Fed-batch cultivation of baker's yeast followed by nitrogen or carbon starvation: effects on fermentative capacity and content of trehalose and glycogen

An industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (DGI 342) was cultivated in fed-batch cultivations at a specific growth rate of 0.2 h(-1). The yeast was then exposed to carbon or nitrogen starvation for up to 8 h, to study the effect of starvation on fermentative capacity and content of protein, trehalose and glycogen.

Nitrogen starvation triggered the accumulation of trehalose and glycogen. After 8 h of starvation, the content of trehalose and glycogen was increased 4-fold and 2-fold, respectively. Carbon starvation resulted in a partial conversion of glycogen into trehalose. The trehalose content increased from 45 to 64 mg (g dry-weight)(-1), whereas the glycogen content in the same period was reduced from 55 to 5 mg (g dry-weight)(-1).

Glycogen was consumed faster than trehalose during storage of the starved yeast for 1 month. Nitrogen starvation resulted in a decrease in the protein content of the yeast cells, and the fermentative capacity per gram dry-weight decreased by 40%. The protein content in the carbon-starved yeast increased as a result of starvation due to the fact that the content of glycogen was reduced.

The fermentative capacity per gram dry-weight was, however, unaltered.