Yeast lysis methods

[Cheung C. Yue]

In a previous article, MURCOTT at BSA.BRISTOL.AC.UK () says:

>I spent a long time trying to work out suitable methods for yeast lysis
>for my PhD thesis which involved over-expression and mutagenesis of pyruvate

    stuff deleted

>If you are feeling rich then I suggest that you buy a Bead-Beater which is
>a glass vessel you fill with a slurry of yeast and glass beads which is then
>violently stirred by a teflon impeller and is a very efficient way of breaking
>open yeast.  It can cope with a range of volumes and there are not the losses

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I also had the need to break up yeast some time back.  I wound up using
"yeast lytic enzyme" from USB (the Sequenase people) which did a nice
job except I believe there is a nuclease activity in it.  I too came to
the conclusion that mechanical disruption is better.  Without careful
study, I wound up using nitrogen cavitation.  I must confess I have no
scientific data that this method works well at all, and I am wondering
if anyone could comment on whether nitrogen cavitation is or is not
similar to the French press.
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