Physiological effects of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural on Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

The physiological effects of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) on Saccharomyces cerevisiae CBS 8066 in the presence and absence of furfural were studied. Experiments were carried out by pulse addition of HMF (2-4 g/l) as well as HMF (2 g/l) together with furfural (2 g/l) to batch cultivations of S. cerevisiae. Synthetic medium with glucose (50 g/l) as carbon and energy source was used. Addition of 4 g/l of HMF caused a decrease (approx. 32%) in the carbon dioxide evolution rate. Furthermore, the HMF was found to be taken up and converted by the yeast with a specific uptake rate of 0.14 (+/-0.03) g/g x h during both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and the main conversion product was found to be 5-hydroxymethylfurfuryl alcohol. A previously unreported compound was found and characterized by mass spectrometry. It is suggested that the compound is formed from pyruvate and HMF in a reaction possibly catalysed by pyruvate decarboxylase. When HMF was added together with furfural, very little conversion of HMF took place until all of the furfural had been converted. Furthermore, the conversion rates of both furfural and HMF were lower than when added separately and growth was completely inhibited as long as both furfural and HMF were present in the medium.

Alcoholic fermentation of carbon sources in biomass hydrolysates by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: current status

“…Increasing the biomass concentration via biomass recycling similarly reduced the impact of furans on ethanol productivity (Brandberg et al 2005). Conversely, conversion rates of both compounds are decreased when they are present in combination (Taherzadeh et al 2000) with furfural being converted at higher rates (Larsson et al 1999) and HMF metabolism only proceeding after the complete degradation of furfural (Taherzadeh et al 2000).…”

“…In general, furans have been implicated in a broad range of effects, including inhibition of cell growth and glucose utilization, reduction of enzymic activity and ethanol productivity, DNA damage and inhibition of protein and RNA synthesis (as cited in Liu et al 2004). However, S. cerevisiae is capable of reducing furfural and 5-HMF to the less toxic furfuryl (Taherzadeh et al 1999) and 5-hydroxymethyl furfuryl alcohols (Taherzadeh et al 2000), respectively. When present alone, furfural is converted so efficiently that inhibitory effects decrease with increasing cell mass due to its rapid bioconversion (Navarro 1994).…”

Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for improvement in stresses tolerance

“…It has natural ability to convert furfural and HMF to furfuryl alcohol 7,8 and 2,5-bis-hydroxymethylfuran, 9 respectively. Reduction of aldehydes, mainly furfural and HMF in the lignocellulosic substrate, helps to improve the cell growth and subsequent ethanol production.…”

Effect of Storage on Quality Characteristics of Sterilized Mango Based Dairy Beverage

“…Similar results for physicochemical changes were earlier observed by Kumar and Manimegalai (2005) in whey-based papaya juice blended ready to serve beverage stored at refrigerated temperature for three months. Taherzadeh et al, (2000) found that HMF was used up and converted by the yeast during storage of beer, and the main conversion product was 5-hydroxymethylfurfuryl alcohol (HMF alcohol). The storage of soybean beverages caused a significant (p<0.05) decrease of antioxidant capacity, soluble phenolics, and isoflavone contents after 9 months at room temperature.…”