Biotechnological importance of torulaspora delbrueckii: From the obscurity to the spotlight

Abstract

Torulaspora delbrueckii has attracted interest in recent years, especially due to its biotech-nological potential, arising from its flavor-and aroma-enhancing properties when used in wine, beer or bread dough fermentation, as well as from its remarkable resistance to osmotic and freez-ing stresses. In the present review, genomic, biochemical, and phenotypic features of T. delbrueckii are described, comparing them with other species, particularly with the biotechnologically well-established yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We conclude about the aspects that make this yeast a promising biotechnological model to be exploited in a wide range of industries, particularly in wine and bakery. A phylogenetic analysis was also performed, using the core proteome of T. delbrueckii, to compare the number of homologous proteins relative to the most closely related species, under-standing the phylogenetic placement of this species with robust support. Lastly, the genetic tools available for T. delbrueckii improvement are discussed, focusing on adaptive laboratorial evolution and its potential.