(ABC) - Australian researchers are claiming a breakthrough in their knowledge of how to tackle a yeast organism that can spoil wine. Scientists from the Wine Research Institute have sequenced the genome of brettanomyces, commonly known as "brett". The organism is often found in wine barrels and can be controlled using sulfite but is becoming increasingly tolerant of that defence. Research Institute managing director Sakkie Pretorius says working out the genetic blueprint is the culmination of two decades' work. "Now that we've uncovered the metabolic pathways within the yeast cell, we can now start to work out what can we do in order to block them," he said. "We can develop new tools so in 10 years' time when we have to deal with an organism that is much more sulfite tolerant that Australia is again ahead of the pack and [can] say 'We have the combat gear to take this yeast to task'.