Growth and enzyme synthesis during continuous culture of Trichosporon cutaneum on phenol.

The soil yeast Trichosporon cutaneum was grown in continuous culture with phenol as the sole carbon source. The cultures were operated as carbon-limited chemostats or as steady-state continuous cultures without carbon limitation. Selected comparative runs were also conducted on glucose or acetate as carbon source. In addition to growth parameters, the activities of several intracellular enzymes were determined, comprising those directly involved in the degradation of phenol as well as auxiliary enzymes required for the generation of reducing power. All enzymes were assayed in detergent-permea-bilized cells. Phenol was found to serve as an excellent carbon source, comparable to glucose or acetate. The utilization of phenol in T. cutaneum is very efficient as indicated by a low maintenance requirement (0.01 g phenol/g cells.h). The cell yields obtained were on the order of 0.8 g cells/g phenol. Although the phenol-limited chemostats were run with fully phenol-induced cells, a further increase in the activities of isocitrate DH(NADP(+)), maleate DH and the phenol-degrading enzymes occurred after transition to nonlimiting condition. Enzyme activities increased in parallel with increasing phenol levels in the effluent, as well as with increasing toxicity. The significance of this phenomenon is discussed. The significance of this phenomenon is discussed. This elevation in enzyme activities in not related to an increase in specific growth rate.