Torulaspora delbrueckii has attracted interest in recent years, especially due to its biotechnological potential, arising from its flavor- and aroma-enhancing properties when used in wine, beer or bread dough fermentation, as well as from its remarkable resistance to osmotic and freezing stresses. In the present review, genomic, biochemical, and phenotypic features of T. delbrueckii are described, comparing them with other species, particularly with the biotechnologically well-established yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We conclude about the aspects that make this yeast a promising biotechnological model to be exploited in a wide range of industries, particularly in wine and bakery. A phylogenetic analysis was also performed, using the core proteome of T. delbrueckii, to compare the number of homologous proteins relative to the most closely related species, understanding the phylogenetic placement of this species with robust support. Lastly, the genetic tools available for T. delbrueckii improvement are discussed, focusing on adaptive laboratorial evolution and its potential.

Wine is a particularly complex beverage resulting from the combination of several factors, with yeasts being highlighted due to their fundamental role in its development. For many years, non-Saccharomyces yeasts were believed to be sources of spoilage and contamination, but this idea was challenged, and many of these yeasts are starting to be explored for their beneficial input to wine character. Among this group, Torulaspora delbrueckii is gaining relevance within the wine industry, owing to its low volatile acidity production, increased release of aromatic compounds and enhanced color intensity. In addition, this yeast was also attracting interest in other biotechnological areas, such as bread and beer fermentation. In this work, a set of 40 T. delbrueckii strains, of varied geographical and technological origins, was gathered in order to characterize the phenotypic behavior of this species, focusing on different parameters of biotechnological interest. The fermentative performance of the strains was also evaluated through individual fermentations in synthetic grape must with the isolates’ metabolic profile being assessed by HPLC. Data analysis revealed that T. delbrueckii growth is significantly affected by high temperature (37 °C) and ethanol concentrations (up to 18%), alongside 1.5 mM SO2, showing variable fermentative power and yields. Our computation models suggest that the technological origin of the strains seems to prevail over the geographical origin as regards the influence on yeast properties. The inter-strain variability and profile of the products through the fermentative processes reinforce the potential of T. delbrueckii from a biotechnological point of view.

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