DigitalUM :: Browsing by Subject "Desiccation"

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Open Access
Effect of trehalose and other compounds on the resistance to desiccation by Candida utilis cells
(Murcia: Universidad de Murcia, Servicio de Publicaciones, 1987) Lapeña, M.A.; Pardo, C.; Gacto Fernández, Mariano José; Facultad de Biología
As other yeasts, Candida utilis intracellularly accumulates trehalose as reserve carbohydrate. Stationary-phase cells show higher resistance to the loss of viability by desiccation than log-phase cells when subjected to a lyophilization protocol. This finding correlates with the fact that resting cells contain higher levels of endogenous trehalose than exponentially growing cells. The number of resulting viable cells can be increased by addition of exogenous trehalose inmediately before the desiccation treatment. These results suggest a protective role for trehalose in addition to the previously assumed of serving as energy source. The comparison of the protective effect of trehalose on cell death by dehydration to that developped by other compounds indicates that such a role is neither exclusive of this sugar nor dependent of its nonreducing character. Other disaccharides and glycerol can be even more effective in preventing loss of viability by desiccation. However, taking into account that trehalose is the only disaccharide endogenously accumulated, the physiological significance of this effect appears to be relevant.