Synchronization affector of autonomous short-period-sustained oscillation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

When the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was grown under aerobic continuous culture, an autonomous short-period-sustained oscillation appeared. This oscillation was observed in concentrations of various extracellular and intracellular parameters, such as ethanol, acetate, glycogen, dissolved oxygen and intracellular pH. In this work the synchronization affecter of this oscillation was investigated. Ethanol was found not to be the synchronizer of the oscillation because a pulse of ethanol did not affect the phase or period of the oscillation. The oscillation was dependent on the aeration rate, i.e., the oscillation occurred only between 150 and 600 ml min-1. However, the oxygen concentration did not influence synchronization as an upward shift in the oxygen concentration of the gas flow did not affect the sustainability of the oscillation. On the other hand, synchronization was stopped by an enhanced gas flow rate, keeping dissolved oxygen tension at the oscillatory condition, suggesting that synchronization was caused by a volatile compound in the culture. A stepwise increase in carbon dioxide concentration of the gas flow rate ceased synchronization, yet the oscillation seem to continue in each individual cell. Oscillatory behaviour of intracellular pH and carbon dioxide evolution rate showed a phase difference of 90 degrees. Based on these facts it is postulated that carbon dioxide, through the influence of its dissociation on intracellular pH, could be the synchronization affector of the autonomous short-period-sustained oscillation of S. cerevisiae.