The lactic acid-assimilating yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae NAM34-4C grew rapidly in minimal D-lactate medium (pH 3.5) at 35 degrees C, compared with minimal L-lactate medium. A laboratory strain, S. cerevisiae S288C, did not grow in either medium at pH 3.5. Strain NAM34-4C produced remarkably high levels of ethanol in YPDL medium at pH 3.5, but not at pH 5.5, when D-lactate was provided as the carbon source. Optimal cultivation conditions for ethanol production from is-lactate by strain NAM34-4C were as follows: shaking speed, 60 rpm; initial pH, 3.0; cultivation temperature, 35 degrees C; yeast extract, 5 g/L; peptone, 10 g/L; and D-lactate, 30 g/L. Under these conditions, strain NAM34-4C produced 2.7 g/L ethanol, which is 18% of the theoretical maximal yield (0.51 x initial D-lactate concentration). (C) 2013, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.