Saccharomyces cerevisiae The single-celled fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known as baker's yeast or brewer's yeast, is widely used in food and beverage production. (more) Saccharomyces cerevisiae fungus Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/Saccharomyces-cerevisiae Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites University of Wisconsin-La Crosse - Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Karen Sottosanti Karen Sottosanti is a writer and editor who works in educational publishing. Karen Sottosanti Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 15, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Also called: brewer’s yeast or baker’s yeast (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is Saccharomyces cerevisiae commonly known as? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Saccharomyces cerevisiae is commonly known as breweru2019s yeast or bakeru2019s yeast." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are the main uses of Saccharomyces cerevisiae? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used in food production, including baking, brewing, and winemaking; biotechnology; and scientific research in the fields of genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How long has Saccharomyces cerevisiae been used by humans? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Humans have been using Saccharomyces cerevisiae for more than 5,000 years." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Why is Saccharomyces cerevisiae considered a model organism in scientific research? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Saccharomyces cerevisiae is considered a model organism in scientific research because it reproduces rapidly, tolerates diverse conditions, is amenable to genetic manipulation, and has a well-characterized genome." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the significance of scientific research involving Saccharomyces cerevisiae? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Research involving Saccharomyces cerevisiae has fueled scientific discoveries relating to cell cycle regulation, gene expression, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, human aging, and metabolism." } } ] } Top Questions What is Saccharomyces cerevisiae commonly known as? Saccharomyces cerevisiae is commonly known as brewer’s yeast or baker’s yeast.
What are the main uses of Saccharomyces cerevisiae? Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used in food production, including baking, brewing, and winemaking; biotechnology; and scientific research in the fields of genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology.
How long has Saccharomyces cerevisiae been used by humans? Humans have been using Saccharomyces cerevisiae for more than 5,000 years.
Why is Saccharomyces cerevisiae considered a model organism in scientific research? Saccharomyces cerevisiae is considered a model organism in scientific research because it reproduces rapidly, tolerates diverse conditions, is amenable to genetic manipulation, and has a well-characterized genome.
What is the significance of scientific research involving Saccharomyces cerevisiae? Research involving Saccharomyces cerevisiae has fueled scientific discoveries relating to cell cycle regulation, gene expression, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, human aging, and metabolism.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, species of single-celled fungus in the family Saccharomycetaceae that is widely used in food production, biotechnology, and scientific research. As one of the earliest domesticated microorganisms, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been employed for thousands of years in baking, brewing, and winemaking, for which its ability to ferment sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide is essential. Saccharomyces cerevisiae also is a eukaryotic model organism with a well-characterized genome, making it invaluable for studies in genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology. It has contributed to major scientific discoveries, including insights into cell cycle regulation and gene expression, and it continues to ...(100 of 571 words)
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