Transcriptomic shift in ethanol and amino acid metabolic genes regulated by Med15 during alcoholic fermentation

David G. Cooper; Emma Grunkemeyer; Jan S. Fassler

doi:10.1099/mgen.0.001811

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Transcriptomic shift in ethanol and amino acid metabolic genes regulated by Med15 during alcoholic fermentation

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Transcriptomic shift in ethanol and amino acid metabolic genes regulated by Med15 during alcoholic fermentation

David G. Cooper, Emma Grunkemeyer and Jan S. Fassler

Microbial genomics, Vol.12(9), 001811

09/03/2026

DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001811

PMCID: PMC13541290

PMID: 42690721

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Abstract

Organisms that thrive in extreme environments provide natural experiments in evolution, revealing the genetic regulators that orchestrate complex phenotypic change. Wine yeast (WY) are specialized strains that are adapted to survive in the wine making environment while producing high concentrations of ethanol. In addition to large genomic changes that differentiate WY from yeast used in other industries, SNP and polyglutamine tract polymorphism in the transcriptional regulator Med15 are associated with the fermentation efficiency and stress response phenotypes of WY. In this study, we investigated the transcriptional differences during wine fermentation in transgenic lab strain yeast having integrated WY MED15 alleles. Compared to the unmodified lab strain (MED15LAB), the same strain in which the MED15 locus was replaced with a MED15 allele from yeast isolated from palm wine, the fermented sap of palm (oil, date, coconut) trees (MED15WY23), exhibited enhanced expression of amino acid biosynthesis genes as well as stress resistance and metabolic adaptation genes. Our experimental data confirm the role of arginine in efficient fermentation and suggest that certain MED15 alleles alter the expression patterns of arginine pathway genes in some cases improving carbon flux under nitrogen stress. The global benefits conferred by natural polymorphisms in a single transcriptional regulator highlight Med15 as a target for engineering of strains devoted to various types of alcohol production.

Fermentation

arginine

Med15

polyglutamine tracts

RNA-Seq

wine yeast

UIOWA OA Agreement

Details

Title: Subtitle: Transcriptomic shift in ethanol and amino acid metabolic genes regulated by Med15 during alcoholic fermentation
Creators: David G. Cooper - Butler University
Emma Grunkemeyer - University of Iowa
Jan S. Fassler - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Microbial genomics, Vol.12(9), 001811
DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001811
PMID: 42690721
PMCID: PMC13541290
NLM abbreviation: Microb Genom
ISSN: 2057-5858
eISSN: 2057-5858
Publisher: Microbiology Society; LONDON
Grant note: T32 (Bioinformatics Training Grant) , University of Iowa CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowship University of Iowa, Department of Biology Evelyn Hart Watson Summer Fellowship: R35 GM058939- 19S1 National Science Foundation University of Iowa Investment in Strategic Priorities Initiative Award
Funding information Funding for this project was from T32 (Bioinformatics Training Grant) , University of Iowa CLAS Dissertation Writing Fellowship and the University of Iowa, Department of Biology Evelyn Hart Watson Summer Fellowship, supplemental funding to NIH award R35 GM058939- 19S1, National Science Foundation and a University of Iowa Investment in Strategic Priorities Initiative Award.
Language: English
Date published: 09/03/2026
Academic Unit: Biology
Record Identifier: 9985222741602771

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