RNA-seq transcriptomic analysis of green tea polyphenols regulation of differently expressed genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under ethanol stress.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been widely used to produce alcoholic beverages and bio-fuels; however, its performance is remarkably compromised by the increased ethanol concentration during the fermentation process. In this study, RNA-sequence analysis was used to investigate the protective effect of green tea polyphenols (GTP) on S. cerevisiae cells from ethanol-induced damage. GO and KEGG analysis showed that to deal with the stress of ethanol, large amounts of genes related to cell wall, cell membrane, basic metabolism and redox regulation were significantly differentially expressed (P < 0.05), while these undesired changes could be partly relieved by administration of GTP, suggesting its potential to enhance the ethanol tolerance of S. cerevisiae. The present study provided a global view of the transcriptomic changes of S. cerevisiae in response to the accumulation of ethanol and the treatment of GTP, which might deepen our understanding about S. cerevisiae and the fermentation process, and thus benefit the development of the bioethanol production industry.