Cellular Fatty Acid and Ester Formation by Brewers’ Yeast

Abstract

The activity of alcohol acetyltransferase, bound to the cell membrane and responsible for the formation of acetate esters, was affected by the fatty acid composition of the cell membrane. When saturated fatty acids, which only slightly inhibit alcohol acetyltransferase activity, were incorporated into the cell membrane, the enzyme activity and ester formation were only slightly affected. On. the other hand, when unsaturated fatty acids, which strongly inhibit the enzyme activity, accumulated in the cell membrane, ester formation was suppressed with inhibition of the enzyme activity. The mechanism of formation of acetate esters by brewers’ yeast was explained by the alcohol acetyltransferase activity under the influence of the fatty acid composition of the cell membrane. © 1983, Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry. All rights reserved.