Aerobic fermentation of cheese whey by Kluyveromyces fragilis has been proposed as a means of reducing its pollution potential and of producing ribonucleotide derivatives. 5'-Ribonucleotides, such as 5'-GMP and 5'-IMP are high added-value products that are used as flavour enhancers in foods. 5'-Ribonucleotide derivatives, nucleosides, nucleoside analogues and free bases are known to have anti-tumour, anti-viral and probiotic effects. In this study, K. fragilis was grown in a medium containing dehydrated whey under aeration. After different times of fermentation (24, 48, 72 h) aliquots of cells were autolysed either by incubation at three different fixed temperatures (48, 50, 53 °C) for 48 h or by incubation through a temperature gradient (45-65 °C, increasing by 5 °C every 5 h). Autolysed cells were centrifuged and the supernatant was analysed by high performance liquid chromatograpy. High concentrations of free bases (0.74%) and 3'-nucleotides (0.64%) on the basis of biomass (d.w.) were obtained by a specified autolysis condition (50 °C, pH 7.5, 48 h), but less than 0.1% of 5'-nucleotides were obtained. Autolytic enzymes were able to break the yeast cells and hydrolyse the molecules of RNA into compounds that have therapeutic effects (free bases), but were not able to transform them into 5'-GMP and 5'-IMP. Se ha propuesto la fermentación aer6bica de suero de queso con la levadura Kl m~z~cron«~ce~ fragilis como tratamiento para reducir su potencial contaminante y a su vez producir derivados ribonucleotidos. Los 5'-ribonucleotidos, tales como el 5'-GMP y 5'-IMP son productos de alto valor anadido que se utilizan como potenciadores del sabor en ciertos alimentos. Los derivados 5'-ribonucleotidos, nucleosidos y derivados y las bases libres se conocen por sus efectos antitu-. . morales, antivirales y como probi6ticos. En este trabajo se emple6 K. fmgilis y se inocul6 en un medio con suero deshidratado en condiciones aerobias. Despu6s de diferentes tiempos de fermentac16n (24, 48 y 72 h) las c6lulas de la levadura se sometieron a diversas temperaturas (48, 50 y 53 °C) durante 48 h o bien a un gradiente de temperatura entre 45 y 65 °C a razon de 5 °C cada 5 horas para lograr la autolisis. Las celulas se centrifugaron y el liquido sobrenadante se ' analiz6 por HPLC. Se obtuvieron concentraciones elevadas de bases libres (0,77%) y 3'-nucleotidos (0,64%) con respecto a la biomasa (base seca) para determinadas condiciones (50 °C pH 7,5 y 48 h) sin embargo, solo se obtuvo menos del 0,1% de 5'-nucleotidos. Las enzimas autoliticos pudieron romper las c6lulas de la levadura e hidrolizar la mol6cula de RNA para dar compuestos con efectos terap6uticos (bases libres) pero no pudieron transformarlo en 5'-GMP y 5'-IMP.Palnhrrrs clave: ribonucleoticos, KILII~Z~eI'U11T1/ces P-iigilis, suero de queso, fermentación, potenciador de aroma, probi6ticos, bases libres *To whom correspolldellce should be sent.