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Polyamines and cell wall organization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Author(s) -
Miret J. J.,
Solari A. J.,
Barderi Patricia A.,
Goldemberg Sara H.
Publication year - 1992
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.320081206
Subject(s) - saccharomyces cerevisiae , biology , cell wall , polyamine , ornithine decarboxylase , mannan , cell envelope , biochemistry , cytoplasm , yeast , microbiology and biotechnology , glucan , cell , lytic cycle , spermidine , polysaccharide , enzyme , genetics , gene , virus , escherichia coli
Cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae 179‐5, an ornithine decarboxylase mutant ( spe ‐ 1 ), showed several ultrastructural abnormalities when cultivated in the absence of polyamines. Besides the appearance of microvacuole‐like spaces in the cytoplasm and of deformed nuclei, the most important alterations seemed to be located in the cell wall, which was thicker and of heterogeneous texture, and in the cell membrane, of irregular contour. These modifications could not be evoked by general stress conditions elicited by lack of nutrients. The relative levels of cell wall polysaccharides were altered in polyamine‐deprived organisms, giving an envelope with increased mannan and decreased glucan content; this cell wall was incompletely attacked by the lytic enzyme zymolyase. Polyamine depletion led also to some abnormalities in the budding pattern. The above observations suggest the involvement of polyamines in the correct structure and organization of the yeast cell.