Activities ofβ-glucanases andβ-glucosidases during blastospore formation inSaccharomycopsis fibuligera

Summary

The activities of three glycosidases, β-glucosidase and β(1,3)- and β(1,6)-glucanases have been monitored during growth and blastospore formation inSaccharomycopsis fibuligera. The assays were carried out on the cell-free culture and in a cell-free extract and a wall autolysate preparation from the growing cells. In complex medium containing 1% glucose an increase in the level of all three enzymes was associated with the transition from mycelium to blastospores. When the level of glucose was increased to 5% blastospore formation was repressed and the level of β-glucanases only increased at the end of the fermentation. The β-glucosidase activity increased during the growth phase. In a defined medium in which slow growth in a wholly yeast-like form was observed, growth was not associated with a high level of β-glucanase activity.