0000000000376719
AUTHOR
Germán Larriba
Biogenesis of the Yeast Cell Wall
Yeast cells are covered by a rigid structure that protects the protoplast from osmotic changes and gives the characteristic shape to the cell. Studies on the composition of the wall of several species of yeast and other fungi have shown that they contain mainly polysaccharides with minor amounts of other materials. A completely rigid and continuous wall, nevertheless, would render growth impossible because cell extension would be restricted, so that an equilibrium must exist between softening (partial degradation) of wall and incorporation of new material into free ends of the polymers. From these considerations, it seems clear that the walls must be structurally and enzymatically a complex…
Cork Taint of Wines: Role of the Filamentous Fungi Isolated from Cork in the Formation of 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole by O Methylation of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol
ABSTRACT Cork taint is a musty or moldy off-odor in wine mainly caused by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA). We examined the role of 14 fungal strains isolated from cork samples in the production of 2,4,6-TCA by O methylation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP). The fungal strains isolated belong to the genera Penicillium (four isolates); Trichoderma (two isolates); and Acremonium , Chrysonilia , Cladosporium , Fusarium , Mortierella , Mucor , Paecilomyces , and Verticillium (one isolate each). Eleven of these strains could produce 2,4,6-TCA when they were grown directly on cork in the presence of 2,4,6-TCP. The highest levels of bioconversion were carried out by the Trichoderma and Fusar…
Degradation of vanillic acid and production of guaiacol by microorganisms isolated from cork samples
The presence of guaiacol in cork stoppers is responsible for some cases of cork taint causing unpleasant alterations to wine. We have performed a characterization of the cork-associated microbiota by isolating 55 different microorganisms: eight yeast, 14 filamentous fungi or molds, 13 actinomycetes and 20 non-filamentous bacteria. A screening for degradation of vanillic acid and guaiacol production showed that none of the filamentous fungi could achieve any of these processes. By contrast, five of the eight yeast strains isolated were able to degrade vanillic acid, although it was not converted to guaiacol. Guaiacol production was only detected in four bacterial strains: one isolate of Baci…