Oxidation of aliphatic alcohols and acids by yeasts capable and incapable of growth on n-alkanes.

Yeast cultures, capable and incapable fo growth on hydrocarbons, were tested for their ability to oxidize aliphatic alcohols and acids, intermediate products of n-alkane degradation. The cultures belonging to 7 genera and 13 species did not grow on liquid paraffins and tetradecane. However, they grew on tetradecanol and oxidized aliphatic alcohols and fatty acids, the pattern of oxidation of the substrates being the same as in the case of alkane-oxidizing yeast cultures grown on glucose. None of 45 yeast strains (12 genera and 36 species) which did not grow on paraffin was able to oxidize tetradecane. As follows from this and earlier evidence (Lozinov et al., 1976a), the only reaction typical of yeasts capable of growth on n-alkanes is the oxigenase reaction of their oxidation to alcohols.