Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com –<\/strong> Yeast, a well-known ingredient for bakers and winemakers, is now being studied for its potential to trace human ancestry. Research indicates that humans began domesticating baker’s yeast as early as 7000 BCE for producing bread, beer, wine, and sake. Interestingly, wild strains of this yeast species are also found on trees.<\/p>\n Credit: jackmac34 – Pixabay – Public Domain<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Although domesticated and wild yeasts exhibit genetic differences, researchers are investigating the potential connections between them to gain a deeper understanding of their evolutionary history.<\/p>\n \u201cOther studies had just started to show that baker\u2019s yeast in forests are different, and some of my own work in Europe had shown that the forest populations were different than the domesticated populations,\u201d said\u00a0Douda Bensasson, corresponding author of the study and an associate professor in University of Georgia\u2019s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences\u00a0Department of Plant Biology.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we wanted to go deeper and characterize the different groups in America and Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n The study utilized publicly accessible data from global sources, along with samples of tree bark collected from various regions, with a particular focus on the southeastern United States. Notably, some samples were gathered on the University of Georgia’s North Campus near the Arch. Researchers extracted and analyzed DNA from the yeast present in these samples. This genetic information was then used to compare the yeast’s genetic composition across different regions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are seeing distinct subpopulations within continents,\u201d said\u00a0Jacqueline Pe\u00f1a, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate in UGA\u2019s Department of Plant Biology. \u201cAnd we\u2019re seeing that, even though we had originally thought that these wild populations would be different, it seems as though they\u2019re not completely separated from human activity.\u201d<\/p>\n The understanding of how microbes such as yeast exist in their natural environments remains incomplete. Researchers have cautioned that human activities might be inadvertently causing significant environmental changes. To gather yeast samples, researchers collected pieces of tree bark and placed them into sealed tubes. They employed a method akin to winemaking to cultivate the yeast, allowing them to analyze its DNA and trace the divergence of different groups over time.<\/p>\n It’s highly plausible that migration during the last ice age played a significant role in the spread of yeast. As humans and animals moved across vast distances in search of more hospitable environments, they likely carried yeast with them, either intentionally or inadvertently.<\/p>\n This movement would have facilitated the distribution and diversification of yeast species across different regions, shaping their presence in ecosystems worldwide. Understanding this historical context can provide valuable insights into the evolutionary journey of yeast and its impact on various cultures and industries today.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were expecting that these would be ancient divergences and that the forest yeast would\u2019ve had nothing to do with humans this whole time,\u201d said Bensasson.<\/p>\n Credit: tombock1 – Pixabay – Public Domain<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBut to our surprise, we found that it roughly coincided with the last ice age, which is around the time that humans were starting to grow their own food and spreading farming around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a referred to this phenomenon as a “unique duality,” highlighting the existence of both wild and domestic varieties of yeast. Despite their differences, both types have been influenced by human activity in some manner.<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a and Bensasson’s research into yeast from various regions revealed an intriguing discovery: yeast in the winemaking areas of southern Europe closely resembles that found in the southern United States. Their findings suggest that this yeast was transported from the U.S. to Europe over the past few centuries. The researchers attribute this to the Great French Wine Blight of the 1850s, when an insect pest inadvertently introduced to Europe caused widespread damage to vineyards. To combat this, workers imported pest-resistant vines from North America. Although these grapes were unsuitable for winemaking due to their low quality, European vines were grafted onto North American rootstock instead. This process transferred North American yeast to European vines.<\/p>\n This study provides valuable insights into human interactions with their environment through history. However, Bensasson expressed concerns about how such actions may be altering our world today.<\/p>\n See also:\u00a0More Archaeology News<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIf humans, without intending to, were moving microbes around thousands of years ago, just think about all the stuff that we are doing now,\u201d said Bensasson. \u201cWe may be changing all kinds of things without knowing it. And I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s good or bad, but it\u2019s a little worrying that we have no idea what we\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n The study was published in the journal Molecular Ecology<\/a><\/p>\n Written by\u00a0Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com<\/strong>\u00a0Staff Writer<\/p>\n <\/div>\n![\"Ancient](\"https:\/\/www.ancientpages.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yeastmigration.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nMigration During The Last Ice Age Likely Played A Key Role In Spreading Yeast<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nYeast From The U.S. South Found In Southern Europe<\/h2>\n