**Comparison of the Glycolytic and Alcoholic Fermentation Pathways of** *Hanseniaspora vineae* **with** *Saccharomyces cerevisiae* **Wine Yeasts**

#### **María José Valera 1, Eduardo Boido 1, Eduardo Dellacassa 2 and Francisco Carrau 1,\***


Received: 11 July 2020; Accepted: 29 July 2020; Published: 3 August 2020

**Abstract:** *Hanseniaspora* species can be isolated from grapes and grape musts, but after the initiation of spontaneous fermentation, they are displaced by *Saccharomyces cerevisiae*. *Hanseniaspora vineae* is particularly valuable since this species improves the flavour of wines and has an increased capacity to ferment relative to other apiculate yeasts. Genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic studies in *H. vineae* have enhanced our understanding of its potential utility within the wine industry. Here, we compared gene sequences of 12 glycolytic and fermentation pathway enzymes from five sequenced *Hanseniaspora* species and *S. cerevisiae* with the corresponding enzymes encoded within the two sequenced *H. vineae* genomes. Increased levels of protein similarity were observed for enzymes of *H. vineae* and *S. cerevisiae*, relative to the remaining *Hanseniaspora* species. Key differences between *H. vineae* and *H. uvarum* pyruvate kinase enzymes might explain observed differences in fermentative capacity. Further, the presence of eight putative alcohol dehydrogenases, invertase activity, and sulfite tolerance are distinctive characteristics of *H. vineae*, compared to other *Hanseniaspora* species. The definition of two clear technological groups within the *Hanseniaspora* genus is discussed within the slow and fast evolution concept framework previously discovered in these apiculate yeasts.

**Keywords:** glycolysis; yeast; pyruvate kinase; non-*Saccharomyces*; fermentation evolution clade
