Comparative phenotypic and genome-wide expression analysis of ancestral Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a strain with higher flux through the pentose phosphate pathway

By an evolutionary approach based on long-term culture on gluconate as the sole carbon source, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine strains with enhanced flux through the pentose phosphate (PP) pathway were obtained. One of these evolved strains, ECA5, exhibited several novel properties with great potential for wine making, including a higher than wild-type fermentation rate and altered production of acetate and aroma compounds. To describe the mechanisms underlying this complex phenotype, we performed a comparative analysis of transcriptomic profiles between ECA5 and its ancestral strain, EC1118, under low nitrogen, wine fermentation conditions.