B.T.L. Lucena, E.A. Silva-Filho, M.R.M. Coimbra, J.O.F. Morais, D.A. Simões, M.A. Morais Jr
Published December 4, 2007
Genet. Mol. Res. 6 (4): 1072-1084 (2007)

About the authors
B.T.L. Lucena, E.A. Silva-Filho, M.R.M. Coimbra, J.O.F. Morais, D.A. Simões, M.A. Morais Jr

Corresponding author
M.A. Morais Jr.
E-mail: marcos.morais@pesquisador.cnpq.br

ABSTRACT

Industrial ethanol fermentation is a complex microbiological process to which yeast cells must adapt for survival. One of the mechanisms for adaptation is thought to involve chromosome rearrangements. We found that changes in chromosome banding patterns measured by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis can also be produced in laboratory media under simulated industrial conditions. Based on analysis of their generational variation, we found that these chromosome changes were specific to the genetic backgrounds of the initial strains. We conclude that chromosome rearrangements could be one of the factors involved in yeast cell adaptation to the industrial environment.

Key words: Chromosome instability, Ethanol fermentation, Karyotyping, Polymerase chain reaction-fingerprinting, Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, Recombination rate