ASBC 2001 meeting abstract - Control of beer flavor production by amino acid sensor

P-29

Control of beer flavor production by amino acid sensor - SSY1p.
PHILIPPE PERPETE (1), Bruno André (2), and Sonia Collin (1), (1) Unité de brasserie et des industries alimentaires, Université catholique de Louvain; (2) Laboratoire de physiologie cellulaire et de génétique des levures, Université libre de Bruxelles.

Fusel alcohols are partially produced in beer from amino acid degradation. The first step of the Ehrlich pathway is the uptake of amino acids by various yeast permeases. It has been recently shown that the expression of some amino acid transporters is under the control of the SSY1p sensor. The present work describes how mutants without SSY1 are able to produce fusel alcohols and esters. From our results, we can conclude that SSY1p is crucial to obtain a pleasant flavour profile. Overexpression of this sensor and SSY1-dependent permeases was also further investigated.

Philippe Perpète received a degree in biological sciences in 1990, a degree in chemical sciences in 1992 and a pHD thesis in 1999. He worked as research assistant at the Unité de brasserie et des industries alimentaires from 1993 to 1999. He is currently professor in this research unit from 2000.