Microbiological, biochemical, physicochemical surface properties and biofilm forming ability of Brettanomyces bruxellensis

Abstract

Brettanomyces bruxellensis is a serious source of concern for winemakers. The production of volatile phenols by the yeast species confers to wine unpleasant sensory characteristics which are unacceptable by the consumers and inevitably provoke economic loss for the wine industry. This ubiquitous yeast is able to adapt to all winemaking steps and to withstand various environmental conditions. Moreover, the ability of B. bruxellensis to adhere and colonize inert materials can be the cause of the yeast persistence in the cellars and thus recurrent wine spoilage. We therefore investigated the surface properties, biofilm formation capacity and the factors which may affect the attachment of the yeast cells to surfaces with eight strains representative of the genetic diversity of the species. Our results show that the biofilm formation ability is strain-dependent and suggest a possible link between the physicochemical properties of the studied strains and their corresponding genetic group.