Extracellular enzymatic activities (EEA) in basidiomycetous yeasts isolated from glacial and subglacial waters of northwest Patagonia (Argentina)

BRIZZIO, S.; TURCHETTI, B.; DE GARCÍA, V.; LIBKIND, D.; BUZZINI, P.; GASPARETTI, C.; VAN BROOCK, M. (GIRAUDO MARÍA ROSA)

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY

NRC RESEARCH PRESS

Lugar: Saskatchewan Canada; Año: 2007 vol. 53 p. 519 - 525

0008-4166

As a part of a project aimed at the selection of cold-adapted yeasts expressing biotechnologically interesting features, the extracellular enzymatic activity (EEA) of basidiomycetous yeasts isolated from glacial and subglacial waters of northwest Patagonia (Argentina) was investigated. Ninety-two basidiomycetous yeasts (belonging to the genera Cryptococcus, Leucosporidiella, Dioszegia, Mrakia, Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Sporobolomyces, Sporidiobolus, Cystofilobasidium and Udeniomyces) were screened for extracellular amylolytic, proteolytic, lipolytic, esterasic, pectinolytic, chitinolytic and cellulolytic activities. Over 15 % of the strains exhibited three or more different EEAs at 4 °C and more than 63 % had at least two EEAs at the same temperature. No chitinolytic or cellulolytic activities were detected at 4 and 20 ºC. Cell-free supernatants exhibited significantly higher (P < 0.01) protease and lipase activities at £ 10 °C, or even at 4°C. In light of these findings cold environments of Patagonia (Argentina) may be considered a potential source of cold-adapted yeasts producing industrially relevant cold-active enzymes.