. However, while such mannoproteins are released into the wine during the wine making process, the amounts are low and therefore of limited oenological significance. However, and although commercial wine yeast strains display significant genotypic and phenotypic diversity, no broader assessment of haze protective activity and of mannoproteins release by different wine yeast strains has been undertaken. In this study, several yeast strains were screened for their impact on wine haze formation in Chardonnay must and in a grape juice model system. The data show that strains of the species Saccharomyces paradoxus possess better haze protective properties than the common Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeast strains. Differences in the nature of the proteins released by these two species were investigated, and indicated that several mannoproteins were released at significantly higher levels by S. paradoxus, and that some of these proteins might indeed contribute to the haze-protective activity. A further exploration of yeast cell wall properties indicated that the cell walls of haze-protective S. paradoxus strains contained higher levels of chitin than non-haze protective strains. Grape chitinases are likely to be primarily responsible for wine haze formation, and the data clearly demonstrate that these enzymes are able to bind to the yeast cell walls, and that strains with higher amounts of chitin in the cell wall will bind more chitinases. This finding suggests that the haze-protective nature of the strains is at least in part linked to the chitin levels of the strains. Furthermore, the impact of some genetic modifications in two wine strains (namely S. cerevisiae VIN13 and S. paradoxus RO88) suggests that several proteins contribute to wine haze protection. However, none of the mannoprotein-encoding flocculation genes, FLO1, FLO5, and FLO11 showed any impact on this property. Further studies are required to assess the full impact of the S. paradoxus strains on haze protection. In particular, the possible use of such strains as starter cultures or the use of S. paradoxus yeast hulls as clarifying agent needs to be further explored. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wyn proteïen-waas vorming is 'n groot uitdaging vir wynmakers en verskeie wyn verhelderings agente soos bentoniet word in die wynbedryf gebruik om wyn te beskerm teen die vorming van waas. Hierdie verheldering agente het egter 'n ongewenste impak op wynkwaliteit. Gis mannoproteïene is uitgewys as proteïene met moontlike waas-beskermende eienskappe wat ook 'n positiewe uitwerking op die sensoriese eienskappe van die produk het. Al word hierdie mannoproteïene egter vrygestel in die wyn tydens die wynmaak proses, is die hoeveelhede oor die algemeen te laag om van wynkundige belang te wees. Verder, ten spyte van die beduidende genotipiese en fenotipiese diversiteit van kommersiële wyngisrasse is daar nog geen breër assessering van die waas beskermende aktiwiteit van mannoproteïene, vrygestel deur verskillende rasse, tot dusver onderneem nie. In hierdie studie is verskeie gisrasse gekeur vir hul impak op wyn waas-vorming in Chardonnay mos en ook in 'n model druiwesap. Die data wys dat rasse van die spesie Saccharomyces paradoxus besit beter waas beskermende eienskappe as die algemene Saccharomyces cerevisiae wyngisrasse. Verskille in die aard van die proteïene wat vrygestel is deur hierdie twee spesies is ondersoek, en dit is aangedui aangedui dat verskeie mannoproteins vrygestel aan aansienlik hoër vlakke deur S. Paradoxus. Dit is ook aangedui dat sommige van hierdie proteïene wel bydra tot die waas-beskermende aktiwiteit. 'n Verdere verkenning van gis selwand eienskappe het aangedui dat die selwande van waas-beskermende rasse van S. paradoxus hoër vlakke chitien as nie-waas beskermende stamme bevat. Druiwe chitinases is waarskynlik hoofsaaklik verantwoordelik vir wyn waas vorming, en die data toon duidelik dat hierdie ensieme in staat is om te bind aan die gis selwande, en dat die stamme met hoër vlakke chitien in die selwand meer chitinases sal bind. Hierdie bevinding dui daarop dat die waas-beskermende aard van die stamme ten minste gedeeltelik gekoppel is aan die chitien vlakke van die stamme. Die impak van sekere genetiese modifikasies in twee verskillende gisrasse, naamlik die S. cerevisiae ras VIN13 en die S. paradoxus ras RO88, dui verder daarop dat verskeie proteïene dra by tot die beskerming teen wyn waas. Geeneen van die mannoprotein-koderende flokkulasie gene, FLO1, FLO5 en FLO11 het egter 'n impak op hierdie eienskap nie. Verdere studies is nodig om die volle impak van die S. paradoxus rasse op waas beskerming te assesseer. In die besonder, die moontlike gebruik van sulke rasse as 'n inkolasie kultuur of die gebruik van S. paradoxus gis doppe as verheldering agent moet verder ondersoek word.

Thesis (MSc (Wine Biotechnology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Resveratrol is a phytoalexin that is produced in the leaves and skins of grape berries in response to biotic and abiotic factors. Substitution and polymerisation of resveratrol units produce an array of compounds which form part of the active disease defence mechanism in grapevine. Wine is one of the major sources of resveratrol in the human diet. Resveratrol is one of the phenolic compounds present in wine that mediates protective effects on human health. It has been shown to prevent the development of cardiovascular disease, cancer and pathogenesis related to inflammation. Red wines contain higher levels of resveratrol than white wines owing to extended maceration times during fermentation on the skins. During white wine vinification skin contact is limited as skins are removed prior to fermentation. Thus, the extraction of resveratrol into white wines is minimal. The principal focus of our research is the development of a wine yeast strain capable of resveratrol production during grape must fermentation. It is proposed that red and white wines produced with such a resveratrol-producing yeast will contain elevated levels of resveratrol, and that added health benefits may be derived from their consumption. Initial work done in our laboratory established that expressing multiple copies of the genes encoding coenzyme A ligase (4CL216) and resveratrol synthase (vst1) in laboratory yeast enabled the yeast to produce resveratrol, conditional to the supplementation of the growth medium with p-coumaric acid. This study focused on the optimisation of resveratrol production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It involved the integration and constitutive expression of 4CL216 from hybrid poplar and vst1 from grapevine. Integration and expression of these genes in three laboratory strains was confirmed by Southern and Northern blot analyses. The evaluation of resveratrol production by yeast required the initial optimisation of the analytical techniques. We optimised the method for sample preparation from the intracellular fraction of yeast and devised a procedure for the assay of the extracellular fractions. The LCMSMS method was further developed to encompass detection and quantification of other compounds related to resveratrol production in yeast. Comparison of resveratrol production in three different yeast genetic backgrounds indicated that the onset of production and the resveratrol yield is yeast strain dependent. Precursor feeding studies indicated that p-coumaric acid availability was a factor limiting maximal resveratrol production. Early indications were obtained that endogenously-produced resveratrol may have an impact on yeast viability during extended culture periods. This study has broadened our understanding of the resveratrol production dynamics in S. cerevisiae and provided important indications as to where further optimisation would be beneficial in order to optimally engineer a wine yeast for maximal resveratrol production.

Thesis (PhD (Viticulture and Oenology. Wine Biotechnology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The occurrence of sluggish and stuck fermentations continues to be a serious problem in the global wine industry, leading to loss of product, low quality wines, cellar management problems and consequently to significant financial losses. Comprehensive research has shown that many different factors can act either in isolation, or more commonly synergistically, to negatively affect fermentative activity of wine yeast strains of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The individual factors most commonly referred to in the literature are various nutrient and oxygen limitations. However, other factors have been shown to contribute to the problem. Because of the mostly synergistic nature of the impacts, no single factor can usually be identified as the primary cause of stuck fermentation. In this study, several strategies to evolutionarily engineer wine yeast strains that are expected to reduce the occurrence of stuck and sluggish fermentations are investigated. In particular, the investigations focus on improving the ability of wine yeast to better respond to two of the factors that commonly contribute to the occurrence of such fermentations, nitrogen limitation and the development of an unfavorable ratio of glucose and fructose during fermentation. The evolutionary engineering strategies relied on mass-mating or mutagenesis of successful commercial wine yeast strains to generate yeast populations of diverse genetic backgrounds. These culture populations were then exposed to enrichment procedures either in continuous or sequential batch cultivation conditions while applying specific evolutionary selection pressures. In one of the stragegies, yeast populations were subjected to continuous cultivation under hexose, and especially fructose, limitation. The data show that the strains selected after this procedure were usually able to out-compete the parental strains in these selective conditions. However, the improved phenotype was not detectable when strains were evaluated in laboratory scale wine fermentations. In contrast, the selection procedure in continuous cultivation in nitrogen limiting conditions proved to be highly efficient for the generation of yeast strains with higher total fermentative capacity in low nitrogen musts. Furthermore, yeast strains selected after mutagenesis and sequential batch cultivation in synthetic musts with a very low glucose on fructose ratio showed a fructose specific improvement in fermentative capacity. This phenotype, which corresponds to the desired outcome, was also present in laboratory scale wine fermentations, where the discrepancy between glucose and fructose utilization of the selected strains was significantly reduced when compared to the parents. Finally, a novel strategy for the rectification of stuck fermentations was adjusted to industrial conditions. The strategy is based on the use of a natural isolate of the yeast species Zygosaccharomyces bailii, which is known for its preference of fructose. This process was successfully established and implemented in the wine industry.