[Pyruvate- and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activity during yeast growth on glucose and hexadecane]

The activity of pyruvate- and ketoglutarate dehydrogenases (PDH and KGDH) was determined in the cells of Candida lipolytica and Candida tropicalis during the exponential phase of their growth on glucose and hexadecane. The activity of PDH in the cells growing on hexadecane was found to be lower than in the cells growing on glucose. The activity of KGDH was almost the same in the cells cultivated on hexadecane and glucose. The results obtained are discussed with respect to different pathways of degradation of glucose and n-alkanes, and a decreased requirement in thiamine during growth of the yeast cells on n-alkanes.