Metabolism of the anaerobic formation of succinic acid bySaccharomyces cerevisiae

1. Succinic acid is formed in amounts of 0.2–1.7 g/l by fermenting yeasts of the genusSaccharomyces during the exponential growth phase. No differences were observed between the various species, respiratory deficient mutants and wild type strains. 2. At low glucose concentrations the formation of succinic acid depended on the amount of sugar fermented. However, the nitrogen source was found to be of greater importance than the carbon source. 3. Of all nitrogen sources, glutamate yielded the highest amounts of succinic acid. Glutamate led to an oxidative and aspartate to a reductive formation of succinic acid. 4. A reductive formation of succinic acid by the citric acid cycle enzymes was obs…