Cell surface characterization of Yarrowia lipolytica IMUFRJ 50682

In the present work, the surface characteristics of a wild-type strain of Yarrowia lipolytica (IMUFRJ50682) were investigated. Six different methods to characterize cell surfaces - adhesion to polystyrene; hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC); microbial adhesion to solvents (MATS) test; zeta potential; microbial adhesion to hydrocarbons (MATH) test; and contact angle measurement (CAM) - were employed to explain the cell surface behaviour of Y. lipolytica (IMUFRJ50682). This Y. lipolytica strain presents significant differences at the cell surface compared with another Y. lipolytica strain (W29) previously reported in the literature. The main difference is related to the higher cell adhesion to non-polar solvents. The proteins present on the cell wall of Y. lipolytica IMUFRJ50682 seem to play an important role in these particular surface characteristics because of the consistent reduction of this yeast hydrophobic character after the action of pronase on its cell wall. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.