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Aerobic induction of respiro-fermentative growth by decreasing oxygen tensions in the respiratory yeast Pichia stipitis

  • Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology
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Abstract

The fermentative and respiratory metabolism of Pichia stipitis wild-type strain CBS 5774 and the derived auxotrophic transformation recipient PJH53 trp5-10 his3-1 were examined in differentially oxygenated glucose cultures in the hermetically sealed Sensomat system. There was a good agreement of the kinetics of gas metabolism, growth, ethanol formation and glucose utilisation, proving the suitability of the Sensomat system for rapid and inexpensive investigation of strains and mutants for their respiratory and fermentative metabolism. Our study revealed respiro-fermentative growth by the wild-type strain, although the cultures were not oxygen-limited. The induction of respiro-fermentative behaviour was obviously due to the decrease in oxygen tension but not falling below a threshold of oxygen tension. The responses differed depending on the velocity of the decrease in oxygen tension. At high oxygenation (slow decrease in oxygen tension), ethanol production was induced but glucose uptake was not influenced. At low oxygenation, glucose uptake and ethanol formation increased during the first hours of cultivation. The transformation recipient PJH53 most probably carries a mutation that influences the response to a slow decrease in oxygen tension, since almost no ethanol formation was found under these conditions.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. We thank Ulrike Schmitt for linguistic advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. RWTH Aachen, Institut für Biologie IV (Mikrobiologie und Genetik), LFG Angewandte Mikrobiologie, Worringer Weg, 52056, Aachen, Germany

    U. Klinner, S. Fluthgraf & S. Freese

  2. Department of Microbiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala Genetic Centre, Box 7025, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden

    V. Passoth

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  1. U. Klinner
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  2. S. Fluthgraf
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  3. S. Freese
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  4. V. Passoth
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Correspondence to U. Klinner.

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Klinner, U., Fluthgraf, S., Freese, S. et al. Aerobic induction of respiro-fermentative growth by decreasing oxygen tensions in the respiratory yeast Pichia stipitis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 67, 247–253 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1746-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1746-8

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