Comparing three sets of wild Saccharomycer cerevisiae strains, we specified the factors essential for the formation of structured colonies, i.e. for the lifestyle most likely to be preferred in the wild. These are the ability to form extracellular matrix and the expression of certain genes (AQY1, FLO11) as well as production of Flo11p adhesin, important for cell-cell and cell-surface adhesion.
On the other hand, surprisingly, neither the cell shape nor budding pattern and the ability to form pseudohyphae directly influence the formation of three-dimensional fluffy colony architecture.