Comparative Genetic Analysis of Pectinase Genes PGU of the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Selection of Strains with High Pectinolytic Activity

Large-scale screening of the pectinolytic activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from different types of wines, grape berries, fermenting must, fruit and berry juices, natural sources, and industrial waste from different regions of the world was carried out. Of the 305 strains studied, the majority (249) did not produce active endopolygalacturonase. According to the results obtained, the ability to hydrolyze pectin is generally not characteristic of the species S. cerevisiae. Regardless of the source and site of isolation, S. cerevisiae strains have a single pectinase gene PGU1, usually located on the X chromosome. Other chromosomal sites of PGU1 genes, chromosomes VII/XV and IX, were found only in four strains isolated from fermented palm sap in Malaysia and wine strain I-411 (Transcarpathia, Ukraine). Ten strains of S. cerevisiae with the highest pectinolytic activity were selected, which are of interest for further molecular genetic studies and breeding work with wine yeasts.