Comparison of biochemical effects produced by calcium ions and by monomers of polyacrylamide (acrylamide and bisacrylamide) on strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae used for production of chiral synthons

The biochemical behaviour of four commercial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied in the presence of calcium ions, acrylamide and bisacrylamide. Calcium ions at a concentration of 300 microM induced an increase of NAD(P)+ reduction in commercial Turkish and American strains, while in Chilean and Brazilian commercial strains, it diminished NAD(P)+ reduction. On the Other hand, polyacrylamide monomers (acrylamide and bisacrylamide) induced a decrease of NAD(P)+ reduction in all strains studied in this paper. When membrane potential (delta psi) and oxygen consumption were measured in the presence of polyacrylamide monomers, a decrease of both was observed in all strains studied.