Extrusion of metabolites from baker's yeast during glucose-induced acidification

Extrusion of metabolites (glycerol, lactic, malic, and succinic acid) during the medium acidification caused by resting baker's yeast supplied with 200 mM glucose was studied under aerobic and anaerobic conditions and in the absence and presence of 14 mM KCl. The maximum levels of glycerol and of the sum of acids (about 13 and 8 mM, respectively) were attained anaerobically; aerobiosis reduced the levels by 40-50% and the presence of K+ ions by another 10-20%. The time courses of glucose consumption and medium acidification were similar aerobically and anaerobically. The glucose consumption curves exhibited a short plateau about 2 min after glucose addition, caused probably by a rapid osmotic equilibration of glucose across the cell mambrane. Metabolite extrusion indicates that at high glucose concentrations the alcohol dehydrogenase reaction is supplemented by other reactions aiding in the maintenance of a balanced NAD+/NADH ratio in the cells.