Why Phosphate in SCP Fermentation using yeast?

[thomasjohn497]

In the production of SCP involving yeast fermentation, I was wondering why the media needed phosphate? Why is it essential? Does anyone know the pathway that the phosphate enters once it is taken up by the cells? Also, metabolically, what is the difference between KH2PO4 and Na2HPO4? I have noticed that both compounds are added to the media, usually more KH2PO4 than Na2HPO4. Are both required for the successful production of SCP? Or could the organism ferment well with only KH2PO4? Thank you for your responses.

[CharonY]

The use of mono- and dibasic phosphate is used to create a buffer. That being said, yeast as all other organisms require a P-source for survival and there are a quite a range of phosphate transporter that is used by yeast under different growth conditions. There are a range of enzymes that then further utilize the phosphate in a huge range of metabolic and signaling pathways. Phosphorylation/dephosphorylation is a major element of protein activity control, for example, and phosphate is used in many metabolites, including nucleic acids and so on.

Far too much to list, really.