Improvement of the slide culture technique for the assessment of yeast viability

摘要

This work aimed to improve the slide culture technique (SCT) for the assessment of yeast viability. Thus, all the steps of the SCT were standardized: a sample of 20L containing 1x10(5) cells/mL was placed in a similar to 20x20mm YPD agar block and incubated for 16-24h, at 25 degrees C. It was proposed the use of calcofluor white (CFW) to facilitate the microscopic observation of yeast cells. The viability of cell populations in different physiological states (healthy, ethanol stressed and starved cells), assessed by SCT (without or with CFW), did not differ significantly (p < 0.01). In addition, the viability of healthy and ethanol stressed cells determined by the SCT and the standard plate count technique (PCT) did not differ significantly (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the improved SCT is a fast and reliable alternative to PCT for the evaluation of yeast viability in research and in the industry. Copyright (C) 2017 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling