title: Growth of the salt-tolerant yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii in microtiter plates: effects of NaCl, pH and temperature on growth and fusel alcohol production from branched-chain amino acids.
abstract: Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, a salt-tolerant yeast isolated from the soy sauce process, produces fusel alcohols (isoamyl alcohol, active amyl alcohol and isobutyl alcohol) from branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine, respectively) via the Ehrlich pathway. Using a high-throughput screening approach in microtiter plates, we have studied the effects of pH, temperature and salt concentration on growth of Z. rouxii and formation of fusel alcohols from branched-chain amino acids. Application of minor variations in pH (range 3-7) and NaCl concentrations (range 0-20%) per microtiter plate well allowed a rapid and detailed evaluation of fermentation conditions for optimal growth and metabolite production. Conditions yielding the highest cell densities were not optimal for fusel alcohol production. Maximal fusel alcohol production occurred at low pH (3.0-4.0) and low NaCl concentrations (0-4%) at 25 degrees C. At pH 4.0-6.0 and 0-18% NaCl, considerable amounts of alpha-keto acids, the deaminated products from the branched-chain amino acids, accumulated extracellularly. The highest cell densities were obtained in plates incubated at 30 degrees C. The results obtained under various incubation conditions with (deep-well) microtiter plates were validated in Erlenmeyer shake-flask cultures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 14, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Janine H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Veurink
authors.forename: Gert-Jan W
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Euverink
authors.forename: Lubbert
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dijkhuizen
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000378:metabolism*; D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009172:Mycology / Q000379:methods; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013696:Temperature; D020068:Zygosaccharomyces / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain; C007807:fusel oil; D012965:Sodium Chloride