The Class Saccharomycetes is a group of unicellular fungi commonly known as yeasts. They reproduce mainly by budding and are widely used in fermentation processes to produce bread, beer, wine, and bioethanol. Members of this class, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are model organisms in genetics and molecular biology due to their simple structure, rapid growth, and ease of genetic manipulation. Saccharomycetes play important roles in food production, biotechnology, and ecological nutrient cycling.