Turkish Journal of Biology
Abstract
Kluyveromyces lactis and Kluyveromyces marxianus are industrial yeasts widely used in the production of the \beta-galactosidase enzyme. Biosynthesis of \beta-galactosidase is controlled by glucose repression. In this study it was demonstrated that the derepression of \beta-galactosidase biosynthesis in these yeast strains is inhibited by high osmotic stress. It was found that the \beta-galactosidase activity of K. lactis and K. marxianus remained approximately at the repressed level when these yeast cells were subjected to NaCl-, KCl-, or sucrose-induced high osmotic stress. Derepression of \beta-galactosidase biosynthesis seems to be more sensitive to high osmotic stress in K. marxianus than in K. lactis. In addition, it was shown that nitrogen starvation resulted in a significant decrease in the level of \beta-galactosidase biosynthesis in K. lactis, while nitrogen starvation led to a 2-fold increase in \beta-galactosidase biosynthesis in K. marxianus. Results of this study indicated that high levels of NaCl, but not sucrose, inhibited the growth of K. lactis and K. marxianus.
DOI
-
Keywords
Kluyveromyces, \beta-galactosidase, osmotic stress, nitrogen regulation, glucose repression
First Page
175
Last Page
180
Recommended Citation
TÜRKEL, SEZAİ; ARIK, ELİF; and GÜZELVARDAR, SİNEM (2008) "The Effect of Hyperosmotic Stress and Nitrogen Starvation on Growth and \beta-Galactosidase Synthesis in Kluyveromyces lactis and Kluyveromyces marxianus," Turkish Journal of Biology: Vol. 32: No. 3, Article 5. Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/biology/vol32/iss3/5
