This paper examines the process of selenium bioaccumulation and selenium metabolism in yeast cells. Yeast cells can bind elements in ionic from the environment and permanently integrate them into their cellular structure. Up to now, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida utilis, and Yarrowia lipolytica yeasts have been used primarily in biotechnological studies to evaluate binding of minerals. Yeast cells are able to bind selenium in the form of both organic and inorganic compounds. The process of bioaccumulation of selenium by microorganisms occurs through two mechanisms: extracellular binding by ligands of membrane assembly and intracellular accumulation associated with the transport of ions across the cytoplasmic membrane into the cell interior. During intracellular metabolism of selenium, oxidation, reduction, methylation, and selenoprotein synthesis processes are involved, as exemplified by detoxification processes that allow yeasts to survive under culture conditions involving the elevated selenium concentrations which were observed. Selenium yeasts represent probably the best absorbed form of this element. In turn, in terms of wide application, the inclusion of yeast with accumulated selenium may aid in lessening selenium deficiency in a diet.

The aim of this study was to determine the use of glycerol as a source of carbon and the use of deproteinized potato wastewater as a source of nitrogen and mineral components for the production of biomass by fodder yeast Candida utilis. The yeast strain Candida utilis ATCC 9950 was used in this study. Experimental media contained potato wastewater and glycerol at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% (w/v). Control medium was YPD and potato wastewater. During the 72 h of cultivation (200 rpm, 28 °C), the optical density (spectrophotometric method), biomass yield (weight method), glycerol (chemical method), and protein (Kjeldahl’s method) concentration in the experimental media, protein content in the biomass (Kjeldahl’s method) and chemical-oxygen demand index (dichromate method) in selected culture media were determined. Candida utilis was able to grow in the medium composed of potato wastewater and glycerol. Addition of 5% of glycerol gave a biomass yield above 30 g_d.w./L and the efficiency of protein biosynthesis was 12.2 g/L. The results showed that the cultivation C. utilis in this medium caused a significant reduction of glycerol (83%), nitrogen present in potato wastewater (51%), and a high degree of COD index reduction (91%). The study demonstrated that potato wastewater supplemented with glycerol may be successfully used as a carbon source in the production of fodder yeast C. utilis ATCC 9950 biomass. In addition, the results show that these two troublesome industrial wastes could be efficiently used in such processes.

Selenium exhibits health-promoting properties in humans and animals. Therefore, the development of selenium-enriched dietary supplements has been growing worldwide. However, it may also exhibit toxicity at higher concentrations, causing increased oxidative stress. Different species of yeasts may exhibit different tolerances toward selenium. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine the effect of selenium on growth and on the antioxidative system in Candida utilis ATCC 9950 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC MYA-2200 yeast cells. The results of this study have demonstrated that high doses of selenium causes oxidative stress in yeasts, thereby increasing the process of lipid peroxidation. In addition, we obtained an increased level of GSSG from aqueous solutions of yeast biomass grown with selenium supplementation (40–60 mg/L). Increased levels of selenium in aqueous solutions resulted in an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. These results should encourage future research on the possibility of a thorough understanding of antioxidant system functioning in yeast cells.

Selected methods for yeast cell disruption were evaluated to establish their suitability for cell wall preparation in the process of β-glucan isolation. The effect of different disruption methods on contents of total saccharides, β-glucans and proteins in the produced cell walls preparations was analyzed. The degree of cell wall purification from intracellular components was established on the basis of the ratio of solubilised material. The investigated methods included: cell exposure to hot water (autoclaving), thermally-induced autolysis, homogenization in a bead mill, sonication and their combinations. Experimental systems were prepared in water (pH 5.0 and pH 7.0) and Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.0). The Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cell wall preparations with the highest degree of cytosol component release and purification of β-glucans were produced by 30 min of cell homogenization with zirconium-glass beads (0.5 mm in diameter). This was confirmed by the highest ratio of solubilised material (approx. 64%–67%). The thus-produced preparations contained ca. 60% of total saccharides, 13%–14% of β(1,3)/(1,6)-glucans, and approx. 35% of crude proteins. Similar results were obtained after autolysis coupled with bead milling as well as with sonication, but the time required for these processes was more than 24 h. Homogenization in a bead mill could be valuable for general isolation procedures because allows one to eliminate the different autolytic activity of various yeast strains.

Background: Rhodotorula glutinis is capable of synthesizing numerous valuable metabolites with extensive potential industrial usage. This paper reports the effect of initial culture medium pH on growth and protein, lipid, and carotenoid biosynthesis by R. glutinis. Results: The highest biomass yield was obtained in media with pH 4.0–7.0, and the value after 72 h was 17.2–19.4 gd.w./L. An initial pH of the medium in the range of 4.0–7.0 has no significant effect on the protein (38.5–41.3 g/100 gd.w.), lipid (10.2–12.7 g/100 gd.w.), or carotenoid (191.7–202.9 μg/gd.w.) content in the biomass or on the profile of synthesized fatty acids and carotenoids. The whole pool of fatty acids was dominated by oleic (48.1–53.4%), linoleic (21.4–25.1%), and palmitic acids (13.0–15.8%). In these conditions, the yeast mainly synthesized torulene (43.5–47.7%) and β-carotene (34.7–38.6%), whereas the contribution of torularhodin was only 12.1–16.8%. Cultivation in medium with initial pH 3.0 resulted in a reduction in growth (13.0 gd.w./L) and total carotenoid (115.8 μg/gd.w.), linoleic acid (11.5%), and torularhodin (4.5%) biosynthesis. Conclusion: The different values of initial pH of the culture medium with glycerol and deproteinized potato wastewater had a significant effect on the growth and protein, lipid, and carotenoid biosynthesis by R. glutinis