Genetic diversity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains during the 24 h fermentative cycle for the production of the artisanal Brazilian cachaca

Aims: Characterization of yeast populations and genetic polymorphism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains collected during the short fermentative cycles from the spontaneous fermentations during the artisanal cachaca production. Methods and Results: The prevalent S. cerevisiae strains were analysed by PFG and RAPD-PCR using primers EI1 and M13. The molecular analysis have showed a high degree of genetic polymorphism among the strains within a 24 h fermentative cycle. Conclusions: The genetic diversity observed in the S. cerevisiae strains may be occurring due to the existence of a large number of individual genotypes within the species. The unique characteristics of the cachaca fermentation process probably allows for a faster detection of molecular polymorphisms of yeast strains than other types of fermentations. Significance and Impact of the Study: Spontaneous fermentations to produce cachaca, due to their characteristics, are an excellent model for the study of molecular diverstiy of S. cerevisiae strains during the production of fermented beverages.