Research on the distribution of oxylipins (3-hydroxy fatty acids) in floccu
lant strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae led to the uncovering of
a novel 'ghosting' phenomenon observed during assumed lectin-mediated aggr
egation. We found that intracellular oxylipin-containing osmiophilic layers
migrate through yeast cell walls in a 'ghostlike' fashion without visually
affecting the cell wall structure or the layers. This migration resulted i
n the binding of these layers to cell walls of adjacent cells. Consequently
, 'ghosting' seems a prerequisite for flocculation to occur. However, 'ghos
ting' alone may not be sufficient to ensure flocculation.