MycoRant

Here’s a selection of recent news and information from the wonderful world of yeast. (Did you know the completed yeast genome sequence was announced in 1996?)

Wine Yeast

Unique New Zealand Wine Yeasts Discovered comes from the Voxy News Engine. “Scientists from the University of Auckland have discovered a unique group of New Zealand yeasts involved in wine production, and have begun to identify the origins of the local yeast strains – with surprising results. The researchers examined Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeast from a spontaneous ferment at Kumeu River winery. ‘We identified almost a hundred different strains in the ferment” says lead researcher Dr Mat Goddard “and many of them were genetically distinct from S. cerevisiae found elsewhere in the world.’ ”

Functional Technologies Corp.: Phyterra(TM) Launches Hydrogen Sulphide-Reducing Yeast Strains. “Phyterra(TM) Yeast, a unit of Functional Technologies Corp. (TSX VENTURE: FEB) today announced the launch of Napa-M, Napa-S, and California Red, the first three strains of its proprietary hydrogen sulphide-reducing wine yeast. These new yeast products prevent the sensory and spoilage issues that often occur from hydrogen sulfide (H2S) through fermentation.”

Fission Yeast DNA Polymerase

BMC Molecular Biology is an Open Access Journal (Good!). Volume 10:82 (August 17) includes research published on a DNA polymerase of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. See Functional mapping of the fission yeast DNA polymerase delta B-subunit Cdc1 by site-directed and random pentapeptide insertion mutagenesis.

Good Old Marmite

Marmite reeks. Or at least a byproduct of its manufacture does. This “interesting” British yeast extract is made from the “surplus yeast from brewing.” I think that means the yeast remaining and filtered out after a large scale brewing operation.

“The yeast slurry arrives in tankers. It takes 50,000 tonnes of yeast a year to make 6,000 tonnes of finished Marmite. Hoses are connected to the tanker and, like petrol, it is pumped into vats. Next, it is stirred and slightly heated and it begins to break down until it becomes a bitter-tasting protein soup. The yeast is pumped through hot centrifuges at 70C, which causes the cell walls in the yeast to separate from the liquid, which is siphoned off to form the basis of Marmite. The separated waste is then pumped off into vats, and it is this material that caused such a stink in the village of Sawley.”

A fun read at Love it, hate it – just don’t you dare spread Marmite’s dark secret by Marcus Dunk.

What’s True for Yeast…

Ever since Leonard Guarente and David Sinclair discovered the sir-2 gene, which affects longevity in yeast, researchers have  hypothesized it might be the key to ultimately extending human lives as well. Both humans and mice (as well as other animals no doubt) have analogous genes that code for proteins called sirtuins. So far it hasn’t worked out. Find out more at Tests Begin on Drugs That May Slow Aging by Nicholas Wade, published at the website of the New York Times.

Tags: fission yeast, longevity, Marmite, wine, yeast