Comparative physiology of salt tolerance in Candida tropicalis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Microbiology (Reading). 1997 Apr:143 ( Pt 4):1125-1131. doi: 10.1099/00221287-143-4-1125.

Abstract

The salt tolerance of the respiratory yeast Candida tropicalis and the fermentative yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been compared in glucose media. C. tropicalis showed a better adaptation to Na+ and Li+ and maintained higher intracellular K+:Na+ and K+:Li+ ratios than S. cerevisiae. However, C. tropicalis showed a poorer adaptation to osmotic stress (produced by KCl and sorbitol) and exhibited reduced glycerol production as compared to S. cerevisiae. In media with the non-repressing sugar galactose as carbon source, S. cerevisiae exhibited reduced glycerol production and increased sensitivity to osmotic stress. Under these conditions, S. cerevisiae, but not C. tropicalis, utilized trehalose as a more important osmolyte than glycerol. These results suggest that the relative tolerance of yeast to the osmotic and cation toxicities of NaCl, and the underlying relative capabilities for osmolyte synthesis and cation transport, are modulated by the general catabolite control exerted by glucose.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological*
  • Candida / physiology*
  • Glycerol / metabolism
  • Homeostasis
  • Lithium Chloride / metabolism
  • Lithium Chloride / pharmacology
  • Osmotic Pressure
  • Potassium Chloride / metabolism
  • Potassium Chloride / pharmacology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / physiology*
  • Salts / metabolism*
  • Salts / pharmacology
  • Sodium Chloride / metabolism
  • Sodium Chloride / pharmacology
  • Sorbitol / metabolism
  • Sorbitol / pharmacology
  • Species Specificity
  • Trehalose / metabolism

Substances

  • Salts
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Sorbitol
  • Potassium Chloride
  • Trehalose
  • Lithium Chloride
  • Glycerol