The fermentation rate of PDC1 mutant and wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae as measured by carbon dioxide production at 30ºC

Abstract

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a unique organism because of its ability to perform both aerobic and anaerobic fermentation. The objective of our experiment was to compare and analyze the fermentation rates of the wild type and the PDC1 mutant of S. cerevisiae by measuring the level of CO₂ produced per cell at 30ºC. Both the mutant and wild-type forms were grown in YPD media and incubated at 30ºC; the rate of fermentation was measured at regular intervals. 95% confidence intervals of the mean level of CO₂ production per cell for mutant and wild-type yeast as well as the t-test analysis provided us with sufficient evidence to statistically reject our null hypothesis and provided us with support for the alternate hypothesis: the CO₂ production level of wild-type S. cerevisiae is greater than that of the PDC1 mutant at this temperature. Thus, it can be concluded that the wild type is more efficient in fermentation as it has a higher rate of CO₂ production.