Effect of nystatin, amphotericin B and amphotericin B methyl ester on Saccharomyces cerevisiae with different lipid composition.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cultured under anaerobiosis in semi-complete medium to which either palmitoleic or oleic acid was added. Cells were grown at 20 degrees C or 30 degrees C. The levels of total lipids, total sterols, and phospholipids were higher in cells grown at 20 degrees C than at 30 degrees C. The effects of nystatin (NYS), amphotericin B (AMB), and amphotericin B methyl ester (AME) were evaluated by determining cell viability and liberation of intracellular compounds. The loss of cell viability is higher in the first 30 minutes of incubation with the drugs and is the same regardless of the type of cells obtained. Low molecular weight compounds and ions such as K+ are liberated a few minutes after incubation with the drugs whereas proteins and substances absorbing at 260 nm are liberated later. Phosphate liberation comes after K+ and before compounds of higher molecular weights.