The Fifth phase of the Saccharomyces Genome Resequencing Project (SGRP5) aims at investigating the geographical distributions and dispersal trajectories of the Saccharomyces genus in order to trace its historical evolutionary pathways across continental-scale spatial distances. This project focuses on free-living cosmopolitan Saccharomyces species found in temperate forests throughout Europe and the Mediterranean basin.

Led by Gianni Liti’s laboratory at the Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging (IRCAN) in Nice, the project has received substantial funding from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS).

The primary objective is to produce a comprehensive and well-documented genomics and ecological dataset, ultimately offering the most extensive view of genetic diversity within this model genus to date.

To achieve this, the laboratory relies on the invaluable support of the Saccharomyces Yeast Sampling Consortium, a large group of scientists with diverse research backgrounds from across Europe and North Africa. The consortium has undertaken an extensive sampling campaign. As of March 2025, over 5,500 environmental samples and 2,000 Saccharomyces isolates have been collected, while sequencing efforts are still ongoing.