Open AccessAccumulation and intracellular compartmentation of lithium ions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Author(s) -
Perkins Joy,
Gadd Geoffrey M.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1993.tb06039.x
Subject(s) - saccharomyces cerevisiae , intracellular , lithium (medication) , ion , chemistry , biochemistry , biophysics , yeast , biology , endocrinology , organic chemistry
Accumulation of Li + in Saccharomyces cerevisiae X2180‐1B occured via an apparent stoichiometric relationship of 1: 1 (K + /Li + ) when S. cerevisiae was incubated in the presence of 5 and 10 mM LiCl for 3 h. Other cellular cations (Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ and Na + ) did not vary on Li + accumulation, although lithium chemistry dictates a degree of similarity to Group I and II metal cations. Compartmentation of Li + was mainly in the vacuole which accounted for 85% of the Li + accumulated after a 6‐h incubation period. The remainder was located in the cytosol with negligible amounts being bound to cell fragments including the cell wall. Transmission electron microscopy of Li + ‐loaded cells revealed enlarged vacuoles compared with control cells. This asymmetric cellular distribution may therefore enhance tolerance of S. cerevisiae to Li + and ensure that essential metabolic processes in the cytosol are not disrupted.