Toxicity of 5-thioglucose towards a pathogenic yeast, Torulopsis glabrata

5-thioglucose (T-glc) caused premature death of T. glabrata cells after 1- and 2-day culture in defined glucose-containing medium. T-glc equilibrated with 80% of the cell water but did not accumulate in resting or growing cells. The sulfur analog had little or no effect on, 1) the rate of glucose uptake, 2) the kinetics of endogenous trehalose turnover preceding new growth, and 3) the viability of resting cells. A hallmark of cells grown in the presence of T-glc was the retention of abnormally high concentrations of glycogen after 2-day culture. Toxicity of T-glc towards Candida albicans and C. tropicalis was also indicated.