The physiological and morphological phenotype of a yeast mutant resistant to the quaternary ammonium salt N-(dodecyloxycarboxymethyl)-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium chloride.
We investigated the action of the quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) called IM (N-(dodecyloxycarboxymethyl)-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium chloride) on Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells. Changes in the yeast cell ultrastructure were confirmed by electron microscopy. We treated resistant mutant cells with QAS, and confirmed destruction of the mutant cytoplasm, an increase in the thickness of the cell wall, separation of the cell wall from the cytoplasm, and the accumulation of numerous lipid droplets. We also observed a relatively high production of lipids in the cells of the parental wild-type strain Sigma1278b and in its IM-resistant (IM(R)) mutant in the presence of the QAS. The IM(R) mutant showed increased sensitivity to CaCl(2) and SDS, and resistance to ethidium bromide, chloramphenicol, erythromycin and osmotic shock. It also tolerated growth at low pH. We suggest that the resistance to IM could be connected with the level of permeability of the cell membrane because the IM(R) mutant was sensitive to this compound in vivo in the presence of SDS and guanidine hydrochloride, which cause increased permeability of the cell plasma membrane.
Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Poland. ewa.oblak@microb.rob.uni.wroc.pl
Ewa
E
Obłak
Andrzej
A
Gamian
Ryszard
R
Adamski
Stanisław
S
Ułaszewski
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D019791:Guanidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D009997:Osmotic Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D010641:Phenotype; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013696:Temperature
D005227:Fatty Acids; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; C060226:N-dodecyloxycarboxymethyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium; D019791:Guanidine