A time course metabolism comparison among Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. uvarum and S. kudriavzevii species in wine fermentation

In this study, we presented the first metabolome time course analysis performed among a set of S. uvarum, S. kudriavzevii and S. cerevisiae strains under winemaking conditions. Extracellular and intracellular metabolites, as well as physiological parameters of yeast cells, were monitored along the process to find evidence of different metabolic strategies among species to perform alcoholic fermentation. A thorough inspection of time trends revealed several differences in utilization or accumulation of fermentation by-products. We confirmed the ability of S. uvarum and S. kudriavzevii strains to produce higher amounts of glycerol, succinate or some fusel alcohols and their corresponding esters. We also reported differences in the yields of less common fermentative by-products involved in redox homeostasis, namely 2,3 butanediol and erythritol. 2,3 butanediol yield was higher in must ferment with cryophilic strains and erythritol, a pentose phosphate pathway derivative, was particularly overproduced by S. uvarum strains. Contrary to S. cerevisiae, a singular production-consumption rate of acetate was also observed in S. uvarum and S. kudriavzevii fermentations. Since acetate is a precursor for acetyl-CoA production which is involved in the biosynthesis of membrane lipids, cryophilc strains might take advantage of extracellular acetate to remodel cell membrane as ethanol content increased during fermentation. •Strains of S. uvarum and S. kudriavzevii species have alternative redox balance strategies.•Erythritol production in wine was detected in fermentation conducted in all the species but in higher amounts in S. uvarum.•These species showed differences in the management of extracellular acetate and proline during wine fermentation.