Arginase Activity is a Useful Marker of Nitrogen Limitation During Alcoholic Fermentations

Nitrogen deficiency in musts is one of the causes of sluggish or stuck fermentations. In this work we propose that arginase activity determination can be useful for detecting nitrogen starvation early in vinification. CAR1 and YGP1 genes are not specifically induced under conditions of nitrogen star...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Systematic and applied microbiology 2003-09, Vol.26 (3), p.471-479
Main Authors: Carrasco, Purificación, Pérez-Ortín, José E., del Olmo, Marcel.lí
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ammonia
Ammonia - metabolism
Arginase - metabolism
arginase activity
Biological and medical sciences
CAR1
CAR1 gene
ethanol
Ethanol - metabolism
Ethanol - toxicity
Fermentation
Food Microbiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fungal Proteins - metabolism
gene expression
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
Glucose - metabolism
Glycoproteins - metabolism
Membrane Proteins - metabolism
Microbiology
Miscellaneous
Mycology
Nitrogen - metabolism
nitrogen starvation
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae - enzymology
Saccharomyces cerevisiae - growth & development
Saccharomyces cerevisiae - metabolism
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins - metabolism
Transcription, Genetic
vinification
Wine - microbiology
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Summary:Nitrogen deficiency in musts is one of the causes of sluggish or stuck fermentations. In this work we propose that arginase activity determination can be useful for detecting nitrogen starvation early in vinification. CAR1 and YGP1 genes are not specifically induced under conditions of nitrogen starvation. However, a significant increase in the enzymatic activity of arginase, the product of the CAR1 gene, is detected in vinifications carried out with musts containing limiting amounts of nitrogen. Moreover, on adding ammonia to a nitrogen-deficient vinification, even at late stages, this enzymatic activity is repressed, and growth rate is restored simultaneously. We also investigate the role of ethanol toxicity in nitrogen starvation. The results suggest that ethanol produced during vinification or exogenously added up to 8% (v/v) concentration does not cause nitrogen starvation under the conditions tested because arginase activity is not increased.
ISSN:0723-2020
1618-0984
DOI:10.1078/072320203322497518