MOLECULAR-GENETIC AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE STRAIN 25-G, ISOLATED FROM FERMENTED CEREAL BEVERAGE

Abstract

Yeast  strain  25-G  was  isolated  from  naturally  fermented  cereal  beverage  (boza).  By biochemical  (API  20  C  Aux)  and  molecular-genetic  (partial  sequencing  of  the  26S  rRNA  gene) methods, a representative of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. diastaticus was identified. The enzymatic  profile  of  the  strain  was  determined  by  applying  a  kit  system  API  ZYM  (BioMerieux, France). Its proteolytic and amylase activities were examined as well. Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. diastaticus  strain  25-G  exhibits  amylase  activity,  which  makes  it  suitable  for  being  included  in  the composition of starter cultures used at the production of fermented cereal foods and beverages.