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Click here to search FindAPhD.com for PhD studentship opportunities(BBSRC CASE DTP) Biotechnological investigation of the biodiversity in spontaneous beer fermentation: mining the interplay between microbial community, environmental pressures and aroma profile of products
Prof D Delneri, Dr J-M Schwartz
No more applications being accepted
Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Mixed fermentation (beer fermented with a variety of yeast species) was once the standard practise in the UK, but demanding brewing science and modern equipment made single species fermentation the modern norm. The craft brewing sector is now keen to re-discover the spontaneous mixed fermentation and to gain knowledge of the different airborne microorganisms present during the fermentation and how the composition of this microbial community changes according to the environment (i.e. seasonal variation, or different locations). In this project we are proposing two approaches: firstly we will study the microbial community and their evolution during spontaneous fermentation using a metagenomic approach. The composition of the community will be correlated with industrial trait of interests at the different stages of the fermentation (i.e. sugar contents, profile of the volatile organic compounds, etc.); secondly we will “spike” the initial wort with a different cocktail of barcoded traceable yeast species and hybrids, including the new discovered cold-tolerant isolate Saccharomyces jurei (ref 1). Here again we will follow the changes of the microbial community (including both the species introduced and the natural occurring microbes) via barcoded genome profiling (ref 2, 3) and metagenomic approaches. At every stage of the fermentation we will follow phenotypically the development of suitable industrial traits (flavour profile, cold-tolerance, sugar utilisation). The final goal of the project is to gain a better understanding of the key micro-organisms responsible for the desirable brewing traits, to investigate the effect of location and seasons on the microbial community, and to develop new protocols for spontaneous fermentation using new species and hybrids (including those discovered and developed in Delneri’s lab, ref 1, ref 4).
Our industrial partner, Cloudwater Brew are at the forefront of innovation in the UK craft brewing sector (ref 5, ref 6), and are keen to gain robust scientific principles to positively select microorganisms that produce excellent final products.
Our industrial partner, Cloudwater Brew are at the forefront of innovation in the UK craft brewing sector (ref 5, ref 6), and are keen to gain robust scientific principles to positively select microorganisms that produce excellent final products.
Funding Notes
This is a CASE studentship is to be funded under the BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme. If you are interested in this project, please make direct contact with the Principal Supervisor to arrange to discuss the project further as soon as possible. You MUST also submit an online application form - full details on how to apply can be found on the BBSRC DTP website http://www.manchester.ac.uk/bbsrcdtpstudentships
Applications are invited from UK/EU nationals only. Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, at least an upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.
Applications are invited from UK/EU nationals only. Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, at least an upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.
References
1. Naseeb S., James S. A., et al…. and Delneri D. (2017) Isolation and Genetic Identification of a Novel Yeast Species from Quercus robur”. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 67: 2046-2052.
2. Paget CM, Schwartz JM, Delneri D. (2014) Environmental systems biology of cold-tolerant phenotype in Saccharomyces species adapted to grow at different temperatures Molecular Ecology; 23: 5241-5257.
3. Delneri D., Hoyle D.C., Gkargkas K., Cross E.J.M., Rash B., Zeef L., Leong H.-S., Davey H., Hayes A., Kell D.B., Griffith G.W., and Oliver S.G. (2008). Identification and characterisation of high flux control (HFC) genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae through competition analyses in continuous cultures. Nature Genetics, 40: 113-117.
4. Hewitt S.K., Donaldson I.J., Lovell S.C., Delneri D. (2014) Sequencing and characterisation of rearrangements in three S. pastorianus strains reveals the presence of chimeric genes and gives evidence of breakpoint reuse. PLoS One 9: e92203.
5. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/03/brew-period-craft-beer-labels-works-of-art
6. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2017/jun/18/murky-beer-cloudy-craft-ale
2. Paget CM, Schwartz JM, Delneri D. (2014) Environmental systems biology of cold-tolerant phenotype in Saccharomyces species adapted to grow at different temperatures Molecular Ecology; 23: 5241-5257.
3. Delneri D., Hoyle D.C., Gkargkas K., Cross E.J.M., Rash B., Zeef L., Leong H.-S., Davey H., Hayes A., Kell D.B., Griffith G.W., and Oliver S.G. (2008). Identification and characterisation of high flux control (HFC) genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae through competition analyses in continuous cultures. Nature Genetics, 40: 113-117.
4. Hewitt S.K., Donaldson I.J., Lovell S.C., Delneri D. (2014) Sequencing and characterisation of rearrangements in three S. pastorianus strains reveals the presence of chimeric genes and gives evidence of breakpoint reuse. PLoS One 9: e92203.
5. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/03/brew-period-craft-beer-labels-works-of-art
6. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2017/jun/18/murky-beer-cloudy-craft-ale
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