Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the key regulatory genes for higher alcohol formation by yeast at different a-amino nitrogen concentrations

Higher alcohols are important flavor substance in alcoholic beverages. The content of alpha-amino nitrogen (alpha-AN) in the fermentation system affects the formation of higher alcohols by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, the effect of alpha-AN concentration on the higher alcohol productivity of yeast was explored, and the mechanism of this effect was investigated through metabolite and transcription sequence analyses. We screened 12 most likely genes and constructed the recombinant strain to evaluate the effect of each gene on high alcohol formation. Results showed that the AGP1, GDH1, and THR6 genes were important regulators of higher alcohol metabolism in S. cerevisiae. This study provided knowledge about the metabolic pathways of higher alcohols and gave an important reference for the breeding of S. cerevisiae with low-yield higher alcohols to deal with the fermentation system with different alpha-AN concentrations in the brewing industry.

Automated summary

The study investigated the impact of alpha-amino nitrogen concentration on higher alcohol productivity of yeast, identifying AGP1, GDH1, and THR6 genes as important regulators of higher alcohol metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This research provided valuable insights into the metabolic pathways of higher alcohols and guidance for breeding yeast strains with low-yield higher alcohols to address varying alpha-AN concentrations in fermentation systems in the brewing industry.