Mitogression | Generating yeast biodiversity by mitochondrial introgression for wine innovation

Summary
Wine global demand is decreasing due to a shift in consumer preferences and cultural changes. The EU is a GLOBAL LEADER in WINE production, whose wine companies wants to decrease ethanol content, while improving organoleptic properties to deal with these new demands. YEASTS, mainly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, play a KEY ROLE during wine fermentation, when alcohol and the main flavors are produced. Application of new yeasts, produced by genetic engineering, is limited due to the non-acceptance of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). We PROPOSE to apply non-GMO methodologies, to obtain IMPROVED YEASTS by the generation of yeast strains (cybrids), with mitochondrial genomes (mitogression) from non-cerevisiae species, or hybrids, increasing yeast DIVERSITY, to select strains whose fermentation products match wine company expectations. We will ANSWER some BASIC research QUESTIONS: how is genotype molded by the presence of a foreign mitochondrial genome? Are these changes common between independent experiments and wild isolates? And, are evolved strains starting to show evidence of speciation from their ancestors? The results of this project will IMPACT the WINE INDUSTRY by generating new potential commercial strains, and future collaborations. The knowledge gained through this proposal will demonstrate to the scientific community the use of novel methodologies as well as expose the general public to the importance of biodiversity for industrial processes and how the transfer of genetic material and experimental evolution can produce beneficial traits for our societies. The researcher (evolutionary biology and bioinformatics background), supervisor (microbiology, systems biology, and synthetic biology background), and host institution (facilities, knowledge, experience, and supporting elements) will form a perfect entity for the development of MITOGRESSION proposal, and to CONSOLIDATE the scientific career of the researcher for his future INDEPENDENT position.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/747775
Start date: 01-09-2017
End date: 31-08-2019
Total budget - Public funding: 170 121,60 Euro - 170 121,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

Wine global demand is decreasing due to a shift in consumer preferences and cultural changes. The EU is a GLOBAL LEADER in WINE production, whose wine companies wants to decrease ethanol content, while improving organoleptic properties to deal with these new demands. YEASTS, mainly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, play a KEY ROLE during wine fermentation, when alcohol and the main flavors are produced. Application of new yeasts, produced by genetic engineering, is limited due to the non-acceptance of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). We PROPOSE to apply non-GMO methodologies, to obtain IMPROVED YEASTS by the generation of yeast strains (cybrids), with mitochondrial genomes (mitogression) from non-cerevisiae species, or hybrids, increasing yeast DIVERSITY, to select strains whose fermentation products match wine company expectations. We will ANSWER some BASIC research QUESTIONS: how is genotype molded by the presence of a foreign mitochondrial genome? Are these changes common between independent experiments and wild isolates? And, are evolved strains starting to show evidence of speciation from their ancestors? The results of this project will IMPACT the WINE INDUSTRY by generating new potential commercial strains, and future collaborations. The knowledge gained through this proposal will demonstrate to the scientific community the use of novel methodologies as well as expose the general public to the importance of biodiversity for industrial processes and how the transfer of genetic material and experimental evolution can produce beneficial traits for our societies. The researcher (evolutionary biology and bioinformatics background), supervisor (microbiology, systems biology, and synthetic biology background), and host institution (facilities, knowledge, experience, and supporting elements) will form a perfect entity for the development of MITOGRESSION proposal, and to CONSOLIDATE the scientific career of the researcher for his future INDEPENDENT position.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

MSCA-IF-2016

Update Date

28-04-2024
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Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.2. Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
H2020-MSCA-IF-2016
MSCA-IF-2016