Research performed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has significantly improved our understanding of important cellular phenomona such as regulation of the cell cycle, aging, and cell death. The many benefits of working with S. cerevisiae include the facts that they are inexpensive to grow in the lab and that many ready-to-use strains are now commercially available. Nevertheless, proper maintenance of this organism is critical for successful experiments.

This video will provide an overview of how to grow and maintain S. cerevisiae in the lab. Basic concepts required for monitoring the proliferation of a yeast population, such as how to generate a growth curve using a spectrophotometer, are explained. This video also demonstrates the hands-on techniques required to maintain S. cerevisiae in the lab, including preparation of media, how to start a new culture of yeast cells, and how to store those cultures. Finally, the video shows off some of the ways these handling and maintenance techniques are applied in scientific research.