Biotechnological implications of filamentation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The genetics governing the morphological switch from round or ovoid cells to filamentous growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has received significant interest in relation to sensing and signaling pathways as well as the control of cell processes including budding, elongation and adhesion. Little is known about the environmental signals which trigger these morphological changes from a biotechnological point of view. This review aims to highlight the main causes of filamentous growth in S. cerevisiae in its industrial setting with the purpose of stimulating additional studies within this field.