Extramitochondrial energy dependent synthesis of inorganic pyrophosphate in yeasts]

In yeast Saccharomyces N.C.Y.C. 644SU3 the simplest energy donor, inorganic pyrophosphate, can be formed not only in the processes coupled with the respiratory chain, but also under conditions when mitochondrial synthesis of the compound is inhibited (glucose repression, anaerobiosis). Stimulation of inorganic pyrophosphate formed after exogeneous addition of glycolytic system components and inhibition studies suggest that under those conditions the non-mitochondrial energy-dependent formation of inorganic pyrophosphate is due to glycolytic phosphorilation.     

Metabolism of aromatic hydrocarbons by yeasts

Six yeasts were examined for their ability to metabolize naphthalene, biphenyl and benzo(a)pyrene. All of the organisms tested oxidized these aromatic hydrocarbons. Candida lipolytica oxidized naphthalene to 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol, 4-hydroxy-1-tetralone and trans-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene. The major metabolite was 1-naphthol. C. lipolytica oxidized biphenyl to produce 2-, 3-, and 4-hydroxybiphenyl, 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybiphenyl. 4-Hydroxybiphenyl was the predominant metabolite formed. C. lipolytica oxidized benzo(a)pyrene to 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene and 9-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene. Metabolites were isolated and identified by absorption spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry and thin-layer, gasliquid and high-pressure liquid chromatography. Where possible the structures of these metabolites were confirmed by comparison with authenic compounds.     

Ascopore formation in yeasts during active growth on hydrocarbons

Summary Induction of ascospore formation in hydrocarbon utilizing ascosporogenous yeasts was observed during the growth of the yeasts on gas oil, diesel oil, white kerosene and n-alkanes. Studies of relationships between cell morphology and cell growth showed that ascospores were formed during the active growth phase on gas oil but not on glucose. Contact of yeast cells with hydrocarbons may be the possible reason for sporogenesis on hydrocarbons.     

Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil inoculated with yeasts

Yeast species belonging to the Candida genus were added to the greyish-brown soil of the Apsheron Peninsula under laboratory conditions. The rate of CO2 production was used to estimate the degradation of crude oil, paraffin, cycloparaffin and aromatic hydrocarbons as well as their oxidized products. The rate of hydrocarbon degradation in the soil inoculated with yeast cells was shown to drop down gradually. The effective action on the process of hydrocarbon degradation depended on the special properties of an inoculated population and on the structure of a hydrocarbon. Some yeast species stimulated the degradation of various aromatic hydrocarbons and their oxidized products. Aromatic hydrocarbons were decomposed at a lower rate comparing to their oxidized products. When the soil was inoculated with C. guilliermondii populations, n-hexadecane added to the soil at a concentration of 1% was decomposed within 250-300 days. Field experiments confirmed that crude oil biodegradation was more intensive in the soil inoculated with yeast cells.     

五株木糖利用酵母的生理代谢特性

摘要:【目的】木质纤维素是地球上最丰富的可再生资源,筛选具有高抗逆和高效利用木糖能力的菌株对纤维素类可再生资源综合利用具有重大意义。【方法】论文以5株利用木糖的酵母,即树干毕赤酵母(Scheffersomyces stipitis,S.stipitis)、Candida tenuis (C.tenuis)、Spathaspora passalidarum (S.passalidarum)、Candida amazonensis(C. amazonensis)和Candida jeffriesii(C. jeffriesii)为研究对象,研究了其对温度、乙醇浓度、渗透压的耐受性,采用杜氏小管实验研究了其对常用碳源和氮源的利用能力,另外通过木糖发酵实验初步研究了被测试酵母在有氧和限氧条件下的木糖发酵性能。【结果】结果表明,S. passalidarum能够耐受44 ℃左右的高温,对多种碳源和氮源具有较强的利用能力,此外,S. passalidarum在有氧与限氧条件下均能快速代谢木糖,限氧条件下乙醇得率达0.43 g/g。C. amazonensis对纤维二糖具有较强发酵能力,代谢木糖产生木糖醇和少量乙醇,同时该酵母耐受温度在42 ℃左右。综合比较,其他酵母在实验过程中没有表现出明显优势。【结论】S. passalidarum 在纤维素工业化应用中是一株良好的生产候选菌株。此外,C. amazonensis具有较强的木糖醇生产能力,有望成为一株优良的木糖醇生产菌株。     

Free-radicals formation in reductions of flavin. Study on the reduction of aminoethylcellulose-bound flavin]

The reduction of flavin by reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide and photoreduction were studied spectrophotometrically. Flavin was covalently bound to aminoethylcellulose, therefore the interaction between flavin molecules was excluded. Nevertheless a considerable quantity of free radicals was demonstrated under these conditions. The experimental dependence of the radical concentration as a function of reduction degree is readily explained if the reduction of flavin proceeds in two consecutive one-electron steps. The ratio of the rate constants of both reactions for the reduction of flavin by NADH k2'/k1' was equal to 4, for the photoreductions k2'/k1' to 6.5.     

Proteolysis of products of mitochondrial protein synthesis in isolated mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts]

Products of mitochondrial protein synthesis were specifically labeled with 3H-leucine in the presence of cycloheximide at the end of the exponential phase of yeast aerobic growth on glucose. The mitochondria isolated from these cells lost 37-40% of the label from the protein fraction during 60 min incubation at 35 degrees, which was accompanied by the accumulation of 3H-leucine in TCA-soluble fraction. This process was suppressed by phenyl-methyl sulfonyl fluoride and p-chloromercuriphenyl sulfonate, the inhibitors of proteases, and could thus be considered as the proteolysis of the products of mitochondrial protein synthesis. The proteolysis was ATP dependent and was stimulated by puromycine which is known to induce the removal of incomplete polypeptides from mitochondrial ribosomes. A body of indirect evidence allows a suggestion to be made that the observed proteolysis can hardly be due to the action of cytoplasmic proteinases.     

Enzyme activities in oleaginous yeasts accumulating and utilizing exogenous or endogenous lipids

The activities of ATP: citrate lyase (ACL; EC 4. 1. 3. 8), carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT; EC 2. 3. 1. 7), NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH; EC 1. 1. 1. 42), isocitrate lyase (ICL; EC 4. 1. 3. 1) and malic enzyme (malate dehydrogenase; EC 1. 1. 1. 40) were measured in four oleaginous yeasts, Candida curvata D, Trichosporon cutaneum and two strains of Rhodosporidium toruloides, grown either to accumulate lipid, or to utilize their own lipid reserves or an exogenous supply of lipid. During lipid utilization, activities of ACL and malic enzyme diminished to low levels; CAT and ICL increased considerably in activity and ICDH activity was slightly increased but catalase (EC 1. 11. 1. 6) diminished in activity in both strains of R. toruloides. In all cases, yeasts utilizing exogenous lipid showed greater changes in enzyme activities than cells utilizing their endogenous reserves. Electron micrographs of Candida curvata D showed proliferation of peroxisomes in starved cells utilizing their own lipid reserve though peroxisomes were more in evidence when the yeast had been grown on exogenous lipid. In Lipomyces starkeyi, which shows only minimal utilization of its stored lipid and furthermore cannot grow on exogenous lipid, only the occasional peroxisome was seen when cells were starved of carbon.     

The substrate specificity of two yeast strains utilizing hydrocarbons

StrainsCandida lipolytica 4-1 andCandida lipolytica K were compared in their growth and dawaxing capacities during batch growth on model gas oil. The model gas oil was composed of a mixture of even-numbered puren-alkanes (n-decane ton-dotriacontane) dissolved in dewaxed gas oil. The results show that both strains differ in their substrate specificity and in the sequence of utilization of individualn-alkanes. Strain K, previously used for dewaxing of mineral oil, has its substrate specificity shifted toward the highern-alkanes.     

Efficiency of lipid synthesis by yeasts

The efficiency of lipid synthesis by ethanol-grown yeasts is characterized using the coefficient of the lipid energetic yield (eta(1)). This coefficient is defined as the fraction of energy in an organic substrate that is converted to lipids. The advantages of eta(1) compared with the "fat coefficient" (F(s)) as well as the biomass energetic yield (eta) compared with Y(s) are discussed.     

The microbial synthesis of flavin nucleotides: A review

Recent data on the synthesis and hydrolysis of flavin nucleotides in yeast and bacteria and the regulation of this process are summarized. Specific examples are provided and the prospects of the use of genetically modified microorganisms for the industrial manufacturing of flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide are considered.