Alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: specific activity and influence on the production of acetic acid, ethanol and higher alcohols in the first 48 h of fermentation of grape must.

The changes in the specific activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH-I and ADH-II) and aldehyde dehydrogenases [AIDH-NADP+ and AIDH-NAD(P)+] from Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the first 48 h of fermentation of grape must were investigated. The biosynthesis of ADH-I and AIDH-NADP+ took place basically during the adaptation of the yeasts to the must (first 4 h), while that of ADH-II occurred immediately after exponential growth (after 12 h). From the products produced by the yeast, only the specific rate of production of ethanol was found to be directly related to the specific activity of ADH-I.