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Ethanol and the fluidity of the yeast plasma membrane
Author(s) -
Jones Rodney P.,
Greenfield Paul F.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
yeast
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.923
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1097-0061
pISSN - 0749-503X
DOI - 10.1002/yea.320030403
Subject(s) - biology , yeast , ethanol , membrane , membrane fluidity , biochemistry
Evidence is presented for an exponential increase in yeast plasma membrane fluidity (as meaured by pasive permeability to acetic acid) with ethanol concentration. The role of adaptation of yeast cells to ethanol can be seen in the existence of a threshold concnetration before the onset of an observed fluidizing effect. The physiological state of the yeast cells is also demonstrated to influence the sensitivity of the membrane to fluidizatio by ethanol. On the basis of these results, the concept that increased fluidity is an adaptive response conferring ethanol tolerance is disputed. An alternative hypothesis, namely that the observed increase in fluidity is the net result of a number of more fundamental changes, is presented to explain the observed effects.