Rapid identification of S accharomyces eubayanus and its hybrids

The S accharomyces species S accharomyces eubayanus was recently discovered in P atagonia. Genomic, genetic and phylogenetic data all suggest that it is one of the two parents of the hybrid yeast S . pastorianus ( S . cerevisiae being the other). S accharomyces eubayanus genomes can also be found in strains of the hybrid species S . bayanus . Here, we describe a novel pair of PCR primers targeted against the S . eubayanus FSY1 gene that will specifically detect S . eubayanus and hybrids containing this allele of the gene. The primer pair can be used to identify the species using a rapid, inexpensive colony PCR method suitable for a preliminary identification of wild isolates.