Summary auto-generated
Researchers isolated a novel thermophilic yeast strain, designated Y94T, from soil in Korea and characterized it through physiological and molecular analyses. The strain was identified as a new species within the genus Candida based on several distinguishing features: it can grow at maximum temperatures of 50–51°C, significantly higher than related species; it reproduces asexually through multilateral budding; and it lacks extracellular starch-like compounds, arthrospores, ballistoconidia, and ascospores. Phylogenetic analysis of the 26S rRNA gene's D1/D2 domain showed the strain was most closely related to Pichia species but differed by more than 1% nucleotide divergence, meeting the criterion for a distinct species. The strain also exhibited unique physiological characteristics, including the ability to assimilate cellobiose, salicin, and arbutin, while being unable to utilize certain sugars like sucrose and maltose that related species can assimilate. The authors propose the name Candida thermophila sp. nov. for this organism, with the type strain registered as Y94T (JCM 10994T, KCCM 50661T). Such thermophilic yeasts have potential industrial applications for producing biological materials at elevated temperatures, reducing contamination risks and operational costs.
Key findings
- Strain Y94T represents a novel thermophilic yeast species capable of growth at 50–51°C, substantially higher than related Pichia species
- Phylogenetic analysis based on 26S rRNA D1/D2 sequences showed >1% nucleotide divergence from closely related species, confirming distinct species status
- The strain exhibits unique physiological characteristics including assimilation of cellobiose and salicin but inability to utilize sucrose and maltose, distinguishing it from related Pichia species
- Candida thermophila has a DNA G+C content of 45.9 mol% and ubiquinone Q-7 as its major isoprenoid quinone
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Abstract
Yeast strain Y94(T), which is capable of growth at high temperature, was isolated from soil in Korea. Characteristics of the strain include asexual reproduction by multilateral budding, the absence of extracellular starch-like compounds, a negative Diazonium blue B colour reaction, and the absence of arthrospores, ballistoconidia and ascospores; the strain can therefore be placed in the genus Candida. A maximum growth temperature of 50--51 degrees C, along with certain other physiological characteristics, and a unique 26S rDNA partial sequence separate this strain from other ascomycetous yeasts. Taken together, these results suggest that the strain is a novel species and the name Candida thermophila sp. nov. (type strain is Y94(T)=JCM 10994(T)=KCCM 50661(T)) is proposed.