Fluorescence staining of yeast cells permeabilized by killer toxin K1: Determination of optimum conditions.

Optimal assay conditions were established for the previously described method used to determine the activity ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae pore-forming killer toxin K1. The method is based on cell staining with bromocresol purple. Sensitive cells ofS. cerevisiae from the early exponential phase under nongrowth conditions and in the presence of glucose were the most convenient for determining the killer toxin activity. Maximum killing war reached when the suspension was buffered with 10 mM citrate-phosphate at pH 4.6.