Department of Wine and Food Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5064, Australia.
Wine Science Programme, School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland1142, New Zealand.
FEMS Yeast Res. 2017 Sep 1;17(6). doi: 10.1093/femsyr/fox058.
The rotten-egg odour of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) produced by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has attracted considerable research interest due to its huge impact on the sensory quality of fermented foods and beverages. To date, the yeast genetic mechanisms of H2S liberation during wine fermentation are well understood and yeast strains producing low levels of H2S have been developed. Studies have also revealed that H2S is not just a by-product in the biosynthesis of the sulfur-containing amino acids, but indeed a vital molecule involved in detoxification, population signalling and extending cellular life span. Moreover, polysulfides have recently emerged as key players in signalling and the sensory quality of wine because their degradation leads to the release of H2S. This review will focus on the recent findings on the production of H2S and polysulfides in S. cerevisiae and summarise their potential roles in yeast survival and winemaking. Recent advances in techniques for the detection of H2S and polysulfides offer an exciting opportunity to uncover the novel genes and pathways involved in their formation from different sulfur sources. This knowledge will not only provide further insights into yeast sulfur metabolism, but could potentially improve the sensory quality of wine.
酵母酿酒酵母产生的硫化氢（H2S）的臭鸡蛋气味因其对发酵食品和饮料感官质量的巨大影响而引起了相当多的研究兴趣。迄今为止，人们已经很好地了解了酵母在葡萄酒发酵过程中释放 H2S 的遗传机制，并开发出了产生低水平 H2S 的酵母菌株。研究还表明，H2S 不仅仅是含硫氨基酸生物合成的副产物，实际上是一种参与解毒、种群信号传递和延长细胞寿命的重要分子。此外，多硫化物最近作为信号转导和葡萄酒感官质量的关键参与者出现，因为它们的降解导致 H2S 的释放。本文将重点介绍酿酒酵母中 H2S 和多硫化物的产生的最新发现，并总结它们在酵母存活和酿酒中的潜在作用。检测 H2S 和多硫化物的新技术的最新进展为揭示它们从不同硫源形成的新基因和途径提供了一个令人兴奋的机会。这方面的知识不仅将进一步深入了解酵母的硫代谢，而且有可能提高葡萄酒的感官质量。
