Carbohydrate Composition during Germination and Outgrowth of Ascospores of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Single spores of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were examined to distinguish changes in the synthesis and degradation of intracellular and wall carbohydrates during germination and outgrowth. Intracellular carbohydrate was fractionated into trehalose and glycogen. Trehalose degradation occurred during germination and outgrowth. The intracellular glycogen was degraded during germination and then synthesized during outgrowth. Wall carbohydrate was fractionated into glycogen, glucan and mannan. The wall glycogen and the KOH-soluble glucan were degraded during germination and then synthesized prior to and during outgrowth, respectively. The major component of the KOH-insoluble glucan in the wall is β-1,3-glucan. The glucan and mannan were synthesized during outgrowth.

The study revealed that the development of a vegetative cell from a spore follows rapid decreases in the amounts of trehalose, glycogen and KOH-soluble glucan during germination, and great increases in the amounts of glycogen, β-1,3-glucan and mannan during outgrowth.