Open AccessIsolation and characterization of baker's yeast capable of strongly activating a macrophage
Author(s) -
Takada Yuki,
Nishino Yumiko,
Ito Chinatsu,
Watanabe Hajime,
Kanzaki Ken,
Tachibana Taro,
Azuma Masayuki
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
fems yeast research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1567-1364
pISSN - 1567-1356
DOI - 10.1111/1567-1364.12098
Subject(s) - saccharomyces cerevisiae , biology , yeast , mutant , strain (injury) , gene , mutation , macrophage , immune system , cell , fermentation , point mutation , cell wall , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , in vitro , genetics , anatomy
A physiological function of the β‐glucans which constitute the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is to activate immune cells. Here, we focused on the immunostimulation ability of S. cerevisiae itself to give this ability to fermented foods including yeast. Previously, we found that in S. cerevisiae the deletion of MCD 4 gene causes exposure of β‐glucans on the cell surface and that the mcd4 deletion mutant strongly enhances immunity in vitro and in vivo . However, this is not a practical strain but a genetically modified strain with an antibiotic resistance gene, and growth was very slow. The aim of this study was to acquire a practical strain capable of strongly activating a macrophage. The parental strain y‐21 was mutated with ethyl methanesulfonate, and the resulting strain was screened. Two mutants ( AP ‐57 and AQ ‐37) were obtained. AQ ‐37 had the same fermentation capacity as y‐21. In addition, a mutation point of AQ ‐37 was identified, suggesting that the mutation of NDD 1 gene affects the cell wall structure and confers a high ability for macrophage stimulation. The obtained yeast may activate immune cells in materials to which the yeast is added.