Técnicas moleculares para a caracterização de Saccharomyces cerevisisae associadas à produção de cachaça

Abstract

Yeasts, mainly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are microorganisms responsible by conversion of sucrose from sugarcane juice to alcohol and CO2 during the fermentative process of cachaça. The aim of this work was to utilize molecular techniques such as PCR, PFGE and RFLP/mtDNA in the characterization of yeasts isolated of alambiques from South of Minas Gerais. Yeasts were initially identified by morphological and physiological methods and them characterized by molecular techniques. Of one hundred and six yeasts characterized by traditional techniques, 36 showed product of amplification by PCR using the specific primer to S. cerevisisiae. The characterization by PFGE technique showed 9 different profiles, where 2 of them were similar to the S. cerevisiae utilized as standard. The restriction analysis of the mtDNA using 4 different enzymes showed 10 different profiles, 3 using Rsa I and Hae III enzymes and 2 when Hind III e Hinf I enzymes were used. It was verified that the PCR, PFGE and mtDNA-RFLP with Hinf I enzyme showed efficiency in the identification of S. cerevisiae yeasts and these methods can be used isolated or associated.