Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Killer (Zymocidal) Yeasts

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Brewing and Distilling Yeasts

Part of the book series: The Yeast Handbook ((YEASTHDB))

  • 3087 Accesses

Abstract

Killer yeast strains secrete toxins that are lethal to sensitive strains of the same or related species. All the known killer toxins produced by killer yeasts are proteins that kill sensitive cells. Toxin-producing strains are termed “killers” and susceptible strains are termed “sensitives”. There are strains that do not kill and are not themselves killed and these are called “resistant”. Killer yeasts and their toxins have several applications: combat contaminating wild yeasts in food, control pathogenic fungi in plants, development of novel antimycotics used in the treatment of human and animal fungal infections and control contaminating wild yeasts in winemaking, brewing and other fermentation industries. An alternative to employing a killer strain would be to produce a yeast strain that does not kill but is killer resistant. It has to receive the genetic complement that renders a brewing strain immune to zymocidal activity. Little is known about the relationship between the structure of killer toxins, their killer activity and binding to targets on sensitive cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Antunes J, Aguiar C (2012) Search for killer phenotypes with potential for biological control. Short Communications. Ann Microbiol 62:427–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bajaj BK, Sharma S (2010) Construction of killer industrial yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae hau-1 and its fermentation performance. Braz J Microbiol 4:477–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bajaj B, Raina S, Singh S (2013) Killer toxin from a novel killer yeast Pichia kudriavzevii RY55 with idiosyncratic antibacterial activity. J Basic Microbiol 53:645–656

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bevan EA, Makower M (1963) The physiological basis of the killer character in yeast. In: Geerts SJ (ed) Genetics today. Proceedings of eleventh international congress on genetics (Haig 1963). Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 202–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Bussey H (1991) K1 killer toxin, a pore-forming protein from yeast. Mol Microbiol 5:2339–2343

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buzdar MA, Chi Z, Wang Q, Hua MX, Chi ZM (2011) Production, purification, and characterization of a novel killer toxin from Kluyveromyces siamensis against a pathogenic yeast in crab. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 91:1571–1579

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen WB, Han YF, Jong SC, Chang SC (2000) Isolation, purification, and characterization of a killer protein from Schwanniomyces occidentalis. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:5348–5352

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ciani M, Fatichenti F (2001) Killer toxin of Kluyveromyces phaffii DBVPG 6076 as a biopreservative agent to control apiculate wine yeasts. Appl Environ Microbiol 67:3058–3063

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Comitini F, Ciani M (2011) Kluyveromyces wickerhamii killer toxin: purification and activity towards Brettanomyces/Dekkera yeasts in grape must. FEMS Microbiol Lett 316:77–82

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Comitini F, De Ingeniis J, Pepe L, Mannazzu I, Ciani M (2004a) Pichia anomala and Kluyveromyces wickerhamii killer toxins as new tools against Dekkera/Brettanomyces spoilage yeasts. FEMS Microbiol Lett 238:235–240

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Comitini F, Di Pietro N, Zacchi L, Mannazzu I, Ciani M (2004b) Kluyveromyces phaffii killer toxin active against wine spoilage yeasts: purification and characterization. Microbiology 150:2535–2541

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Comitini F, Mannazzu I, Ciani M (2009) Tetrapisispora phaffii killer toxin is a highly specific β-glucanase that disrupts the integrity of the yeast cell wall. Microbial Cell Fact 8:55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conde J, Fink GR (1976) A mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective for nuclear fusion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 73:3651–3655

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fink GR, Styles C (1972) Curing of a killer factor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 69:2846–2849

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Goto K, Iwatuki Y, Kitano K, Obata T, Hara S (1990a) Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the KHR killer gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Agric Biol Chem 54:979–984

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goto K, Iwase T, Kichise K, Kitano K, Totuka A, Obata T, Hara S (1990b) Isolation and properties of a chromosome-dependent KHR killer toxin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Agric Biol Chem 54:505–509

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goto K, Fukuda H, Kichise K, Kitano K, Hara S (1991) Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the KHS killer gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Agric Biol Chem 55:1953–1958

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guyard C, Séguy N, Cailliez JC, Drobecq H, Polonelli L, Dei-Cas E, Mercenier A, Menozzi FD (2002) Characterization of a Williopsis saturnus var. mrakii high molecular weight secreted killer toxin with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. J Antimicrob Chemother 49:961–971

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hammond JRM, Eckersley KW (1984) Fermentation properties of brewing yeast with killer character. J Inst Brew 90:167–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hua MX, Chi Z, Liu GL, Buzdar MA, Chi ZM (2010) Production of a novel and cold-active killer toxin by Mrakia frigida 2E00797 isolated from sea sediment in Antarctica. Extremophiles 14:515–521

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kimura T, Kitamoto N, Kito Y, Iimura Y, Shirai T, Komiyama T, Furuichi Y, Sakka K, Ohmiya K (1997) A novel yeast gene, RHK1, is involved in the synthesis of the cell wall receptor for the HM-1 killer toxin that inhibits beta-1,3-glucan synthesis. Mol Gen Genet 254:139–147

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klassen R, Teichert S, Meinhardt F (2004) Novel yeast killer toxins provoke S-phase arrest and DNA damage checkpoint activation. Mol Microbiol 53:263–273

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu G-L, Chi Z, Wang G-Y, Wang Z-P, Li Y, Chi Z-M (2015) Yeast killer toxins, molecular mechanisms of their action and their applications. Crit Rev Biotechnol 35:222–234

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Magliani W, Conti S, Travssos LR, Polonelli L (2008) From killer yeast toxins to antibodies and beyond. FEMS Microbiol 288:1–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marquina D, Barroso V, Santos A, Peinado JM (2001) Production and characteristics of Debaryomyces hansenii killer toxin. Microbiol Res 156:387–391

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marquina D, Santos A, Peinado JM (2002) Biology of killer yeasts. Int Microbiol 5:65–71

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maule AP, Thomas PD (1973) Strains of yeast lethal to brewery yeasts. J Inst Brew 79:137–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naumov GI, Kondratieva VI, Naumova ES, Chen G-Y, Li CF (2011) Polymorphism and species specificity of killer activity formation in the yeast Zygowilliopsis californica. Biotekhnologiya 3:29–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasteur L, Joubert JF (1877) Charbon et septicémie. C R Hebd Seances Acad Sci 85:101–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Peng Y, Chi ZM, Wang XH, Li J (2010) β-1,3-Glucanase inhibits activity of the killer toxin produced by the marine-derived yeast Williopsis saturnus WC91-2. Mar Biotechnol 12:479–485

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Polonelli L, Magliani W, Ciociola T, Giovati L, Conti S (2011) From Pichia anomala killer toxin through killer antibodies to killer peptides for a comprehensive anti-infective strategy. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 99:35–41

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez-Cousino N, Maqueda M, Ambrona J, Zamora E, Esteban R, Ramírez M (2011) A new wine Saccharomyces cerevisiae killer toxin (Klus), encoded by a double-stranded RNA virus, with broad antifungal activity is evolutionarily related to a chromosomal host gene. Appl Environ Microbiol 77:1822–1832

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Russell I, Stewart GG (1985) Valuable techniques in the genetic manipulation of industrial yeast strains. J Am Soc Brew Chem 43:84–90

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos A, Marquina D (2004) Ion channel activity by Pichia membranifaciens killer toxin. Yeast 21:151–162

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Santos A, Marquina D, Leal JA, Peinado JM (2000) (1→6)-β-d-glucan as cell wall receptor for Pichia membranifaciens killer toxin. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:1809–1813

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Santos A, San Mauro M, Bravo E, Marquina D (2009) PMKT2, a new killer toxin from, and its promising biotechnological properties for control of the spoilage yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis. Microbiol 155:624–634

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaffrath R, Meinhardt F (2005) Kluyveromyces lactis zymocin and other plasmid-encoded yeast killer toxins. Topics in Current Genetics, 11:133–155, Microbial Protein Toxins (Schmitt MJ & Schaffrath R, eds). Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt MJ, Breinig F (2002) The viral killer system in yeast: from molecular biology to application. FEMS Microbiol Rev 26:257–276

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt MJ, Breinig F (2006) Yeast viral killer toxins: lethality and self-protection. Nat Rev Microbiol 4:212–221

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart GG, Russell I (1986) One hundred years of yeast research and development in the brewing industry. J Inst Brew 92:537–558

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Yue L, Chi Z, Wang X (2008) Marine killer yeasts active against a yeast strain pathogenic to crab Portunus trituberculatus. Dis Aquat Org 80:211–218

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Zhang X, Zhang H, Lu Y, Huang H, Dong X, Chen J, Dong J, Yang X, Hang H, Jiang T (2012) Coiled-coil networking shapes cell molecular machinery. Mol Biol Cell 23:3911–3922

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Weiler F, Schmitt MJ (2003) Zygocin, a secreted antifungal toxin of the yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii, and its effect on sensitive fungal cells. FEMS Yeast Res 3:69–76

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woods DR, Bevan EA (1968) Studies on the nature of the killer factor produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Gen Microbiol 51:115–126

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Young TW, Yagiu M (1978) A comparison of the killer character in different yeasts and its classification. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 44:59–77

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Centre for Brewing and Distilling, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

    Graham G. Stewart

  2. GGStewart Associates, Cardiff, Wales, UK

    Graham G. Stewart

Authors
  1. Graham G. Stewart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Stewart, G.G. (2017). Killer (Zymocidal) Yeasts. In: Brewing and Distilling Yeasts. The Yeast Handbook. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69126-8_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation