Anhydrobiosis in yeast: Glutathione overproduction improves resistance to dehydration of a recombinant Ogataea (Hansenula) polymorpha strain

Abstract We show for the first time that a recombinant strain of yeast Ogataea (Hansenula) polymorpha is at least as tolerant to dehydration-rehydration treatment as the wild type strain. It is believed that this unusual characteristic of this recombinant yeast strain is linked with its ability to overproduce glutathione. Based on plasma membrane permeability analysis, we hypothesise that glutathione, in addition to its powerful antioxidative protective effects on membrane lipids, may also protect membrane proteins and/or nucleic acids. The combination of yeast cell dehydration with immobilisation and subsequent preliminary slow rehydration in water vapour gave good results in terms of reco…