Background The use of thermotolerant yeast strains can improve the efficiency of ethanol fermentation, allowing fermentation to occur at temperatures higher than 40 °C. This characteristic could benefit traditional bio-ethanol production and allow simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of starch or lignocellulosic biomass. Results We identified and characterized the physiology of a new thermotolerant strain (LBGA-01) able to ferment at 40 °C, which is more resistant to stressors as sucrose, furfural and ethanol than CAT-1 industrial strain. Furthermore, this strain showed similar CAT-1 resistance to acetic acid and lactic acid, and it was also able to change the pattern of genes involved in sucrose assimilation (SUC2 and AGT1). Genes related to the production of proteins involved in secondary products of fermentation were also differentially regulated at 40 °C, with reduced expression of genes involved in the formation of glycerol (GPD2), acetate (ALD6 and ALD4), and acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase 2 (ACS2). Fermentation tests using chemostats showed that LBGA-01 had an excellent performance in ethanol production in high temperature. Conclusion The thermotolerant LBGA-01 strain modulates the production of key genes, changing metabolic pathways during high-temperature fermentation, and increasing its resistance to high concentration of ethanol, sugar, lactic acid, acetic acid, and furfural. Results indicate that this strain can be used to improve first- and second-generation ethanol production in Brazil.

Abstract Background The use of thermotolerant yeast strains can improve the efficiency of ethanol fermentation, allowing fermentation to occur at temperatures higher than 40 °C. This increment in temperature could benefit traditional bio-ethanol production and allow simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of starch or lignocellulosic biomass. Results We identified and characterized the physiology of a new thermotolerant strain able to fermentate at 40 °C while producing high yields of ethanol. Our results showed that, in comparison to the industrial yeast CAT-1, our strain was more resistant to various stressors generated during the production of first- and second-generation ethanol, and it also was able to change the pattern of genes involved in sucrose assimilation (SUC2 and AGT1). The formation of secondary products of fermentation was different at 40ºC, with reduced expression of genes involved in the formation of glycerol (GPD2), acetate (ALD6 and ALD4), and acetyl-CoA (ACS2). Conclusion The LBGA-01 strain is a thermotolerant strain that modulates the production of key genes, changing metabolic pathways during high-temperature fermentation, and increasing its tolerance to the high concentration of ethanol, sugar, acetic lactic, acetic acid, furfural and HMF. This indicates that this strain can be used to improve first- and second-generation ethanol production in Brazil.