Effects of exogenous hemin on the niacin content of aerobically grown Saccharomyces uvarum

In Saccharomyces uvarum aerobically grown in the tryptophan-added medium, the niacin content started to increase when both tryptophan and glucose in the medium had almost been exhausted. In the kynurenine-added medium, the niacin production occurred immediately after incubation started. Hemin added to the medium enhanced total niacin production by increasing the amount of tryptophan metabolized via the kynureninase flux. The results suggest that the niacin biosynthesis from tryptophan was regulated by catabolite repression, which was alleviated by exogenously added hemin.