Action properties of HYI killer toxin from Williopsis saturnus var. saturnus, and antibiotics, aculeacin A and papulacandin B.

The mechanism of the killing and cytocidal effects produced by HYI toxin from Williopsis saturnus var. saturnus, and by the amphiphilic antibiotics aculeacin A and papulacandin B on yeast Saccharomyces bayanus cells was studied. When the yeast cells were treated with these molecules, a discharge of cell materials at the budding position was observed by phase-contrast and scanning electron microscopy. The cytocidal effect of these molecules was most pronounced when the cells were in the logarithmic growth phase. Washing the HYI toxin incubation mixture completely eliminated the killing activity, but in the case of the antibiotics, it only partially reduced the cytocidal activity. Full recovery of the killing activity in the supernatant of the washing solution was observed after HYI toxin incubation, but in the case of the antibiotics, the recovery of cytocidal activity was time-dependent. The activity of membrane beta-1,3-glucan synthase was potently inhibited by HYI toxin, and the concentration of this enzyme in the budding tip was observed. These results suggest that HYI toxin exerts a cytocidal effect on the budding of sensitive yeast cells by inhibiting cell wall synthesis. This mechanism is similar to that of the HM-1 toxin of W. saturnus var. mrakii, and to aculeacin A and papulacandin B, although there are some differences from that of HYI toxin.