Effect of ethanol on membrane fluidity of protoplasts fromSaccharomyces cerevisiae andKloeckera apiculata grown with or without ethanol, measured by fluorescence anisotropy

Direct measurements of membrane fluidity by fluorescence anisotropy of protoplasts fromKloeckera apiculata andSaccharomyces cerevisiae, a low and a high ethanol tolerant strain respectively, are presented. The comparison of the behaviour of the two strains grown with or without ethanol enabled us to demonstrate the existing relationship between ethanol tolerance and membrane fluidity.