Exploring wine yeast natural biodiversity to select strains with enological traits adapted to climate change
Joana P. Guedes,
Tiago Vidal Cardoso,
Ticiana Fernandes,
Filipa Mendes,
M. Margarida Baleiras-Couto,
Filomena L. Duarte,
Maria João Sousa,
Ricardo Franco-Duarte,
Susana R. Chaves,
Manuela Côrte-Real
Affiliations
Joana P. Guedes
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
Tiago Vidal Cardoso
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
Ticiana Fernandes
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
Filipa Mendes
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
M. Margarida Baleiras-Couto
INIAV, IP - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Pólo de Inovação de Dois Portos, Quinta da Almoinha, 2565-191, Dois Portos, Portugal; BioISI – Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
Filomena L. Duarte
INIAV, IP - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Pólo de Inovação de Dois Portos, Quinta da Almoinha, 2565-191, Dois Portos, Portugal; BioISI – Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
Maria João Sousa
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
Ricardo Franco-Duarte
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
Susana R. Chaves
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
Manuela Côrte-Real
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; Corresponding author.
Wine is widely consumed throughout the world and represents a significant financial market, but production faces increasing challenges. While consumers progressively value more complex flavor profiles, regional authenticity, and decreased use of additives, winemakers strive for consistency among climate change, characterized by rising environmental temperatures and sun burn events. This often leads to grapes reaching phenolic maturity with higher sugar levels, and increased microbial spoilage risk.Herein, we addressed these dual concerns by investigating the use of autochthonous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for fermentations of grape musts resulting from these altered conditions. We characterized underexplored repositories of naturally-occurring strains isolated from different environments and geographical regions, regarding adequate enological properties (e.g., high cell growth, reduced production of H2S, ethanol and acetic acid, increased SO2 resistance, killer activity), and other less frequently investigated properties (resistance to osmotic stress, potassium and aluminium silicates and fungicides). The phenotypic data were organized in a biobank, and bioinformatic analysis grouped the strains according to their characteristics. Furthermore, we analyzed the potential of four Portuguese isolates to be used in fermentations of grape musts with high sugar levels, uncovering promising candidates. This research therefore contributes to ongoing efforts to increase sustainability and quality of wine production.
