Ultradian oscillation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during aerobic continuous culture: hydrogen sulphide mediates population synchrony

摘要

Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed an ultradian respiratory oscillation during aerobic continuous culture. Analysis of the off-gas revealed that hydrogen sulphide production also oscillated. Production was first detected at the onset of low respiration and reached a maximum (1.5 #mu#M) prior to minimum respiratory activity. Then H_2S concentration fell rapidly to below 0.2 #mu# before the onset of high respiration. Injection of respiratory oscillation perturbation agents, such as glutathione (50#mu#), NaNO_2 (50 #mu#M) or acetaldehyde (4.5 mM), transiently increased H_2S production above 6 laM. The synchronization properties of H_2S were analysed to reveal that changes of oscillation period and amplitude were dependent on H_2S concentration in culture. It is concluded that H_2S produced during oscillation produces population synchrony by respiratory chain inhibition.