METABOLISM OF ANAEROBIC FORMATION OF SUCCINIC ACID BY SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE

1. Succinic acid is formed in amounts of 0.2-1.7 g/l by fermenting yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces during the exponential growth phase. No differences were observed between the various species, respiratory deficient mutants and wild type strains. 2. At low glucose concentrations the formation of succinic acid depended on the amount of sugar fermented. However, the nitrogen source was found to be of greater importance than the carbon source. 3. Of all nitrogen sources, glutamate yielded the highest amounts of succinic acid. Glutamate led to an oxidative and aspartate to a reductive formation of succinic acid. 4. A reductive formation of succinic acid by the citric acid cycle enzymes was observed with malate. This was partially inhibited by malonate. No evidence was obtained that the glyoxylate cycle is involved in succinic acid formation by yeasts. 5. Anaerobically grown cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contained α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Its activity was found in the 175000 x g sediment after fractionated centrifugation. The specific activity increased 6-fold after growth on glutamate as compared with cells grown on ammonium sulfate. 6. The specific activities of malate dehydrogenase, fumarase, succinate dehydrogenase, succinylcoenzymeA synthetase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dependent) were determined in yeast cells grown on glutamate or ammonium sulfate. Similar results were obtained with a wild type strain and a respiratory deficient mutant. The latter did not contain succinate dehydrogenase. 7. In fermenting yeasts succinic acid is mainly formed from glutamate by oxidation. © 1978 Springer-Verlag.