The pools of ribonucleoside di- and triphosphates decrease within a few min after addition of 5 mM sulfite to a suspension of Saccharomyces cerevisiae at pH 3.6. Levels of the corresponding ribonucleoside monophosphates increase in parallel. The strongest effect was observed with the adenosine phosphate pools. Depletion of ATP by sulfite at pH 3.6 occurs both in the presence and absence of glucose. These findings point to at least two different mechanisms for sulfite action on energy metabolism. Glycolysis is effectively impaired by low sulfite concentrations. The enzymes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase are inhibited by sulfite in vitro. In addition, formation of adducts between sulfite and aldehydes contr...