Quorum sensing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae brewing strains: effects of 2-phenylethanol on proteomic, lipidomic, and metabolomic profile

Abstract Quorum sensing (QS) is a known mechanism by which microbial populations adjust gene expression and coordinate community-wide social behaviors based on the proximate population density. This regulatory system has garnered significant interest in both scientific research and the food industry. However, a central question remains whether industrial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the yeast species predominantly utilized in brewing, employ quorum signalling mechanisms similar to those observed in laboratory strains and other fungi. Despite the potential relevance of microbial social behavior regulators to brewing practices, studies examining QS in Saccharomyces spp. are limited. In this investigation, three industrial brewing strains of S. cerevisiae were cultivated on SLAD (nitrogen-restrictive) and SHAD (nitrogen-sufficient) agar media supplemented with 200 μM of the aromatic alcohol 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) over 72 h at 24°C. Subsequent analyses of the harvested biomass included proteomic, lipidomic, and metabolomic assessments. Results indicated that two of the industrial strains showed minimal differences in their profiles upon exposure to 2-PE, while the third strain exhibited significant differences. These findings imply that the impact of the QS molecule 2-PE on the proteome, lipidome, and metabolome of industrial S. cerevisiae may be strain-specific rather than universally applicable to the species.