title: Isolation and characterization of a novel leaf-inhabiting osmo-, salt-, and alkali-tolerant Yarrowia lipolytica yeast strain.
abstract: Salt-excreting leaves of Atriplex halimus plants harvested in the central Negev Highlands of Israel were screened for yeasts inhabiting their surfaces. Several aerobic, moderately salt- and alkali-tolerant yeasts were isolated. One of the isolates (tentatively designated S-8) was identified as Yarrowia lipolytica (Wick.) van der Walt and Arx, on the basis of its morphological, biochemical/physiological characteristics, and of quantitative chemotaxonomic and molecular marker analyses. However, the strain is distinguished from the known members of the type Y. lipolytica strain by its pronounced osmo-, salt-, and pH tolerance. Cells displayed a unique capacity to grow over a wide pH range (from 3.5 to 11.5) with a pH optimum at 4.5 to 7.5. It is proposed that the S-8 strain be assigned to a single Y. lipolytica species as its anamorpha, or as a new variety, Y. lipolytica var. alkalitolerance. The ecophysiological properties and biotechnological potentials of the new strain are discussed.
authors.affiliation: A. N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Leninsky pr. 33, 117071 Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zvyagilskaya
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andreishcheva
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Khozin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berhe
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Persson
mesh_terms: D027466:Atriplex / Q000382:microbiology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009584:Nitrogen; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism*; D025062:Yarrowia / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen