Final answer:
During alcohol fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae converts glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide. This process benefits the yeast by generating ATP, leavening bread dough, creating bubbles in beer, and inhibiting the growth of other microorganisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
During alcohol fermentation, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae converts glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide. In the first step, an enzyme called pyruvate decarboxylase removes a carboxyl group from pyruvate, releasing CO₂ and forming acetaldehyde. In the second step, alcohol dehydrogenase transfers an electron from NADH to acetaldehyde, resulting in the production of ethanol and NAD+. The production of ethanol and carbon dioxide benefits Saccharomyces cerevisiae in several ways.
First, the production of ethanol allows the yeast to generate ATP, which is essential for its survival. Second, the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation helps to leaven bread dough and create bubbles in beer, making the final products light and fluffy. Additionally, the release of ethanol and carbon dioxide helps the yeast cells survive in their environment by creating an anaerobic condition that inhibits the growth of other microorganisms.