Saturated fatty acid-starved cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown in the presence of cerulenin and oleic acid.

Cell growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 12341 inhibited by the antibiotic cerulenin, a specific inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis, was restored by oleic acid (18 : 1) to give saturated fatty acid-starved cells, which could not grow when again transferred into a fresh synthetic medium containing the antibiotic and oleic acid. The growth of the saturated fatty acid-starved cells was restored when they were transferred into a medium supplemented with myristic acid (14 : 0), pentadecanoic acid (15 : 0), and palmitic acid (16 : 0) in the presence of cerulenin and oleic acid. Cellular saturated fatty acid content in the growth-restored cells was also restored to about two-thirds of that of the normal yeast cells. The DNA, RNA, and cell wall synthetic capabilities of the saturated fatty acid-starved cells were almost normal, but the L-leucine uptake and cytochrome pattern were severely impaired. These impairments were reversed on supplying palmitic acid. The decrease of L-leucine uptake of the yeasts was also caused by the addition of cerulenin alone. However, since the decrease occurred later than the inhibition of fatty acid synthesis, it was considered to be a secondary effect. These results, obtained by using the saturated fatty acid-starved cells, indicate that the membranes of S. cerevisiae require certain amounts of saturated fatty acid and that the membrane functions (energy metabolism, transport, and so on) are impaired by starvation of saturated fatty acids.