Open AccessPopulation dynamics of flocculating yeasts
Author(s) -
Mota Manuel,
V. Soares Eduardo
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
fems microbiology reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.91
H-Index - 212
eISSN - 1574-6976
pISSN - 0168-6445
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6976.1994.tb00071.x
Subject(s) - flocculation , yeast , biology , population , adhesion , lectin , strain (injury) , microbiology and biotechnology , saccharomyces cerevisiae , biochemistry , chemistry , demography , organic chemistry , anatomy , sociology
The problem of understanding the recognition and specific interactions in a population of yeast flocculating cells is discussed. The biochemistry, physiology and genetics of flocculation is briefly reviewed. Yeast flocculation requires the expression of a specific protein (lectin) on flocculent cells, and carbohydrate (receptors) on neighbouring cells. Adhesion experiments performed with cells whose flocculation is repressed by growth conditions, indicating that the inhibition of flocculation is due to inhibition or inactivation of ‘lectin‐like’ component. Additionally, using adhesion experiments, it is demonstrated that cells of non‐flocculent strain interact by establishing a true bond with flocculent cells rather than by entrapment inside the floc matrix. As phenotypic expression of flocculation, for several strains, is shown to be repressed, modulated or induced by modifying growth conditions, the constitutiveness and inducibility of flocculation are also discussed.