Carbohydrate Spectrum of Extremophilic Yeasts Yarrowia lipolytica under pH Stress

Abstract

Alterations in the concentrations of cell cytosol carbohydrates of polyextremophilic yeasts Yarrowia lipolytica under stresses of diverse nature were observed. Under pH stress, mannitol was the main storage carbohydrate (up to 89% of the total cytosol carbohydrates), while arabitol, glucose, and inositol were present in insignificant amounts (3 to 6%). Experiments with inhibition of de novo mannitol synthesis by bis(p-nitrophenyl) disulfide revealed that the cytoprotective effect of mannitol was most noticeable in the cells grown under acidic conditions (pH 4.0), while the role of catalase and superoxide dismutase, the enzymes of the first line of antioxidant protection, increased under alkaline conditions (pH 9.0). The constitutively high mannitol content in Y. lipolytica cells was hypothesized to be a part of the core mechanism of stress resistance in this yeast species.