AMINO ACID TRANSPORT IN YEAST AND EFFECTS OF NYSTATIN

Abstract

Nystatin, an antifungal antibiotic, inhibits the accumulation, by yeast cells, of glycine, leucine, arginine, and alanine at concentrations that have no effect on the respiration of the cells. The uptake of glycine by yeast cells that have been preincubated with nystatin and then suspended in a nystatin-free medium is much lower than that of normal cells. The longer the preincubation with nystatin, the greater is the inhibition of glycine uptake. Nystatin produces two distinct effects. At concentrations below 0.8 μg/ml, nystatin inhibits glycine or arginine uptake. At concentrations from 0.8 to 2.0 μg/ml, it causes an efflux of previously accumulated glycine or arginine. Fatty acids, such as oleic, linoleic, stearic, or palmitic acid, can protect the yeast cell from the action of nystatin. The presence of citrate or versene abolishes the protective action of these fatty acids. Calcium ions also protect the cell from the action of nystatin. The concentration of calcium ions giving complete protection depends upon the nystatin concentration. The implications of these facts on amino acid transport in yeast are discussed.