Biochemical studies on the production of acetic acid by the yeast Dekkera anomala

Cells of Dekkera anomala IGC 5153. grown in concentrations of glucose highe r than 2 % (w/v) were able to produce high amounts of acetic acid, while in lower sugar concentrations the presence of the acid was not detected. Etha nol was detected when the glucose concentration in the culture medium was a bove 2 % and in all growth conditions production of glycerol was not found. The fermentative metabolism appeared to be the main pathway involved in gl ucose catabolism. The enzyme acetyl-CoA synthetase was strongly repressed b y glucose and the high acetic acid concentrations found in the culture medi um resulted probably from the insufficient activity of the acetyl-CoA synth etase required for the complete conversion of acetate to acetyl-CoA.