Analysis of yeast genetic stability by karyotyping

Applications

Brewing yeast strains are often susceptible to mutation, characterized by changes to the DNA. Karyotyping offers a tool for the analysis of genetic stability in new or current production strains, analysis of large scale mutations, and for strain differentiation.

Technology

The in-built capacity of a yeast strain to mutate can be assessed by analysis of chromosomes, since large scale genetic changes are frequently observed in polyploid and allopolyploid yeast. To determine genetic stability, a number of isolated colonies are analyzed using Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) to create a chromosomal fingerprint, or karyotype. If variation is seen between the karyotypes of different colonies, the yeast strain can be considered to be genetically unstable.