Utilization of Nucleosides and Nucleobases by the Lager Yeast, Saccharomyces Carlsbergensis

Abstract

The addition of nucleobases (adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine, and uracil) to a synthetic medium inoculated with lager yeast had a significant effect on yeast growth. In simulated commercial brewing, adenine and guanine were the most abundant in decoction mashes. They decreased during fermentation, whereas the other bases were at low levels in wort and showed little change in fermentation. The wort contained relatively high concentrations of adenosine, cytidine, guanosine, and uridine. The levels of nucleosides were essentially constant during fermentation, which may imply lager yeast could not utilize nucleosides to any significant extent.

• Adenine
• Brewers' wort
• Cytosine
• Guanidine
• Thymine
• Uracil