Biochemical Studies on the Production of Acetic Acid by the Yeast Dekkera anomala

Hernâni Gerós, Maria-Manuel Azevedo and Fernanda Cássio*

Centro de Ciências do Ambiente, Departamento de Biologia Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal

Article history:
Received November 11, 1999
Accepted January 18, 2000

Key words:
acetic acid production, acetyl-CoA synthetase, Dekkera anomala, yeast

Summary:
Cells of Dekkera anomala IGC 5153 grown in concentrations of glucose higher than 2 % (w/v) were able to produce high amounts of acetic acid, while in lower sugar concentrations the presence of the acid was not detected. Ethanol was detected when the glucose concentration in the culture medium was above 2 % and in all growth conditions production of glycerol was not found. The fermentative metabolism appeared to be the main pathway involved in glucose catabolism. The enzyme acetyl-CoA synthetase was strongly repressed by glucose and the high acetic acid concentrations found in the culture medium resulted probably from the insufficient activity of the acetyl-CoA synthetase required for the complete conversion of acetate to acetyl-CoA. 

*Corresponding author:           fcassio@bio.uminho.pt
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