Scholarlink

For millennia, human societies have harnessed the natural fermentation abilities of yeasts shaping global culinary traditions and inadvertently influencing microbial evolution. This chapter explores the domestication of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermenting agave musts, a process central to making traditional Mexican spirits such as mezcals and tequila. The environment, which is characterized by spontaneous open fermentation in a wide range of biogeographic regions, offers a distinctive, ideal system for studying yeast evolution under human influence. This chapter reviews the phylogenetic patterns, genetic adaptations, and ecological interactions that shape S. cerevisiae populations in agave fermentations and their surroundings. Connections of these processes with global yeast lineages and the possible influences of management practices are highlighted. Additionally, the shift in methodology from broad phylogenetic analyses to fine-scale population studies is discussed. This shift emphasizes the role of gene flow, recombination, and adaptive alleles in yeast evolution. It also challenges the “wild versus domesticated” dichotomy. Conserving local yeast diversity, which is closely linked to biocultural heritage, emerges as a crucial consideration in the face of industrialization. Future studies that integrate microbial genomics with traditional knowledge will further shed light on the complex dynamics of yeast domestication in this distinctive fermentation system.

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Evolutionary Ecology and Domestication of Yeasts from Open Agave Fermentations in Mexico: What Do We Know?

  • 动态工具书词条

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

查看全文
  • Xitlali Aguirre-Dugua,
  • Jesús Martín Moreno-Hernández,
  • Claudio López-Gallegos,
  • J. Abraham Avelar-Rivas,
  • Alexander DeLuna,
  • Lucia Morales,
  • Eugenio Mancera

摘要

For millennia, human societies have harnessed the natural fermentation abilities of yeasts shaping global culinary traditions and inadvertently influencing microbial evolution. This chapter explores the domestication of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermenting agave musts, a process central to making traditional Mexican spirits such as mezcals and tequila. The environment, which is characterized by spontaneous open fermentation in a wide range of biogeographic regions, offers a distinctive, ideal system for studying yeast evolution under human influence. This chapter reviews the phylogenetic patterns, genetic adaptations, and ecological interactions that shape S. cerevisiae populations in agave fermentations and their surroundings. Connections of these processes with global yeast lineages and the possible influences of management practices are highlighted. Additionally, the shift in methodology from broad phylogenetic analyses to fine-scale population studies is discussed. This shift emphasizes the role of gene flow, recombination, and adaptive alleles in yeast evolution. It also challenges the “wild versus domesticated” dichotomy. Conserving local yeast diversity, which is closely linked to biocultural heritage, emerges as a crucial consideration in the face of industrialization. Future studies that integrate microbial genomics with traditional knowledge will further shed light on the complex dynamics of yeast domestication in this distinctive fermentation system.