Construction of urea non-producing yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by disruption of the CAR1 gene.

Abstract

Recently it was reported that ethyl carbamate (ECA), which is an unfavorable compound, was detected in many alcoholic beverages.X) Since ECA was formed by the chemical reaction of urea and ethyl alcohol in model alcoholic beverages2) and the elimination of urea from sake prevented this reaction (A. Kawato, personal communication), urea is thought to be a main precursor of ECA. Urea in alcoholic beverages, such as sake, is formed from L-arginine by arginases of yeast,3) and hence breeding