Yeast diversity in a mesotrophic lake on the karstic plateau of Lagoa Santa,MG-Brazil

The yeast diversity in a paleo-karstic lake of the Lagoa Santa plateau was studied during March 1986–March 1987. Water samples were collected monthly at five stations and the yeasts were isolated at 25 °C on Sabourad dextrose agar supplemented with 0.5% of yeast extract and 10 mg% of chloramphenicol. August and February showed the highest numbers of isolates, coinciding, respectively with the beginning and the ending of stratification. Of 56 isolated species, Aureobasidium pullulans, Candida famata, Cryptococcus albidus, Cryptococcus laurentii, Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodotorula rubra and Trichosporon cutaneum occurred at the highest frequencies. A. pullulans showed greatest prevalence during the dry period (winter), whereas C. famata, Cr. albidus, Cr. laurentii and Rh. rubra were prevalent during the rainy season (summer). Tr. cutaneum was distributed between July and November. Most isolates yeasts are associated with plants and soils, and are important in decomposition of aquatic macrophytes. Furthermore, a possible role of these species as indicators of pollution is discussed.     

The oral yeast flora of 10-year-old schoolchildren

The yeast flora of the hard palate mucosa and pooled saliva of 122 schoolchildren (average age 9 years 10 months, 63 males, 59 females) has been studied in detail. Of the population sampled, 71.3% carried oral yeasts. The carriage was approximately 3 times greater in females than in males. The yeast isolates were Candida albicans 71% Saccharomyces spp. 19.7% and Candida tropicalis 8.6%. No isolates of Torulopsis spp. or Rhodotorula spp. were recovered. 71.5% of the Candida albicans isolates were serotype A and 26.3% were serotype B.     

Identification of yeasts of clinical interest on CHROMagar Candida culture medium.

The efficiency of CHROMagar Candida was evaluated as a medium for the presumptive identification of yeasts. We tested 36 different yeast species, pertaining to 9 genera: one Blastoschizomyces, 20 Candida, five Cryptococcus, two Geotrichum, one Kloeckera, two Pichia, three Rhodotorula, one Saccharomyces and one Trichosporon, to determine the colony colors and characteristics on this medium. Afterwards, we identified 2,230 strains isolated directly on CHROMagar Candida from clinical samples by specific colouration and morphology of the colonies after 72 hours. Their results were compared with standard methods for the identification of yeasts. The sensitivity and specificity were both superior to 97% for all strains, 100% and 100% for Candida albicans, 97.3% and 99.9% for Candida glabrata, 92.3% and 99.6% for Candida krusei, 90.3% and 99.6% for Candida parapsilosis, and 100% and 100% for Candida tropicalis. CHROMagar Candida is a very useful medium for the culture of clinical samples; its use for identification of yeasts has an accuracy of 97.5%, close to 100% of conventional methods.     

异龙湖湿地修复后可培养酵母菌的多样性及其与理化因子的相关性

【目的】研究湿地修复后异龙湖中可培养酵母菌多样性及其与理化因子的相关性。【方法】对异龙湖湖水中可培养酵母菌进行DNA提取和测序,通过分析26SrRNA基因的D1/D2区域和形态以及生理生化特征对酵母菌进行鉴定,测定各个水样点的总有机碳(TOC)、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、总硬度(TH)和电导率(Cond),运用R 4.0.5、Canoco 5软件来分析异龙湖湖水中可培养酵母菌多样性和与理化因子的相关性。【结果】从湿地修复后的异龙湖湖水中分离获得519株可培养酵母菌,鉴定为24个属42个种和1个潜在的新种,胶红酵母(Rhodotorula mucilaginosa)、皮肤皮状新丝孢酵母(Cutaneotrichosporon dermatis)以及产黑色素短梗霉(Aureobasidium melanogenum)是异龙湖中的优势种,分别分离到了320株(52.29%)、40株(7.71%)和37株(7.13%)。【结论】湿地修复后的异龙湖具有丰富的可培养酵母菌资源,其群落结构较湿地修复前有了明显的变化,湖区西北部的可培养酵母菌多样性要比湖区东南部丰富。TN与异龙湖中可培养酵母菌多样性...     

Yeast community survey in the Tagus estuary

The yeast community in the waters of the Tagus estuary, Portugal, was followed for over a year in order to assess its dynamics. Yeast occurrence and incidence were measured and this information was related to relevant environmental data. Yeast occurrence did not seem to depend upon tides, but river discharge had a dramatic impact both on the density and diversity of the community. The occurrence of some yeasts was partially correlated with faecal pollution indicators. Yeast isolates were characterized by microsatellite primed PCR (MSP-PCR) fingerprinting and rRNA gene sequencing. The principal species found were Candida catenulata, C. intermedia, C. parapsilosis, Clavispora lusitaniae, Debaryomyces hansenii, Pichia guilliermondii, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Rhodosporidium diobovatum. The incidence of these species was evaluated against the environmental context of the samples and the current knowledge about the substrates from which they are usually isolated.     

In-vitro activity of 5-fluorocytosine against 1,021 Spanish clinical isolates of Candida and other medically important yeasts

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of primary resistance to 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) among clinical isolates of yeasts in Spain where this drug is not currently available for therapy. We have tested the in vitro activity of 5FC against 1,021 recent yeast clinical isolates, including 522 Candida albicans, 140 Candida parapsilosis, 68 Candida glabrata, 41 Candida dubliniensis, 50 Candida guilliermondii, 34 Candida tropicalis, 28 Candida krusei, 20 Candida famata, 11 Cryptococcus neoformans, 5 Cryptococcus albidus, 43 Rhodotorula spp., 24 Trichosporon spp., 5 Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 9 Pichia spp., and 21 isolates from other 11 yeast species. The MICs were determined by the ATB Fungus agar microdilution test (bioMerieux, France) and the following interpretive breakpoints were used: susceptible, > 4 microg/ml; intermediate, 8 to 16 microg/ml; resistant, > 32 microg/ml. 5FC was very active against Candida spp. and other medically important yeasts as 852 (83.4%) of the studied isolates were susceptible (MIC < 4 microg/ml). The species most susceptible to 5FC were C. dubliniensis (100%of isolates; MIC90, 0.25 microg/ml), C. famata (100% of isolates; MIC90, 0.25 microg/ml), C. guilliermondii (98%of isolates; MIC90, 0.25 microg/ml), C. glabrata (95.5% of isolates; MIC90, 0.25 microg/ml), and C. neoformans (90.9% of isolates; MIC90, 2 microg/ml). Primary resistance to 5FC was very uncommon, and a MIC > 32 microg/ml, indicator of in vitro resistance, was observed in 106 isolates (10.4%): 77 C. albicans (16.5% of isolates; MIC90, > 128 microg/ml), 9 C. parapsilosis (6.4% of isolates; MIC90, 8 microg/ml), 4 C. albidus (80% of isolates, MIC50, > 128 microg/ml), 3 C. glabrata (4.4% of isolates; MIC90, 0.25 microg/ml), 3 C. tropicalis (8.8% of isolates; MIC90, 4 microg/ml), 2 C. krusei (7.1% of isolates; MIC90, 8 microg/ml), 2 Rhodotorula spp. (4.6% of isolates, MIC90, 1 microg/ml), 8 Trichosporon spp. (33.3% of isolates; MIC90, 64 microg/ml), and 1 C. lipolytica (50% of isolates). Interestingly, most C. albicans (67 out of 77 isolates) resistant to 5FC were serotype B isolates.     

Point prevalence, microbiology and antifungal susceptibility patterns of oral Candida isolates colonizing or infecting Mexican HIV/AIDS patients and healthy persons

We have conducted a longitudinal study over a 3-year period to address the point prevalence, microbiological characteristics and antifungal susceptibility patterns of yeast isolates colonizing or infecting the oral cavities of 111 HIV-infected (51 adults, 60 children) and 201 non HIV-infected (109 adults, 92 children) Mexican persons. Regarding the epidemiology of oral candidiasis, Candida albicans was the most frequent species isolated. Seventy-one out of 85 isolates from colonized persons were C. albicans (83.5%), 27 isolates of them were from HIV-infected children and 44 from non HIV-infected patients. Sixty-two isolates belonged to serotype A which was the most prevalent serotype of C. albicans. Non-albicans species (Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis and Candida parapsilosis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were isolated from 16.5% of colonized patients and from 38.5% patients with candidiasis or Candida-related lesions. There were nine episodes of infection or colonization by at least 2 different yeast species. In the case of HIV/AIDS patients, it was determined that yeast carriage was not associated with the number of CD4+ cells or the viral load, but HAART reduced the prevalence of oral candidiasis. Overall, most patients harbored strains in vitro susceptible to fluconazole, however 10.8% of the yeasts were resistant to one or more azole antifungal agents and 29% were intermediate susceptible to them. On the contrary, 5-fluorocytosine was very active against all isolates tested, and amphotericin B was active against 97.9% of them.     

Psychrophilic yeasts in glacial environments of Alpine glaciers

The presence of psychrophilic yeasts in supra- and subglacial sediments, ice and meltwater collected from two glaciers of the Italian Alps (Forni and Sforzellina-Ortles-Cevedale group) was investigated. After incubation at 4 degrees C, subglacial sediments contained from 1.3 x 10(3) to 9.6 x 10(3) CFU of yeasts g(-1). The number of yeast cells in supraglacial sediments was c. 10-100-fold lower. A significant proportion of isolated yeasts exhibited one or more extracellular enzymatic activities (starch-degrading, lipolytic, esterolytic, proteolytic and pectinolytic activity) at 4 degrees C. Selected isolates were able to grow at 2 degrees C under laboratory-simulated in situ conditions. In all, 106 isolated yeasts were identified by MSP-PCR fingerprinting and 26S rRNA gene sequencing of the D1/D2 region as belonging to 10 species: Aureobasidium pullulans, Cryptococcus gilvescens (over 50% of the total), Cryptococcus terricolus, Mrakia gelida, Naganishia globosa, Rhodotorula glacialis, Rhodotorula psychrophenolica, Rhodotorula bacarum, Rhodotorula creatinivora and Rhodotorula laryngis. Four strains, all belonging to a new yeast species, yet to be described, were also isolated.     

Yeasts associated with fresh and frozen pulps of Brazilian tropical fruits

The occurrence of yeasts on ripe fruits and frozen pulps of pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L), mangaba (Hancornia speciosa Gom.), umbu (Spondias tuberosa Avr. Cam.), and acerola (Malpighia glaba L) was verified. The incidence of proteolytic, pectinolytic, and mycocinogenic yeasts on these communities was also determined. A total of 480 colonies was isolated and grouped in 405 different strains. These corresponded to 42 ascomycetous and 28 basidiomycetous species. Candida sorbosivorans, Pseudozyma antarctica, C. spandovensis-like, C. spandovensis, Kloeckera apis, C. parapsilosis, Rhodotorula graminis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Cryptococcus laurentii, Metchnikowia sp (isolated only from pitanga ripe fruits), Issatchenkia occidentalis and C. krusei (isolated only from mangaba frozen pulps), were the most frequent species. The yeast communities from pitanga ripe fruits exhibited the highest frequency of species, followed by communities from acerola ripe fruits and mangaba frozen pulps. Yeast communities from frozen pulp and ripe fruits of umbu had the lowest number of species. Except the yeasts from pitanga, yeast communities from frozen pulp exhibited higher number of yeasts than ripe fruit communities. Mycocinogenic yeasts were found in all of the substrates studied except in communities from umbu ripe fruits and pitanga frozen pulps. Most of the yeasts found to produce mycocins were basidiomycetes and included P. antarctica, Cryptococcus albidus, C. bhutanensis-like, R. graminis and R. mucilaginosa-like from pitanga ripe fruits as well as black yeasts from pitanga and acerola ripe fruits. The umbu frozen pulps community had the highest frequency of proteolytic species. Yeasts able to hydrolyse casein at pH 5.0 represented 38.5% of the species isolated. Thirty-seven percent of yeast isolates were able to hydrolyse casein at pH 7.0. Pectinolytic yeasts were found in all of the communities studied, excepted for those of umbu frozen pulps. The highest frequency of pectinolytic activity was found in mangaba frozen pulp communities. Around 30% of all isolates produced pectinases. The ability to split arbutin was observed in all communities ranging from 8% in yeasts from pitanga frozen pulps to 40.6% in acerola ripe fruit communities. Among 432 species tested, 125 were active for beta-glucosidase production, and Kloeckera apis, P. antarctica, C. sorbosivorans, and C. spandovensis-like were the most active species.     

Effect of foliar disease on the epiphytic yeast communities of creeping bentgrass and tall fescue

The effect of mechanical wounding or foliar diseases caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa or Rhizoctonia solani on the epiphytic yeast communities on creeping bentgrass and tall fescue were determined by leaf washing and dilution plating. Total yeast communities on healthy bentgrass and tall fescue leaves ranged from 7.9 x 103 to 1.4 x 105 CFU.cm-2 and from 2.4 x 103 to 1.6 x 104 CFU.cm-2, respectively. Mechanically wounded leaves (1 of 2 trials) and leaves with disease lesions (11 of 12 trials) supported significantly larger communities of phylloplane yeasts. Total yeast communities on S. homoeocarpa infected or R. solani infected bentgrass leaves were 3.6-10.2 times and 6.2-6.4 times larger, respectively, than the communities on healthy leaves. In general, healthy and diseased bentgrass leaves supported larger yeast communities than healthy or diseased tall fescue leaves. We categorized the majority of yeasts as white-pigmented species, including Cryptococcus laurentii, Cryptococcus flavus, Pseudozyma antarctica, Pseudozyma aphidis, and Pseudozyma parantarctica. The percentage of pink yeasts in the total yeast community ranged from 2.6% to 9.9% on healthy leaves and increased to 32.0%-44.7% on S. homoeocarpa infected leaves. Pink-pigmented yeasts included Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Sakaguchia dacryoidea, and Sporidiobolus pararoseus. Foliar disease significantly affected community size and composition of epiphytic yeasts on bentgrass and tall fescue.     

Occurrence and Diversity of Yeasts in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge Hydrothermal Fields Near the Azores Archipelago

The yeast community associated with deep-sea hydrothermal systems of the Mid-Atlantic Rift was surveyed for the first time. This study relied on a culture-based approach using two different growth media: a conventional culture medium for yeasts supplemented with sea salts (MYPss) and the same medium additionally supplemented with sulfur (MYPssS). For the evaluation of species diversity, a molecular approach involving minisatellite-primed polymerase chain reaction (MSP-PCR) strain typing and sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rDNA was followed. In the seven water samples that were studied, the number of colony-forming units per liter (cfu/L) ranged from 0 to 5940. The nonpigmented yeasts were much more abundant than the pink-pigmented ones. This disproportion was not observed in studies of other marine systems and may be due to the unique conditions of hydrothermal vents, characterized by a rich animal and microbial diversity and therefore by the availability of organic compounds utilizable by yeasts. Higher counts of nonpigmented yeast were obtained using MYPss, whereas for pink yeasts, higher counts were obtained using MYPssS. Moreover, among pink yeasts, some of the MSP-PCR classes obtained were composed of isolates obtained only on MYPssS, which might be an indication that these isolates are adapted to the ecosystems of the hydrothermal vents. Twelve phylotypes belonged to the Ascomycota and seven phylotypes belonged to the Basidiomycota. The nonpigmented yeasts were identified as Candida atlantica, C. atmosphaerica, C. lodderae, C. parapsilosis, Exophiala dermatitidis, Pichia guilliermondii, and Trichosporon dermatis, whereas the pigmented yeasts were identified as Rhodosporidium diobovatum, R. sphaerocarpum, R. toruloides, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Some of the yeasts that were found belong to phylogenetic groups that include species reported from other marine environments, and eight phylotypes represent undescribed species. The new phylotypes found at Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal fields represent 33% of the total number of yeast taxa that were found.     

三种拮抗酵母菌对苹果采后青霉病的抑制效果

从苹果果实上分离获得的50余种酵母菌中筛选出了能够有效地抑制苹果青霉病(Penicilium expansum Link)的丝孢酵母(Trichosporon pullulans (Lindner.) Diddens and Lodder)、罗伦隐球酵母(Cryptococcus laurentii (Kuffer.) Skinner)和粘红酵母(Rhodotorula glutinis (Fresen.) F. C. Harrison).其中,抑病效果最好的T. pullulans 是一种用于采后果实生物防治的新型拮抗菌.研究了这三种拮抗菌不同浓度处理和外加营养物质以及与钙配合使用对苹果青霉病的抑病效果.实验结果表明:酵母菌浓度越高,抑病作用越强;外源营养物质的加入削弱了酵母菌的拮抗效果;在C. laurentii的细胞悬浮液中加入0.18 mol/L 的CaCl2能显著提高其抑病能力,但增加CaCl2 对T. pullulans 和R. glutinis 的抑病效果却没有明显作用.     

Production of Egg Yolk Coloring Material by a Fermentation Process

Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was cultivated in a yeast propagator, for the production of biomass and carotenoids. A spray-dried preparation of the yeast was incorporated into the diets of laying chickens for the promotion of egg yolk color. Several aspects of the effect of media on growth and carotenogenesis of pigmented yeast were examined. Addition of 1 to 2% of Rhodotorula yeast to the feeding mixture considerably improved egg yolk color. The possibility of using carotenogenic yeasts as a feed supplement is suggested.     

Occurrence and dominance of yeast species in naturally fermented milk from the Tibetan Plateau of China

To determine which yeasts are present in the naturally fermented milks of China, 69 samples made by the nomads of Tibet were collected from the Tibetan Plateau in China. From these samples, 225 strains of yeast were isolated and identified using conventional microbiological analysis and gene sequencing analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA. The results showed that the total concentration of yeasts in these samples ranged from 5.01 to 8.97 log10 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL (6.91?± 1.02 log10 CFU/mL; mean?± SD). The number of cultivable yeasts was higher in the samples from Qinghai (7.55?± 0.75 log10 CFU/mL) than those from Tibet (6.21?± 0.79 log10 CFU/mL, P?< 0.05). Moreover, there were 15 phylotypes in these 69 samples. Among these phylotypes, Kluyveromyces marxianus (49.3%, frequency percentage), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (62.3%), and Pichia fermentans (46.4%) appeared frequently and can be considered the most common culturable species in naturally fermented milk products. Traditional fermented Mongolian cow milk featured a wide diversity of yeast species, including Issatchenkia orientalis, Kazachstania unisporus, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Candida pararugosa, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Geotrichum sp., Kazachstania unisporus, Geotrichum fragrans, Debaryomyces hansenii, Yarrowia lipolytica, Trichosporon gracile, and Pichia membranifaciens. This study provides new data on yeast composition in naturally fermented milk and shows the yeast biodiversity of fermented milk products from the Tibetan Plateau of China.     

Biodiversity of cold-adapted yeasts from glacial meltwater rivers in Patagonia, Argentina

The occurrence of culturable yeasts in glacial meltwater from the Frías, Casta?o Overo and Río Manso glaciers, located on Mount Tronador in the Nahuel Huapi National Park (Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina) is presented. Subsurface water samples were filtered for colony counting and yeast isolation. The total yeast count ranged between 6 and 360 CFU L(-1). Physiologic and molecular methods were employed to identify 86 yeast isolates. In agreement with yeast diversity data from studies for Antarctic and Alpine glaciers, the genera Cryptococcus, Leucosporidiella, Dioszegia, Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Mrakia, Sporobolomyces, Udeniomyces and Candida were found. Cryptococcus and Leucosporidiella accounted for 50% and 20% of the total number of strains, respectively. Among 21 identified yeast species, Cryptococcus sp. 1 and Leucosporidiella fragaria were the most frequent. The typically psychrophilic Mrakia yeast strain and three new yeast species, yet to be described, were also isolated. All yeast strains were able to grow at 5, 10, and 15 degrees C. Among yeast strains expressing extracellular enzymatic activity, higher proteolytic and lipolytic activities were obtained at 4 degrees C than at 20 degrees C.     

Presence of pathogenic yeasts in the feces of the semi-domesticated pigeon (Columba livia, Gmelin 1789, urban type) from the city of Turin

The results of a survey on the presence of pathogenic yeasts in pigeon droppings collected in Turin, are shown. The study was carried out in 8 densely populated areas, where human-animal contact is highest. A total of 427 pigeon dropping samples, most of which fresh, were collected. 550 yeast colonies, clinically interesting or at least pathologically significant, were isolated by the identification routine methods. The yeasts belong to the following species: Candida albicans, C. humicola, C. krusei, C. guillermondii, C. lypolitica, C. lambica, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. rugosa, C. zeylanoides, Cryptococcus albidus, C. laurentii, C. neoformans, Hansenula anomala, Geotrichum sp., Kloekera apiculata, Rhodotorula glutinis, R. rubra, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulopsis candida, T. glabrata, Trichosporon beigelii, T. capitatum, T. cutaneum, T. pullulans.     

Application of temperature gradient gel electrophoresis to the study of yeast diversity in the estuary of the Tagus river, Portugal

Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) was employed for the assessment of yeast diversity in the estuary of the Tagus river (Portugal). The molecular detection of yeasts was carried out directly from water samples and, in parallel, a cultivation approach by means of an enrichment step was employed. A nested PCR was employed to obtain a fungal amplicon containing the D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene. For identification the TGGE bands were extracted, re-amplified, and sequenced. Fourteen fungal taxa were detected and all except one were yeasts. Most yeast sequences corresponded to members of the Ascomycota and only three belonged to the Basidiomycota. Five yeasts (four ascomycetes and one basidiomycete) could not be identified to the species level due to the uniqueness of their sequences. The number of species detected after enrichment was higher than the number of taxa found using the direct detection method. This suggests that some yeast populations are present in densities that are below the detection threshold of the method. With respect to the analysis of the yeast community structure, our results indicate that the dominant populations belong to Debaryomyces hansenii, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Cryptococcus longus, and to an uncultured basidiomycetous yeast phylogenetically close to Cr. longus. The combined analysis of direct detection and cultivation approaches indicates a similar community structure at the two sampled sites since nine species were present at both localities.     

Yeast biodiversity in hydromorphic soils with reference to grass-Sphagnum swamp in Western Siberia and the hammocky tundra region( Barrow, Alaska)]

The microbiological analysis of 78 samples taken from a boreal bog in Western Siberia and from a tundra wetland soil in Alaska showed the presence of 23 yeast species belonging to the genera Bullera, Candida, Cryptococcus, Debaryomyces, Hanseniaspora, Metschnikowia, Mrakia, Pichia, Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces, Sporobolomyces, Torulaspora, and Trichosporon. Peat samples from the boreal bog were dominated by eurytopic anamorphic basidiomycetous species, such as Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Sporobolomyces roseus, and by the ascomycetous yeasts Candida spp. and Debaryomyces hansenii. These samples also contained two rare ascomycetous species (Candida paludigena and Schizoblastosporion starkeyi-henricii), which so far have been found only in taiga wetland soils. The wetland Alaskan soil was dominated by one yeast species (Cryptococcus gilvescens), which is a typical inhabitant of tundra soils. Therefore, geographic factors may serve for a more reliable prediction of yeast diversity in soils than the physicochemical or ecotopic parameters of these soils.