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Acetaldehyde mediates growth stimulation of ethanol-stressed Saccharomyces cerevisiae: evidence of a redox-driven mechanism

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Abstract

The ability of acetaldehyde (90 mg l−1) to stimulate ethanol-stressed S. cerevisiae fermentations is examined and reasons for the effect explored. Alternative metabolic electron acceptors generated similar stimulatory effects to acetaldehyde, decreasing the ethanol-induced growth lag phase from 9 h to 3 h, suggesting a redox-driven effect. The exposure to ethanol caused an instant 60% decline in intracellular NAD+ which was largely prevented by the addition of acetaldehyde. Furthermore, the exposure to ethanol affected glycolysis by decreasing the rate of glucose utilisation from 0.33 g glucose g−1 biomass h−1 to 0.11 g glucose g−1 biomass h−1, while the addition of acetaldehyde to an ethanol stressed culture increased this rate to 0.14 g glucose g−1 biomass h−1.

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Acknowledgment

The project was funded in part by a grant from the Australian Research Council.

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Correspondence to Frank Vriesekoop.

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Vriesekoop, F., Barber, A.R. & Pamment, N.B. Acetaldehyde mediates growth stimulation of ethanol-stressed Saccharomyces cerevisiae: evidence of a redox-driven mechanism. Biotechnol Lett 29, 1099–1103 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-007-9367-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-007-9367-9

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