Biochemical Studies on the Mineral Components in Sake Yeast

Abstract

When sake yeast Kyokai No. 6 was cultured in a phosphate-rich medium, the phosphorus content of the cells increased at first and then returned to the normal at a stationary phase. In a phosphate-poor medium, however, the phosphorus content decreased below the normal but did not go down below 0.06mmol/g, the basal content.The basal content of magnesium measured by the same way was 0.02 mmol/g. When magnesium content of the cells was low, calcium was taken up into the cells.The basal contents of the strains of brewer’s yeasts were approximately the same.When sake yeast was cultured in a potassium-rich medium, the contents of potassium and sodium of the cells were almost constant during the course of cultural development. On the other hand, the potassium content decreased rapidly and the increase of the sodium content compensated the decrease of potassium at the earlier stage of the culture, then the sodium content decreased on the culture in a potassium-free medium.The transfer of potassium through the cell...