Abstract
The killer phenomenon has been reported among various genera of yeast. Potential ability of certain yeast (killer yeast) to kill the other yeast (sensitive yeast) was first observed in the strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The killer yeasts secrete extracellular protein toxin that is fatal for the sensitive yeast, and kills the latter. Killer toxin producer yeasts are immune towards their own toxin but can kill the other sensitive yeasts by employing variety of mechanisms like targeting several cellular components viz. cell wall, plasma membrane, tRNA, DNA etc. The genetic information for production of killer toxin (killer phenotype) is generally present as extra-chromosomal genetic elements like dsRNA or linear DNA, or on the chromosome. The protein toxins produced by several killer yeasts have been thoroughly studied after purification and characterization. Killer toxins encoding genes have been cloned, characterized and expressed in heterologous systems. Significance of yeast-derived killer toxins and/or killer yeasts have been implicated in various areas including food fermentations/yeast-based bioprocesses. Yeast killer phenomenon may play a substantive role in stabilizing the ecosystem. Killer toxins of yeast may have potential for application as biopreservatives, biocontrol agents and as new therapeutic molecules especially against multidrug resistant pathogens. For ethanol-based industries like distilleries, breweries, and wineries, killer yeast can be employed as starter industrial yeast cultures to protect against the wild contaminants. Current article presents recent developments on biological and technological implications of killer yeasts.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Aguiar, C. and Lucas, C. 2000. Food Technol. Biotechnol. 38: 39–46.
Ahmed, A., Sesti, F., Ilan, N., Shih, T.M., Sturley, S.L. and Goldstein, S.A.N. 1999. Cell 99: 283–291.
Arroyo-Helguera, O., Alejandro, D.L.P. and Irene, C. 2012. Braz. J. Microbiol. 880–887.
Baeza, M.E., Sanhueza, M.A. and Cifuentes, V.H. 2008. Biol. Res. 41: 173–182.
Bajaj, B.K. and Sharma, S. 2010. Braz. J. Microbiol. 41: 477–485.
Bajaj, B.K. and Tauro, P. 1994. Biotechnol. Lett. 16: 631–636.
Bajaj, B.K., Dilbaghi, N. and Sharma, S. 2003. J. Sci. Ind. Res. 62: 714–717.
Bajaj, B.K., Raina, S. and Singh, S. 2013. J. Basic Microbiol. 53: 645–656.
Baz, A.F. and Shetaia, Y.M. 2005. Int. J. Agri. Biol. 7: 1003–1006.
Bisson, L.F. 2004. Food Biotechnol. 18: 63–96.
Bomblies, K. 2014. eLIFE 3:e03371.
Bracesco, N., Salvo, V.A. and Nunes, E. 2006. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 256: 132–136.
Branco, P., Francisco, D., Chambon, C., Hebraud, M., Arneborg, N., Almeida, M.G., Caldeira, J. and Albergaria, H. 2014. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 98: 843–53.
Breinig, F., Sendzik, T., Eisfeld, K. and Schmitt M.J. 2006. PNAS 103: 3810–3815.
Buzdar, M.A., Chi, Z., Wang, Q., Hua, M.X. and Chi, Z.M. 2011. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 91: 1571–1579.
Buzzini, P., Turchaetti, B. and Vaughan-Martini, A.E. 2007. FEMS Yeast Res. 7: 749–760.
Buzzini, P., Turchetti, B. and Martini, A. 2004. J. Appl. Microbiol. 96: 1194–1201.
Caramalac, D.A., da Silva Ruiz, L., de Batista, G.C., Birman, E.G., Duarte, M., Hahn, R. and Paula, C.R. 2007. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 26: 553–557.
Carrau, F.M., Neirotti, E. and Gioia, O. 1993. J. Ferment. Bioeng. 76: 67–69.
Carreiro, S.C., Pagnocca, F.C., Bacci, M., Bueno, O.C., Hebling, M.J. and Middelhoven, W.J. 2002. Folia Microbiol. 47: 259–62.
Chi, Z., Liu, G., Zhao, S., Li, J. and Peng, Y. 2010. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 86: 1227–1241.
Ciani, M. and Comitini, F. 2011. Ann. Microbiol. 61: 25–32.
Ciani, M. and Fatichenti F. 2001, Appl. Env. Microbiol. 67: 3058–3063.
Ciani, M., Comitini, F., Mannazzu, I. and Domizio, P. 2010. FEMS Yeast Res. 10: 123–133.
Coelho, A.R., Tachi, M., Pagnocca, F.C., Nobrega, G.M.A., Hoffmann, F.L., Harada, K. and Hirooka, E.Y. 2009. Food Add. Contaminants 26: 73–81.
Comitini, F., Di Pietro, N., Zacchi, L., Mannazzu, I. and Ciani, M: 2004. Microbiol. 150: 2535–2541.
Comitini, F., Gobbi, M., Domizio, P., Romani, C., Lencion, L., Mannazzu, I. and Ciani, M. 2011. Food Microbiol. 28: 873–882.
Comitini, F., Mannazzu, I., and Ciani, M. 2009. Microb. Cell Fact. 8: 55.
Dabhole, M.P. and Joishy, K.N. 2005. Indian J. Biotechnol. 4: 290–292.
Elmaci, S., Ozcelik, F., Tokatli, M. and Cakir, I. 2014. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 5: 835–47.
Esteve-Zarzoso, B., Manzanares, P., Ramon, D. and Querol, A. 1998. Int. Microbiol. 1: 143–148.
Farris, G.A., Fatichenti, F., Bifulco, I., Berordi, E., Deiana, P., Satta, T. 1992. Biotechnol. Lett. 14, 219–222.
Fleet, G.H. 2003. J. Food Microbiol. 86: 11–22.
Fuentefria, A.M., Perez, L.R.R., d’Azevedo, P.A., Pazzini, F., Schrank, A., Vainstein, M.H. and Valente, P. 2008. J. Basic Microbiol. 48: 25–30.
Goretti, M., Turchetti, B., Buratta, M., Branda, E., Corazzi, L., Vaughan-Martini, A. and Buzzini, P. 2009. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 131: 178–182.
Guo, F.J., Ma, Y., Xu, H.M., Wang, X.H. and Chi, Z.M. 2013. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 103: 737–746.
Gutierrez, A.R., Epifanio, S., Garijo, P., Lopez, R. and SantamarÃa, P. 2001. Am. J. Viticulture Enol. 52: 352–356.
Guyard, C., Seguy, N., Cailliez, J.C., Drobecq, H., Polonelli, L., Dei-Cas, E., Mercenier, A. and Menozzi, F.D. 2002. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 49: 961–971.
Hammond, J.R.M. and Eckersley, K.W. 1984. J. Inst. Brew. 90: 167–177.
Hatoum, R., Labrie, S. and Fliss, I. 2012. Frontiers in Microbiol. 3: 1–12.
Heard, G.M. and Fleet, G.H. 1987. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 53: 2171–2174.
Ingeniis, J.D., Raffaelli, N., Ciani, M. and Mannazzu, I. 2009. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 75: 1129–1134.
Izgu, F. and Altinbay, D. 1997. Microbios. 89: 15–22.
Izgu, F., Altinbay, D. and Acun, T. 2006. Enzym Microb. Technol. 39: 669–676.
Jablonowski, D. and Schaffrath, R. 2007. Biochemical Society Transactions 35: 1533–1537.
Javadekar, V.S., Sivaraman, H. and Gokhale, D.V. 1995. J. Ind. Microbiol. 15: 94–102.
Keszthelyi, A. and Ohkusu, M. 2006. Mycoses 49: 176–183.
Klassen, R., Teichert, S. and Meinhardt, F. 2004. Mol. Microbiol. 53: 263–273.
Klassen, R., Wemhoff, S., Krause, J. and Meinhardt, F. 2011. Mol. Genet. Genomics 285: 185–195.
Labbani, F.Z.K., Turchetti, B., Bennamoun, L., Dakhmouche, S., Roberti, R., Corazzi, L., Meraihi, Z. and Buzzini, P. 2015. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 107: 961–970.
LeBrasseur, N. 2005. J. Cell Biol. 168: 346–347.
Liu, G., Chi, Z., Wang, G., Wang, Z., Li, Y. and Chi, Z. 2013. Crit. Rev. Biotechnol.
Lopes, C.A. and SangorrÃn, M.P. 2010. Revista Argentina de MicrobiologÃa 42: 298–306.
Magliani, W., Conti, S., Salati, A., Vaccari, S., Ravanetti, L., Maffei, D.L. and Polonelli, L. 2004. FEMS Yeast Res. 5: 11–18.
Magliani, W., Conti, S., Travassos, L.R. and Polonelli, L. 2008. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 288: 1–8.
Malherbe, S., Bauer, F.F., du Toit, M. 2007. South Afr. J. Enol. Viticult. 28: 169–186.
Manzanares, P., Valles, S. and Viana, F. 2011. In: Molecular wine microbiology. (eds C.A.V. Santiago, R. Munoz and R.G. Garcia), Academic Press, Valencia, Spain, pp. 85–110.
Marquina, D., Santos, A. and Peinado, J.M. 2002. Int. Microbiol. 5: 65–71.
Maturano, Y.P., Nally, M.C., Toro, M.E., de Figueroa, L.I.C., Combina, M. and Vazquez, F. 2012. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 28: 3135–3142.
Melvydas, V., Serviene, E., Cernishova, O. and Petkuniene, G. 2007. Biologija 53: 32–35.
Meneghin, M.C., Reis, V.R. and Antonini, S.R. 2010. Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol. 53: 1043–1050.
Muccilli, S., Wemhoff, S., Restuccia, C. and Meinhardt, F. 2013. Yeast 30: 33–43.
Mushtaq, M., Nahar, S. and Hashmi, M.H. 2010. Pak. J. Bot. 42: 4313–4327.
Ochigava, I., Collier, P.J., Walker, G.M. and Hakenbeck, R. 2011. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 99: 559–566.
Papadimitriou, M.N., Resende, C., Kuchler, K. and Brul, S. 2007. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 113: 173–179.
Peng, Y., Chi, Z., Wang, X. and Li, J. 2010. Mar. Biotechnol. 12: 479–85.
Platania, C., Restuccia, C., Muccilli, S. and Cirvilleri, G. 2012. Food Microbiol. 30: 219–225.
Polonelli, L. and Conti, S. 2009. Methods Mol. Biol. 499: 97–115.
Polonelli, L., Archibusacci, C., Sestito, M. and Morace, G. 1983. J. Clin. Microbiol. 17: 774–780.
Pretorius, I.S., duToit, M. and van Rensburg, P. 2003. Food Technol. Biotechnol. 41: 3–10.
Ramon-Portugal, F., Delia, M.L., Strehaiano, P. and Riba, J.P. 1998. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 14: 83–87.
Reiter, J., Herker, E., Madeo, F. and Schmitt, M.J. 2005. J. Cell Biol. 168: 353–358.
Robledo-Leal, E., Elizondo-Zertuche, M., Villarreal-Treviño, L., Treviño-Rangel, R.D., GarcÃa-Maldonado, N., Adame-RodrÃguez, J.M. and González, G.M. 2014. Folia Microbiol. 59: 503–506.
Robledo-Leal, E., Villarreal-Trevino, L. and Gonzalez, G.M. 2012. Trop. Biomed. 29: 297–300.
Salek, A., Schnettler, R. and Zimmermann, U. 1992. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 75: 103–109.
Salek, A.T. and Arnold, W.M. 1994. Chem. Mikrobiol. Technol. 16: 165–183.
Santos, A., Alonso, A., Belda, I. and Marquina, D. 2013. Fungal Gen. Biol. 50: 44–54.
Santos, A., Marquina, D., Leal, J.A. and Peinado, J.M. 2000. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 1809–1813.
Santos, A., Mauro, M.S., Bravo, E. and Marquina, D. 2009. Microbiol. 155: 624–634.
Santos, A., Navascues, E., Bravo, E. and Marquina, D. 2011. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 145: 147–154.
Satyanarayana, T. and Kunze, G. 2009. Yeast biotechnology: diversity and applications. Springer, Berlin, pp. 489–715.
Scheid, L.A., Mario, D.A., Heins-Vaccari, E.M., Santuario, J.M. and Alves, S.H. 2010. Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. Sao Paulo. 52: 161–2.
Schmitt M.J. and Breinig, F. 2002. FEMS Microbiol. Reviews 26: 257–276.
Schmitt, M.J. and Schernikau, G. 1997. Food Technol. Biotechnol. 35: 281–285.
Selvakumar, D. and Miyamoto, M. 2006. Antimicrob. Agents Chem. 50: 3090–3097.
Silva, S., Calado, S., Lucas, C. and Aguiar, C. 2008. Microbiol. Res. 163: 243–251.
Sinclair, R.M. 2014. Frontiers in Microbiol. 5: 1–5.
Soares, G.A.M. and Sato, H.H. 2000. Braz. J. Microbiol. 31: 291–297.
Starmer, W.T., Ganter, P.F., Aberdeen, V., Lachance, M.A. and Phaff, H.J. 1987. Can. J. Microbiol. 33: 783–96.
Stopiglia, C.D., Heidrich, D., Sorrentino, J.M., Vieira, F.J., Landell, M.F., Valente, P. and Scroferneker, M.L. 2014. J. Basic Microbiol. 54: 578–84.
Stratford, M. 2006. In: The yeast handbook: yeast in food and beverages. (eds A. Querol and G.H. Fleet), Springer-Verlag Berlin, pp 335–379.
Suzuki, C., Kawano, M., Kashiwagi, T., Arata, Y., Kawasumi, T. and Kashiwagi, Y. 2000. Protein Eng. 13: 73–76.
Ullivarri, M.F., Mendoza, L.M. and Raya, R.R. 2014. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 106: 865–878.
Vadasz, A.S., Franken, D.B., Govender, B.L., Jagganath, D.B., Govender, P., Ariatti, M., Pretorius, I.S. and Gupthar, A.S. 2002. South Afr. J. Enol. Viticulture 23: 39–47.
Wang, X., Chi, Z., Yue, L. and Li, J. 2007. Curr. Microbiol. 55: 396–401.
Wang, X.X., Chi, Z., Peng, Y., Wang, X.H., Ru, S.G. and Chi, Z.M. 2012. Microbiol. Res. 167: 558–63.
Webster, J. and Weber, R. 2007. Introduction to fungi. Cambridge University Press, New York, pp 226–247.
Wickner, R.B., Fujimura, T. and Esteban, R. 2013. Adv. Virus Res. 86: 1–36.
Acknowledgements
Dr. Bijender Kumar Bajaj gratefully acknowledges Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and University Grants Commission (UGC) for financially supporting ‘Killer Yeast’ research in the form of research projects; ERUSMUS-MUNDUS (EU) and VLIR-UOS (Govt. of Belgium) for providing fellowships for ‘Research Stays’ respectively, at University of Naples, Naples, Italy, and University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium. Dr. Satbir Singh acknowledges CSIR for JRF/SRF for doctoral research. Authors thank Director, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, Jammu, for necessary laboratory facilities.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bajaj, B.K., Singh, S. (2017). Biology of Killer Yeast and Technological Implications. In: Satyanarayana, T., Kunze, G. (eds) Yeast Diversity in Human Welfare. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2621-8_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2621-8_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-2620-1
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-2621-8
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)