THE UTILIZATION OF AROMATIC, CYCLIC AND HETEROCYCLIC NITRILES BY YEASTS

The ability of endomycetalial yeast strains representing Candida fabia nii, Candida famata, Candida guilliermondii and Williopsis saturnus to utilize a series of aromatic, cyclic and heterocyclic nitriles as nit rogen source was examined. Varying degrees of utilization of these com pounds were noted. Sterically hindered nitrile groups were apparently nor utilized. C. fabianii demonstrated the highest rate of 3-cyanopyri dine conversion by the four yeasts and within 24 h, 100% molar convers ion was achieved. The cultivation of C. fabianii with aromatic and het erocyclic nitriles and ammonium sulphate as nitrogen source resulted i n a low apparently constitutive nitrile- and amide-hydrolyzing activit y. With aliphatic nitriles, a considerably higher specific activity wa s induced against olefinic aliphatic, heterocyclic and aromatic nitril es.