Modifying flavor profiles of Saccharomyces spp. for industrial brewing using FIND-IT, a non-GMO approach for metabolic engineering of yeast

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2024.05.006
• Publication Date: 2024-05-22T16:30:12Z
• Authors: Vratislav Stovicek; Klaus B. Lengeler; Toni Wendt; Magnus Rasmussen; Michael Katz; Jochen Förster
• Keywords: Metabolic Engineering

Species of Saccharomyces genus have played an irreplaceable role in alcoholic beverage and baking industry for centuries. S. cerevisiae has also become organism choice industrial production alcohol other valuable chemicals a model shaping the rise modern genetics genomics past few decades. Today´s brewing faces challenges decreasing consumption traditional beer styles increasing consumer demand new styles, flavors aromas. The number currently used brewer's strains their genetic diversity is yet limited implementation more phenotypic variation seen as solution to cope with market challenges. This requires modification current or introduction novel from settings, e.g. wild habitats into industry. Due legal regulation many countries negative customer perception GMO organisms, food beverages non-GMO whose development can be difficult time-consuming. Here, we apply FIND-IT (Fast Identification Nucleotide variants by DigITal PCR), ultrafast genome-mining method, isolation yeast varying flavor profiles. method uses combination random mutagenesis, droplet digital PCR probes that target specific desired mutation sub-isolation mutant clone. Such approach allows targeted identification eliminated certain off-flavors and/or changes strain metabolism. We demonstrate technology useful loss-of function gain mutations unrelated differing ploidy. Where no selection exists, this serves together standard breeding techniques tool facilitating (brewer's) leading diversification product portfolio.