Anti-infectious potential of beta-mercapto-ethanol treated baker's yeast in gnotobiotic Artemia challenge test.

AIM

To evaluate nutritional and anti-infectious characteristics of the chemically treated baker's yeast with 2-mercapto-ethanol (2ME) for gnotobiotically grown Artemia.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A selection of isogenic yeast strains was treated with 2ME and fed to gnotobiotically grown Artemia. In the first experiment the effect of the chemical treatment on the yeast nutritional value was studied. In most cases, 2ME-treated yeast cells were better feed for Artemia than the untreated cells. In the second experiment, a small quantity of 2ME-treated yeast cells was fed to Vibrio campbellii (VC) challenged Artemia. The 2ME-treatment on some yeast strains (e.g. gas1, kre6 and chs3) significantly improved Artemia resistance against VC compared with the respective untreated yeast cells.

CONCLUSION

Simple chemical treatment with 2ME could significantly improve the nutritional and anti-infectious properties of some baker's yeast strains for gnotobiotically grown Artemia.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The gnotobiotic Artemia test system provides a unique opportunity (because of noninterference of other microbial compounds) to investigate how the yeast cell wall composition influences macro parameters (e.g. growth and survival) in an organism. In addition, gene expression studies in these gnotobiotically grown Artemia should provide further documentation on direct effects of yeast cells on the genes involved in immune functions.