Yeast Genomics and Its Applications in Biotechnological Processes: What Is Our Present and Near Future?

Abstract

Since molecular biology and advanced genetic techniques have become important tools in a variety of fields of interest, including taxonomy, identification, classification, possible production of substances and proteins, applications in pharmacology, medicine, and the food industry, there has been significant progress in studying the yeast genome and its potential applications. Because of this potential, as well as their manageability, safety, ease of cultivation, and reproduction, yeasts are now being extensively researched in order to evaluate a growing number of natural and sustainable applications to provide many benefits to humans. This review will describe what yeasts are, how they are classified, and attempt to provide a rapid overview of the many current and future applications of yeasts. The review will then discuss how yeasts—including those molecularly modified—are used to produce biofuels, proteins such as insulin, vaccines, probiotics, beverage preparations, and food additives and how yeasts could be used in environmental bioremediation and biocontrol for plant infections. This review does not delve into the issues raised during studies and research, but rather presents the positive outcomes that have enabled several industrial, clinical, and agricultural applications in the past and future, including the most recent on cow-free milk.

Promising Probiotic Properties of the Yeasts Isolated from Rabilé, a Traditionally Fermented Beer Produced in Burkina Faso

“…Yeasts have been intensively studied and exploited as starter cultures to produce fermented foods [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Recently, Saccharomyces and non- Saccharomyces strains isolated from African fermented foods have been studied and promoted as promising probiotics with health benefits [ 4 , 8 , 35 , 36 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 54 , 59 ].…”

“…According to FAO/WHO [ 9 ] and updates by Hill et al [ 10 ], probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that confer beneficial effects on the host when administered in the proper amounts. Although several LAB species belonging to Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera are the most studied and commercialized probiotics [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ], yeast biotechnology is well-known and is used in the manufacturing of fermented foods and in starter/co-starter cultures in the development of new functional foods with high-value nutraceuticals [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. In the last few years, research on yeasts as potential probiotics with valuable properties, which had previously been relatively neglected, has intensified to discover new “wild” yeast strains isolated from traditional fermented foods; such approaches may revolutionize the probiotics market, which has been dominated mainly by lactic acid bacteria [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”

UGDR: a generic pipeline to detect recombined regions in polyploid and complex hybrid yeast genomes

“…Such information helped in the identification of original recombinants that might be useful for their industrial application. Moreover, UGDR would be helpful for yeast’s new biotechnological research and applications with great benefits to humans [ 22 , 23 ]. Further developments are aimed at including the analysis of genomes different than yeast and higher ploidies (> 4) in the perspective of expanding its use to other industries and academic research.…”

Local Sources of Protein in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: How to Improve the Protein Quality?

“…For example, during fermentation to create plant-based milk beverages, pectinases are released by lactic acid bacteria which improve the protein content, digestibility, and amino acid profile [ 85 ]. Precision fermentation can also be used to generate animal proteins or complete proteins containing all IAAs without the animal source using genetically engineered yeast strains [ 86 ]. These novel proteins can be added to familiar dishes in LMIC [ 85 ].…”