Browsing by Author "Malherbe, Daniel Francois"

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    Characterization and evaluation of glucose oxidase activity in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2010-03) Malherbe, Daniel Francois; Van Rensburg, P.; Pretorius, I. S.; Du Toit, M.; Divol, Benoit; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Viticulture and Oenology. Institute for Wine Biotechnology, 2010.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Popular wine styles prepared from fully-ripened, more mature grapes are characterized by intense fruitiness and varietal flavors. However, lengthy maturation of grapes in the vineyard does not only translate into higher flavor intensity but also into higher sugar levels, which, in turn, leads to wines with higher concentrations of alcohol. Excessive alcohol levels can compromise wine flavor and render wine unbalanced. This, along with health issues and anti-social behavior linked to high-risk alcohol consumption patterns, stricter legislation and increased tax rates associated with high-alcohol wines, have increased demand for wines with reduced alcohol concentrations, without loss of the intense fruity aromas. Although low-alcohol wines can be made using physical post-fermentation processes, such approaches are often expensive and can impact adversely on wine flavor. As an alternative strategy, yeast strains are being developed by several research groups to convert some of the grape sugars into metabolites other than ethanol. Based on promising results from previous preliminary work, this study focused on the development of an industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine strain producing glucose oxidase (GOX; b-D-glucose:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.3.4). GOX oxidizes b-D-glucose to D-glucono-d-lactone and gluconic acid (GA) extracellularly, thus preventing its entry into glycolysis, thereby diverting a portion of the sugar carbon away from ethanol. The GOX-encoding gene from the foodgrade fungus, Aspergillus niger was used to construct three cassettes (GOX1, GOX2 and GOX2LOX). In these gene cassettes, the A. niger GOX gene was placed under the regulation of the S. cerevisiae phosphoglycerate-kinase-1 gene promoter (PGK1P) and terminator (PGK1T ). To facilitate secretion, in GOX1 the yeast mating pheromone-factor a secretion signal (MFa1S) was fused to the GOX gene, and in GOX2 the native A. niger secretion signal of GOX was used. These gene cassettes were each integrated into the genome of two laboratory yeast strains (BY4742 and S1278b) and one industrial wine yeast strain (VIN13). An additional integration cassette, designated GOX2LOX, was constructed to knock out the IME1 gene in S. cerevisiae. In GOX2LOX, GOX2 was fused to a loxP cassette. VIN13-D1 was obtained by integrating a single copy of GOX2LOX into the IME1 locus. To generate an asporogenic, GOX-producing wine yeast, VIN13-D2 was created by sporulation, micromanipulation and re-diploidisation of VIN13-D1. Comparative analysis indicated that (i) GOX2 resulted in higher levels of extracellular glucose oxidase activity than GOX1; and that (ii) the levels of secreted glucose oxidase activity in the wine yeast transformants were sufficiently high to conduct follow-up small-scale wine fermentation trials. The wine yeast transformant, VIN13-D1 was evaluated under red and white experimental winemaking conditions. Results from this work indicated that glucose oxidase was produced and secreted by VIN13-D1 that dominated the fermentation to the end, but also that the enzyme was not highly active under the evaluated winemaking conditions. Consequently, no significant decrease in ethanol concentrations was observed in the wine made from VIN13-D1 when compared to that from VIN13. Wine samples were analyzed by Fourier transform-middle infrared spectrometry (FT-MIR) to determine the chemical composition and Gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) to evaluate the concentrations of aroma compounds. The levels of gluconic acid were determined by enzymatic assays. Multivariate data analysis (PCA and PLS1-discrim) was applied to highlight significant differences between the wines made by VIN13 (wild-type) and VIN13- D1. Chemometric projections of the score plots for all results allowed insight into all significant variation up to three principal components (PCA) or PLS components, which showed very clearly that GA is a key factor in evaluating the effect of GOX in VIN13-D1 fermentation with regard to VIN13 fermentations. The VIN13- D1 effect manifestations were best shown on PLS1-discrim score plots that revealed that, of the restricted variable subsets the FT-MIR-compounds and GC-compounds yielded better results, with the GC-compounds displaying greater discriminability between cultivars and VIN13 / VIN13-D1. It can be concluded from these results that the greatest influence of VIN13-D1 produced wines could be observed in the aroma components, but, because there were also discriminability effects discernable in the FT-MIR-compounds, thus the flavor components were also affected. The activity of GOX in grape juice was further investigated in controlled small scale fermentations performed in a bio-reactor. It was confirmed that GOX is active under aerobic conditions, inactive under anaerobic conditions, and can be activated instantly when an anaerobic culture is switched to aerobic conditions (simulated micro-oxygenation). These fermentations showed that glucose oxidase is active in grape juice, and that oxygen play a key-role in the enzyme’s activation. Finally, it was shown with the help of a simplified model, that under ideal conditions, GOX secreted from VIN13-D1, can be employed to reduce the ethanol by a predefined concentration for the production of low alcohol wines. This work gives more insight into how to employ a GOX-producing wine yeast during winemaking and strongly suggests the use of micro-oxygenation to activate the enzyme in order to reduce available glucose, thereby diverting a portion of the sugar carbon away from ethanol production.
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    Expression of the Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Malherbe, Daniel Francois; Pretorius, I. S.; Van Rensburg, P.; Du Toit, M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriScience. Dept. of Viticulture and Oenology. Institute for Wine Biotechnology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The winemaking process constitutes a unique ecological niche that involves the interaction of yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has established its importance as a wine yeast and also proven itself as a reliable starter culture organism. Its primary role is to convert the grape sugar into alcohol and, secondly, its metabolic activities result in the production of higher alcohols, fatty acids and esters, which are important flavour and aroma compounds that are essential for consistent and predictable wine quality. There is a growing consumer demand for wine containing lower levels of alcohol and chemical preservatives. Glucose oxidase (GOX) has received considerable research interest regarding its potential application in the wine industry to reduce alcohol levels and as a biocontrol agent. Several physical processes are used for the removal or reduction of alcohol in wine and some of them are sometimes used in combination. These processes tend to involve expensive equipment and can be intensive from a processing point of view. An alternative approach was introduced with the concept of treating grape must with GOX to reduce the glucose content of the must, and therefore produce a wine with a reduced alcohol content after fermentation. Due to the demanding nature of modern winemaking practices and sophisticated wine markets, there is an ever-growing quest for specialised wine yeast strains possessing a wide range of optimised, improved or novel oenological properties. The first and main objective of this study was to genetically engineer wine yeasts to produce wine with a reduced alcohol content. In order to do this, the structural glucose oxidase (gox) gene of Aspergillus niger was cloned into an integration vector (Ylp5) containing the yeast mating pheromone a-factor secretion signal (MFa1 s) and the phosphoglycerate kinase 1 gene promoter and terminator (PGK1PT). This PGK1p-MFa1sgox- PGKh gene cassette (designated GOX1) was introduced into a laboratory strain of S. cerevisiae (~1278). Results obtained indicated the production of biologically active glucose oxidase and showed that it is secreted into the culture medium. This would mean that the enzyme will convert the glucose to gluconic acid in the medium before the yeast cells are able to metabolise the glucose to ethanol. Microvinifications performed with Chardonnay grapes showed that the laboratory yeast starter cultures transformed with GOX1 were indeed able to reduce the total amount of alcohol in the finished product. The second objective of this study involved the potential application of GOX as a biocontrol agent. Screening was performed for wine spoilage microorganisms, such as acetic acid bacteria and lactic acid bacteria, using plate assays. The wine spoilage microorganisms tested formed different sized inhibition zones, indicating varying degrees of inhibition. The inhibition of some of the wine spoilage microorganisms was confirmed under a scanning electron microscope. The total collapse of the bacterial cell wáll could be seen and might be explained by the fact that a final product of the GOX enzymatic reaction is hydrogen peroxide (H202). The produced H202 leads to hyperbaric oxygen toxicity, a result of the peroxidation of the membrane lipid, and a strong oxidising effect on the bacterial cell, which is the cause of the destruction of basic molecular structures, such as nucleic acids and cell proteins. In this exciting age of molecular yeast genetics and modern biotechnology, this study could pave the way for the development of wine yeast starter culture strains for the production of wine with a lower alcohol content and reduced levels of chemical preservatives, such as sulphur dioxide. The use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) within the wine industry is a limiting factor at present and credible means must be found to effectively address the concerns of traditionalists within the wine industry and the negative overreaction by some consumer groups. There is a vast potential benefit to the wine consumer and industry alike and the first recombinant wine products therefore should unmistakably demonstrate safe products free of potentially harmful compounds, and have organoleptic, hygienic and economic advantages for both the wine producer and consumer.