Sulfate Ion Transporter Gene and Use Thereof

1 . A polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1;

(b) a polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;

(c) a polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 with one or more amino acids thereof being deleted, substituted, inserted and/or added, and having a sulfate ion transporter activity;

(d) a polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence having 60% or higher identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, and having a sulfate ion transporter activity;

(e) a polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide which hybridizes to a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 under stringent conditions, and which encodes a protein having a sulfate ion transporter activity; and

(f) a polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide which hybridizes to a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide encoding the protein of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 under stringent conditions, and which encodes a protein having a sulfate ion transporter activity.

2 . The polynucleotide of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a polynucleotide encoding a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, or encoding an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 wherein 1 to 10 amino acids thereof is deleted, substituted, inserted, and/or added, and wherein said protein has sulfate ion transporter activity;

(b) a polynucleotide encoding a protein having 90% or higher identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and having sulfate ion transporter activity; and

(c) a polynucleotide which hybridizes to SEQ ID NO: 1 or which hybridizes to a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 under stringent conditions, and which encodes a protein having sulfate ion transporter activity.

3 . The polynucleotide of claim 1 consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1.

4 . The polynucleotide of claim 1 encoding a protein of SEQ ID NO: 2.

5 . The polynucleotide of claim 1 , wherein the polynucleotide is DNA.

6 . A polynucleotide selected from the following polynucleotides (a) to (d):

(a) a polynucleotide encoding RNA of a nucleotide sequence complementary to a transcript of the polynucleotide (DNA) according to claim 5 ;

(b) a polynucleotide encoding RNA that represses the expression of the polynucleotide (DNA) according to claim 5 through RNAi effect;

(c) a polynucleotide encoding RNA having an activity of specifically cleaving a transcript of the polynucleotide (DNA) according to claim 5 ; and

(d) a polynucleotide encoding RNA that represses expression of the polynucleotide (DNA) according to claim 5 through co-supression effect.

7 . A protein encoded by the polynucleotide of claim 1 .

8 . A vector comprising the polynucleotide of claim 1 .

9 - 22 . (canceled)

23 . A vector comprising the polynucleotide of claim 6 .

24 . A yeast comprising the vector of claim 8 or 23 .

25 . The yeast of claim 24 , wherein said yeast expresses the protein encoded by the polynucleotide and wherein said protein expression increases sulfite by said yeast.

26 . A yeast, wherein an expression of the polynucleotide (DNA) is suppressed by introducing the vector of claim 8 comprising the polynucleotide (DNA), or by disrupting a gene related to the polynucleotide (DNA).

27 . A yeast expressing the protein of claim 7 , wherein said protein expression increases sulfite production by said yeast.

28 . A method for producing an alcoholic beverage comprising culturing the yeast of claim 25 under conditions for producing an alcoholic beverage.

29 . The method for producing an alcoholic beverage of claim 28 , wherein the brewed alcoholic beverage is a malt beverage.

30 . The method for producing an alcoholic beverage of claim 28 , wherein the brewed alcoholic beverage is wine.

31 . An alcoholic beverage produced by any method of claim 28 .

32 . A method for assessing a test yeast for its sulfite-producing capability, comprising using a primer or a probe designed based on a nucleotide sequence of a sulfate ion transporter gene having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.

33 . A method for assessing a test yeast for its sulfite-producing capability, comprising: culturing a test yeast; and measuring an expression level of a sulfate ion transporter gene having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.

34 . A method for selecting a yeast, comprising: culturing test yeasts;

quantifying the protein according to claim 7 or measuring an expression level of a sulfate ion transporter gene having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and selecting a test yeast having said protein amount or said gene expression level according to a target capability of producing sulfite.

35 . The method for selecting a yeast according to claim 34 , comprising: culturing a reference yeast and test yeasts; measuring an expression level of a sulfate ion transporter gene having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in each yeast; and selecting a test yeast having the gene expressed higher or lower than that in the reference yeast.

36 . The method for selecting a yeast according to claim 34 , comprising: culturing a reference yeast and test yeasts; quantifying the protein in each yeast; and selecting a test yeast having said protein for a larger or smaller amount than that in the reference yeast.

37 . A method for producing an alcoholic beverage comprising: conducting fermentation for producing an alcoholic beverage using the yeast according to claim 27 , or a yeast selected by the method according to claim 34 ; and adjusting the production amount of sulfite.