Gene expression in wheat beer yeast strains and the synthesis of acetate esters

Abstract

The synthesis of aroma compounds represents one of the most important parameters in beer production. Although it has been a historical topic of research, exactly how aroma components are formed has yet to be fully explained. Moreover, all of the research that has been published on yeast strains is focused on lagers and ales. Wheat beer yeast strains have not been the focus of aroma and flavour research. In this study, five different wheat beer yeasts were analysed to determine their capacity for producing acetate esters. In this study, the most commonly used wheat beer yeast strains for the production of German-style wheat beer were analysed. This involved measuring the level of expression of the alcohol acetyl transferase genes ATF1, ATF2 and IAH1 over a period of 4 days (during primary fermentation) and plotting the data to observe the development of expression of the genes over time. Results confirmed their capacity to form acetate esters and showed a distinct correlation with increasing expression of the gene ATF1. However, the findings also indicated that gene expression in different yeast strains can vary considerably during fermentation. Copyright © 2016 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling