Synthetic Yeast!

[Jimbo]

F*cking hell, now they're dicking with yeast! I betcha the lads at Miller and Bud are all geeked up excited. Cheap fake mash full of GMO corn, fermented with GMO Yeast. Lovely.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/scie ... onger.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Black Eye]

just another reason to Brew your own

[Jimbo]

Does that article scare the shit out of anyone but me?

"The scientists aim to redesign parts of the yeast genome so that it can perform functions that are not possible naturally."

No thanks.

"There are fears that synthetic life forms could escape into the wild and spread uncontrollably. However, the scientists insist that they are able to design in fail-safes that will prevent anything from surviving in the wild and claim that strict guidelines govern their work."

Bullshit.

"making more alcohol resistant strains will be very useful for that industry in terms of cost value. allowing beer to be made stronger."

Lovely, so now Bud will make huge vats of even less 'beer like' substance, that they can water down even more to further increase profit,...... because making the 12 oz of fizzy yellow liquid that goes in the can for less than a nickle today just isint profitable enough.

[blind drunk]

I read that too in a different article, but the one I read mentioned how this new technology could be used in cancer research. Yeast plays a big role in cancer research already and they think this this additional ability to manipulate that fine life form, strides can be made in cancer treatments.

Seems there's always good mixed in with the bad, and vice versa. Always a dilemma, it seems.

[rtalbigr]

Jimbo, I don't know that it scares the shit outa me but it may get to that. Between the politicians and the scientists they never can seem to realize that un-intended consequences can be ruinous.

Big R

[mealstrom]

Does that article scare the shit out of anyone but me?

"The scientists aim to redesign parts of the yeast genome so that it can perform functions that are not possible naturally."

No thanks.

"There are fears that synthetic life forms could escape into the wild and spread uncontrollably. However, the scientists insist that they are able to design in fail-safes that will prevent anything from surviving in the wild and claim that strict guidelines govern their work."

Bullshit.

Haven't they seen Jurassic Park?

[Jimbo]

hahaha, smart ass. but ya, only at the single cell size

[MDH]

French producers do this on purpose - they take leftover lees from wine and spread them in pomace about their vines so the now-mutated, adapted yeast will cultivate on the next. I largely suspect this has the dual effect of giving them guaranteed fermentation characteristics but also making an entire region "dogmatic" with a few dominant yeast strains - not an entirely good thing in my opinion.