Interaction of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide with yeast cells.

The interaction of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with two yeast cells, Kluyveromyces fragilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been studied. Strong binding of CTAB to the cell was inferred from 1H and 13C NMR studies, the probable site of binding being the cell-surface. 13C and 31P NMR studies have indicated facilitation of free passage of molecules from outside to inside the cell and vice versa on treatment with CTAB. 31P NMR studies showed that intracellular pH (pHi) was affected in presence of CTAB and the rate of exchange of H+ and PO4(-3) between outside and inside of the cell was 508 s-1. CTAB treatment of yeast cells also affected pH and conductance measurements of the cell-suspension. There was a marked difference in the pH changes around the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of CTAB. The observed pH changes were dependent on (i) CTAB concentration, (ii) pH of the cell-suspension and (iii) pK values of groups from molecules released from the cell. Also, it was shown that ionisation of phosphate diester from polar head groups of membranes constituting cell surface enhanced CTAB binding. Conductance measurements have shown that observed changes were independent of the concentration of yeast cells, but probably dependent on CMC of CTAB.