Studies on the physiology and metabolism of hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms. VIII. Comparative studies on respiratory activity and cytochrome content of Candida pK 233 grown on hydrocarbon and on glucose.

Abstract

Some differences in the respiratory activity as well as in cytochrome content were observed between glucose-grown (G-cells) and hydrocarbon-grown cells (H-cells) of Candida tropicalis pK 233. The Q02 values of H-cells measured with n-alkanes were markedly high when compared with those measured with glucose during the whole growth phase. On the other hand, the values of G-cells measured with glucose were significantly higher than those measured with n-alkanes in the exponential growth phase, but there was little difference between both values in the stationary phase. Although a significant difference in quality was not recognized in the cytochrome patterns between G-cells and H-cells, the contents of a-, b- and c-type of cytochromes in H-cells were twice as much as those in G-cells.In general, H-cells were more sensitive to respiratory inhibitors than G-cells. When glucose was used as oxidation substrate, KCN did not exert any inhibitory effect, but rather stimulated the respiration of G-cells. On the othe...