title: Characterization of a novel South American population of the astaxanthin producing yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (Phaffia rhodozyma).
abstract: A novel population of the biotechnologically important yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, the sexual stage of Phaffia rhodozyma, has been recently isolated for the first time in the southern Hemisphere (Patagonia, Argentina). The aim of the present work was to phenotypically and genotypically characterize two representative strains of this new population, and assess such strains as a potential biotechnological source of astaxanthin, fatty acids and extracellular enzymes. Minor variations were found in physiological tests. PCR fingerprinting studies (MSP-PCR) showed the main differences between X. dendrorhous Patagonian and Type strains. Patagonian strains accumulated a xanthophyll-like pigment, which was identified as astaxanthin. These strains showed low fatty acids content (mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids) and, of a total of six extracellular enzymes tested, only produced amylase. Genetic differences between Patagonian and collection X. dendrorhous strains could be explained by geographic isolation and habitat specificity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche, CONICET, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina. libkind@crub.uncoma.edu.ar
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Libkind
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moliné
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de García
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fontenla
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Broock
mesh_terms: D000681:Amylases / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001118:Argentina; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005838:Genotype; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D010641:Phenotype; D013045:Species Specificity; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D024341:Xanthophylls; C005948:astaxanthine; D000681:Amylases