Differences between pectic enzymes produced by laboratory and wild-type strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The laboratory strain of S. IM1-8b, showed pectolytic activity in the presence of either glucose, fructose, cerevisiae, or sucrose as the carbon source, but not with galactose. The enzyme activity was rapidly lost with shaking. The optimum pH and temperature for activity were 4.5 and 45 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme was an endopolygalacturonase, since it preferentially hydrolysed pectate over pectin and decreased the viscosity of a 5% polygalacturonic solution by about 30% in 30 min producing oligogalacturonic acid and digalacturonic acid as end-products.