[Yeast] pombe respiration

[Jean-Nicolas Jasmin]

Hi,

I am working with Sz pombe strains FY261 and FY254 and I find it 
difficult to grow them on a non-fermentable substrate. I have tried 
solid media with yeast extract (1 to 5%) and glycerol (1 to 3%) and 
ethanol (1 to 3%), plus amino acids. On 5% YE and 2% glycerol and 
ethanol it takes about 2 weeks to get large colonies and the colonies 
show very high variation in size.

Is this normal for this genotype?

Which pombe strain should I use to obtain better growth on 
non-fermentable substrates?

Many thanks,

Jean-Nicolas
EBE, Biological Sciences, UCSD