In this volume we aim to present an easy-to-read account of the genus
Saccharomyces that we hope will be of value to all students and
researchers wishing to exploit this important genus, be it for academic
or commer- cial purposes. Individual chapters have been commissioned to
cover specific aspects of the biology of Saccharomyces species: growth,
genetics, and metabolism, with the emphasis on methodology. Basic
principles are discussed without an over-detailed, step-by-step
breakdown of specific techniques, and lengthy discussions of standard
molecular, biological, and biochemical techniques (e. g., polyacrylamide
gel electrophoresis, protein purification, DNA sequencing) have been
avoided. We hope the volume will provide a quick reference to the
current status of a wide range of Saccharomyces-specific methodologies
without focusing ex- clusively on recent developments in molecular
techniques which can be found in the ever increasing numbers of "cloning
manuals. " By necessity, much of what is described in this volume
concentrates on one particular species of Saccharomyces, namely
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This is not just a reflection of the authors'
interests, but indicates the extent to which this simple eukaryote has
been studied by biologists from all walks of life, for all sorts of
reasons. If this volume can provide a broader knowledge base to the
experienced yeast researcher, or ease the path of someone just starting
work with Saccharomyces, then we will have achieved our aim.
