Intracellular Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) Content Sensitively Reflects Subtle Differences in Yeast Physiology

Abstract

Precise determination of yeast physiology is crucial in both laboratories and breweries. Our aim was to identify a sensitive indicator that could demonstrate subtle physiological differences in brewer’s yeast cultures. During 4-day ageing at 25 °C, the cell viability, intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, and intracellular pH values changed significantly. The ATP content and intracellular pH value both correlated with viability. At 4 °C, a correlation was also observed between ATP content and viability, while no correlation was found between intracellular pH value and viability. When the relationship between intracellular ATP and viability in other strains was investigated, it was found that the ATP content could reflect both viability and vitality. When viability was significantly modified, the ATP content changed considerably more than the viability. When viability remained unchanged, the significant decrease in ATP content reflected a decrease in vitality. Taken together, it was concluded that intracellular ATP content is more sensitive than the intracellular pH value and viability; thus, this parameter can help identify subtle changes in yeast environmental responses when other commonly used indicators remain unchanged.