Optogenetic control of horizontally acquired genes prevent stuck fermentations in yeast

Abstract

Stuck fermentations due to limited nitrogen availability in grape must represent one of the main problems in the winemaking industry. Nitrogen limitation in grape must reduces yeast biomass and fermentation rate, resulting in incomplete fermentations with high levels of residual sugar, undesired by-products, and microbiological instability. Here, we used an optogenetic approach to demonstrate that expression of genes within region A is necessary to complete fermentations under low nitrogen availability. Overall, our results suggest that region A is a genetic signature for adaptation to low nitrogen conditions.