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Method for estimating activity of killer toxin from Kluyveromyces lactis
1Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Praha.
Folia Biologica
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Killer toxin from Kluyveromyces lactis prevents Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells from staining with Rhodamine B. This observation forms the basis for a new method to quantify the toxin's activity.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Killer toxins are proteins secreted by yeasts that can kill other sensitive yeast strains.
- Kluyveromyces lactis produces a killer toxin that affects Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
- Nystatin is an antifungal medication that can be used to assess cell membrane integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel method for quantifying the activity of killer toxin produced by Kluyveromyces lactis.
- To establish a principle for toxin activity estimation based on yeast cell staining.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells in their exponential growth phase.
- Treating cells with nystatin and observing their staining response with Rhodamine B.
- Correlating Rhodamine B staining with prior exposure to Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin.
Main Results:
- Nystatin-treated Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells only stain with Rhodamine B if they have not been exposed to Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin.
- The absence of Rhodamine B staining indicates the presence and activity of the killer toxin.
Conclusions:
- A simple and effective method for estimating Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin activity has been developed.
- This method relies on the differential staining of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells based on toxin exposure.