Adaptation to salt stress in a salt-tolerant strain of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica.

We have studied the cellular mechanisms underlying adaptation to salt stress in a newly isolated osmo- and salt-tolerant strain of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. When cells are incubated in the presence of 9% NaCl, a rapid change in their size and shape is observed. Salt stress is accompanied by an increase in the intracellular level of glycerol, free amino acids (notably proline and aliphatic amino acids), and Na+, as well as by changes in lipid and fatty acid composition.