title: Taxonomic and phenotypic characterization of yeasts isolated from worldwide cold rock-associated habitats.
abstract: Yeast strains isolated from rock samples collected from worldwide cold regions were identified by sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rDNA gene and the ITS region followed by molecular phylogeny. Over 77% of yeasts isolates were Basidiomycota. Cryptococcus (orders Filobasidiales and Tremellales) and Rhodotorula (order Cystobasidiales) were the most frequent genera. About 40% of yeast isolates belonged to undescribed species. Almost all isolates were psychrotolerant. Urease and esterase were the most widely extracellular enzymatic activity at 4 °C and 20 °C. None of the strains exhibited extracellular protease, DNAse, cellulase, chitinase, and laccase activity. The taxonomic and ecological significance of yeasts associated to worldwide cold rocky habitats is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche (DEB), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, I-01100 Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Selbmann
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche (DEB), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, I-01100 Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zucconi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche (DEB), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, I-01100 Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onofri
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche (DEB), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, I-01100 Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Clarissa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cecchini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche (DEB), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo dell'Università, I-01100 Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Isola
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Ambientali ed Alimentari & Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG, Università di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, I-06121 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Turchetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Ambientali ed Alimentari & Industrial Yeasts Collection DBVPG, Università di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, I-06121 Perugia, Italy. Electronic address: pietro.buzzini@unipg.it.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buzzini
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015003:Yeasts / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; C065096:RNA, ribosomal, 26S
keywords: D1/D2; Extreme environments; ITS; Lithic habitats; Phylogeny