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A nystatin-resistant mutant of Rhodotorula gracilis. Transport properties and sterol content

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Abstract

A nystatin-resistant mutant of Rhodotorula gracilis was obtained by treatment of the wild strain cells with N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and selected on agar plates containing 150 μg nystatin/ml. Three important transport functions of the plasma membrane of mutant cells: the accumulation of monosaccharides, the generation and maintenance of the pH-gradient and of the membrane potential, as well as the cell respiration were insensitive to at least 10-5 M nystatin. This concentration of nystatin inhibited completely all these processes in wild strain cells. Analysis of cellular sterols revealed a defect of ergosterol biosynthesis in the mutant, which was localized at the last oxidative step between 5,6-dihydroergosterol and ergosterol.

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Höfer, M., Thiele, O.W., Huh, H. et al. A nystatin-resistant mutant of Rhodotorula gracilis. Transport properties and sterol content. Arch. Microbiol. 132, 313–316 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413381

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413381

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