NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP+-Gdh) is the first step in ammonia assimilation pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the knowledge of its regulation is the key for many biotechnological purposes such as single cell protein production. The regulation of NADP+-Gdh activity in Kluyveromyces marxianus cells was evaluated under different ammonia supply in batch cultivations. The results showed that K. marxianus NADP+-Gdh activity is induced over a narrow range of extracellular ammonia supply, being repressed by both high ammonia concentration and the glutamate formed. This activity is not growth-associated and may function mainly to trace low amounts of ammonia after growth cessation. The results demonstrated that NADP+-Gdh may not be the main enzyme for ammonia assimilation in K. marxianus, as it has been postulated for K. lactis, instead is subjected to the same regulatory mechanism described for S. cerevisiae.
ammonia assimilation; enzyme activity; glutamate dehydrogenase; Kluyveromyces marxianus
