Proton- and sodium-coupled phosphate transport systems and energy status of Yarrowia lipolytica cells grown in acidic and alkaline conditions

In this study we have used a newly isolated Yarrowia lipolytica yeast strain with a unique capacity to grow over a wide pH range (3.5–10.5), which makes it an excellent model system for studying H⁺- and Na⁺-coupled phosphate transport systems. Even at extreme growth conditions (low concentrations of extracellular phosphate, alkaline pH values) Y. lipolytica preserved tightly-coupled mitochondria with the fully competent respiratory chain containing three points of energy conservation. This was demonstrated for the first time for cells grown at pH 9.5–10.0. In cells grown at pH 4.5, inorganic phosphate (P_i) was accumulated by two kinetically discrete H⁺/P_i-cotransport systems. The low-affinity system is most likely constitutively expressed and operates at high P_i concentrations. The high-affinity system, subjected to regulation by both extracellular P_i availability and intracellular polyphosphate stores, is mobilized during P_i-starvation. In cells grown at pH 9.5–10, P_i uptake is mediated by several kinetically discrete Na⁺-dependent systems that are specifically activated by Na⁺ ions and insensitive to the protonophore CCCP. One of these, a low-affinity transporter operative at high P_i concentrations is kinetically characterized here for the first time. The other two, high-affinity, high-capacity systems, are derepressible and functional during P_i-starvation and appear to be controlled by extracellular P_i. They represent the first examples of high-capacity, Na⁺-driven P_i transport systems in an organism belonging to neither the animal nor bacterial kingdoms. The contribution of the H⁺- and Na⁺-coupled P_i transport systems in Y. lipolytica cells grown at different pH values was quantified. In cells grown at pH values of 4.5 and 6.0, the H⁺-coupled P_i transport systems are predominant. The contribution of the Na⁺/P_i cotransport systems to the total cellular P_i uptake activity is progressively increased with increasing pH, reaching its maximum at pH 9 and higher. Received: 15 December 2000/Revised: 14 May 2001