Agricultural and Biological Chemistry · 1981 · 108 citations · 0 references
Life SciencesBiochemistryMicrobiologyBiocatalysisEnzyme MechanismEnzymologyAlcoholic FermentationBeer FermentationCatalytic MechanismsEnzyme KineticsEnzyme-substrate RecognitionMembrane-bound EnzymesAcetate Ester FormationAlcohol FermentationBeer ProductionCell Membrane BindingFatty AcidsFermentation-associated EnzymesMembrane-bound Enzyme IsolationUnsaturated Fatty Acids
Alcohol acetyltransferase responsible for the formation of acetate esters during beer fermentation was found to be localized at the cell membrane of brewers' yeast. This cell membrane-bound enzyme was purified 120-fold by solubilization with Triton X-100, gel filtration on a Sepharose 6B column and chromatography on a DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column. The enzyme was most active at 30°C at pH 78. It was least active against C3 alcohol among C1C6 alcohols, and slightly more active against straight-chain alcohols than against branched-chain alcohols with the same carbon number. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by unsaturated fatty acids, heavy metal ions and sulfhydryl reagents.