Hans Geir Eiken
Senior Research Scientist
(+47) 996 29 966
hansgeir.eiken@nibio.no
Place
Bergen
Visiting address
Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006 Bergen
Authors
Michael Dondrup Atle Ove Martinussen Lisa Karine Haugland Jonas Brandenburg Oya Inanli Abdelhameed Elameen David Dolan Sushma Nagaraja Grellscheid Snorre B Hagen Hannes Schroeder Tor Myking Hans Geir EikenEditors
Tal DaganAbstract
Abstract The use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to ferment alcoholic beverages is an ancient tradition, with genetic evidence indicating origins in Neolithic Asia, although the domestication process of the species is not fully understood. Kveik is a group of traditional yeasts used in farmhouse brewing in western Norway preserved through generations of rural brewing practice. While recent studies have highlighted the distinctiveness of kveik, its precise phylogenetic position, genetic diversity, and domestication history remain unclear. We performed whole-genome sequencing on 64 isolates from 25 traditional brewing cultures from Western Norway selected using cultural heritage criteria and generated telomere-to-telomere assemblies for selected strains. Phylogenomic and population genetic analyses reveal that kveik strains form a paraphyletic and early-diverging group with respect to other domesticated S. cerevisiae strains. Most strains exhibit low diversity among isolates from the same brewing culture, strong geographic clustering, and little evidence of gene flow or admixture. Mitochondrial genomes and Ty1 retrotransposon profiles corroborate this distinct lineage history. We further show that previously reported signals of gene flow between kveik and Asian fermentation strains are likely artifacts caused by population structure and selection. Divergence time estimates suggest that the common ancestor of beer, kveik, and other liquid-phase fermenting strains originated from ancestral populations 4,000 to 8,000 years ago. Our genomic resource sheds light on yeast evolution and domestication. Kveik likely comprises some of the oldest domesticated lineages in continuous use until today, connecting intangible cultural heritage to an early genetic origin.
Authors
Anne Straumfors Anani Komlavi Afanou Oda Astrid Haarr Foss Abdelhameed Elameen Mikkel Meyn Liljegren Hans Geir EikenAbstract
Background: Pesticides are used in greenhouse cultivation to control fungi and pests and to shape plant growth. This influences microbial communities and may increase the selective pressure for resistant species development. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health challenge, and while AMR dispersal through soil and water is well studied, the role of bioaerosols as AMR vectors remains insufficiently explored. Objectives: To explore the link between chemical pesticide and the prevalence of AMR genes in aerosols from greenhouses using pesticides and those not using them. Methods: Forty-nine fullshift personal samples of inhalable dust were collected in eight greenhouses from 2021 and 2024. Five greenhouses used chemical pesticides and three did not. DNA was extracted and screened for the presence of 45 clinically relevant AMR genes using HT-qPCR. Results: Twenty of the 45 screened genes were detected. Greenhouses using pesticides showed significantly higher AMR gene levels than those not using chemicals. Several genes, particularly β-lactam and tetracycline resistance genes, occurred in high concentrations, including extreme values exceeding 60,000 gene copies/m³. This suggest that pesticide-using greenhouses may represent a greater risk for AMR dispersal. In contrast, greenhouses without chemical pesticide showed lower and more stable AMR gene levels. Factors other than pesticide application may also contribute, such as import of treated plants, soil and fertilizer materials, plant types or individual workers. Further research is needed to assess the health risks for greenhouse workers and to support the development of effective strategies for preventing and controlling AMR spread.
Authors
Paul Eric Aspholm Carmen Rizzo Gabriella Caruso Giovanna Maimone Luisa Patrolecco Marco Termine Marco Bertolino Stefania Giannarelli Alessandro Ciro Rappazzo Josef Elster Alessio Lena Maria Papale Tanita Pescatore Jasmin Rauseo Rosamaria Soldano Francesca Spataro Maurizio Azzaro Angelina Lo Giudice Hans Geir Eiken Mikkel Meyn Liljegren Simo Maduna Juho Matti Vuolteenaho Cornelya Klutsch Hallvard Jensen Ida Marie Luna Fløystad Ingrid Søvik Ane-Sofie Bednarczyk Hansen Runar Kjær David Kniha Josefine Bergs Vidar Berg Snorre B. HagenAbstract
No abstract has been registered
