Understanding the genes of yeast is big business. Yeast was one of the first DNAs to be sequenced and mapped, one of workhorse strains that is used in winemaking, baking, and brewing since ancient times. Since those times, new strains have been discovered and created, each one capable of making different kinds of beer, wine, spirits, and bread. By mapping out brewer’s yeasts in particular, scientists hope to understand why one yeast produces a pale ale and another one an amber. [Read more…]