Influence of L-galactonic acid gamma-lactone on ascorbate production in some yeasts

L-galactonic acid gamma-lactone appear to influence ascorbic acid production in strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Clavispora lusitaniae, Cryptococcus terreus, Pichia fermentans in which this is undetected whenever glucose represents the sole carbon source. Cryptococcus terreus (strains DBVP 6012 and 6242) does not show ascorbic acid production either in presence or in the absence of L-galactonic acid gamma-lactone. This feature is probably connected to the insensibility of the strain to the lycorine, an alkaloid which commonly inhibits cell division probably by blocking L-galactonic acid gamma-lactone convertion into ascorbate.