Biotechnological potential of yeast isolates from cachaça: the brazilian spirit

This study identified phenotypic traits appropriate for biotechnological applications of 118 yeasts isolated from cachaça distilleries. Different properties were verified: capacity to use alternative carbon sources; ability to tolerate high concentrations of sucrose, ethanol, methanol, aluminum and zinc as well as different pH values and foam production. Pichia guilliermondii and Pichia anomala strains were identified as the most promising ones for application in the second-generation biofuel industry, showing ability to grow on high glycerol concentrations. Other isolates, identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, produced bioethanol comparable to the industrial strains, and were therefore ideal for use in the first-generation ethanol industry. Some of these strains also showed high resistance to aluminum, as observed in sugarcane juice, and to inter-cycle washings with diluted sulphuric acid, as performed in the industrial bioethanol production process. In summary, yeast isolates from cachaça distilleries displayed robustness and phenotypic plasticity, which makes them interesting for biotechnological applications.This work was supported by grants from Fundação de Capacitação de Pessoal de Nível Superior from the Ministry of Education, CAPES/Brazil (PNPD 2755/2011; PCF-PVE 021/2012) and from Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, FAPEMIG (Process APQ-00263-10) and a research fellowship from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, CNPq (Brazil) Process 304815/2012. C. Lucas is supported by FCT/MEC through Portuguese funds (PIDDAC), PEst-OE/BIA/UI4050/2014 and by a grant of Visiting Professor from the programme “Ciência sem Fronteiras”, CAPES, Brazil, Process 2021/2012.