Metabolomics for Ethanologenic Yeast

Abstract

Metabolomics-based studies have been applied widely to improve our understanding of molecular mechanisms of yeast stress response as well as to seek foundational basis for further optimization of fermentation processes. In this chapter, the basic principles of metabolomic approaches including sample prepara- tion, metabolomic analysis, metabolite identification and quantification, data mining, and biological interpretation are summarized, emphasizing on the gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatogra- phy coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based strategies. The major applications of metabolomics on ethanologenic yeast during ethanol production are highlighted, such as stress response to high cell density, inhibitory compounds in the lignocellulosic hydrolysates, different (batch and continuous) fermentation modes, and vacuum fermentation conditions.