[The activity of citrate glyoxylate and pentosephosphate cycle enzymes during yeast growth on hexadecane and glucose].

The activity of key enzymes of the citrate (CC), glyoxylate (GC), and pentose phosphate cycles (PPC) was determined in the cells of Candida lipolytica and Candida tropicalis growing on hexadecane and glucose. The activity of isocitrate lyase and malate synthase (enzymes of GC) was very high in hexadecane grown cells but was almost absent in "glucose" grown. The activity of citrate synthase and aconitase was 2-4 times and 1.5-2 times, respectively, higher in the cells, grown on n-alkane. The activity of citrate synthase of "hexadecane" and "glucose" yeasts was higher than the activity of other enzymes of CC (aconitase and isocitrate dehydrogenase), especially in the "hexadecane" cells. The activity of the key enzymes of PPC was almost the same in the yeast cells, grown on "hexadecane" and "glucose". Possible factors causing differences in the activities of the enzymes of GC and CC are discussed. Yeast organisms incapable to grow on n-alkanes were found to be able to grow on acetate (43 strains belonging to 35 yeast species have been studied) and to have a high activity of isocitrate lyase. Therefore, the absence of growth of many yeast strains on n-alkanes is not caused by the absence of the activity of enzymes of GC in these strains.