Evaluation of PFGE and mtDNA restriction analysis methods to detect genetic diversity of saccharomyces cerevisiae strains associated to Vitis vinifera

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this work was realize a comparative study of two different methods of Saccharomycec cerevisiae yeast strain characterization.

Methods and results: Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis (PFGE) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction analysis have been carried out to differentiate strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae associated to Vitis vinifera musts from different Galicia wineyard (NW Spain). Seventeen strains isolated from wineries from Galicia were used in this study.

Conclusion: The results have showed that although PFGE analysis technique has greater discriminatory power than mtDNA restriction analysis to detect genetic diversity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, some clones with the same PFGE profile can only be differentiated by mtDNA restriction analysis.

Significance and impact of study: Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of chromosome (PFGE), by its discriminating power, constitute an ideal technique for the differentiation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains in biotechnological industries, however, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction analysis is a rapid, simple and less expensive and time-consuming method. The results obtained demonstrate the value of using molecular genetic methods in taxonomic and ecological surveys.