Yeasts from Tierra Del Fuego Province (Argentina): Biodiversity, Characterization and Bioprospection of Hydrolytic Enzymes

CAVELLO, IVANA ALEJANDRA; BEZUS, BRENDA; MARTINEZ, ADALGISA; GARMENDIA, GABRIELA; VERO, SILVANA; CAVALITTO, SEBASTIÁN

GEOMICROBIOLOGY JOURNAL

TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC

Año: 2019 vol. 36 p. 847 - 857

0149-0451

Antarctic andsub-Antarctic regions are - with Polar Regions, mountains and the deep sea- themost extreme environments on Earth because of its low temperatures, dryness,high incidence of solar radiation and low nutrient availability. Nevertheless,microorganisms have successfully colonized these regions. In this study,culturable yeasts from soil samples collected from twodifferent locations, a human-impacted area (Encerrada Bay) and a largelypristine and naturally vegetated area near Lago Escondido city (54º39`0``S,67º46`48``W) from Tierra del Fuego province, Argentina were identified andcharacterized at different levels. They were characterized and classified aspsychrotolerant and wereconsidered as moderately halotolerant because of their ability of grow inpresence even of 1.5M of NaCl. Yeastsfrom phylum Ascomycota were affiliated to four genera: Candida, Yarrowia, Debaryomyces, and Nadsonia, whereas from phylum Basidiomycota yeasts were affiliatedto six genera: Naganishia, Rhodotorula, Leucosporidum, Tausonia, Cystofilobasidium and Apiotrichum.Most of the yeasts demonstrated at least oneextracellular enzymatic activity (mainly b-glucosidase, esterase and protease activities).One isolate identifiedas Tausonia pullulans showedsignificant activity across the eight enzymes types tested. In light of these findings, Tierra del Fuegoprovince could be considered as a cold environment with a potential source ofcold adapted yeasts producing industrially relevant cold-active enzymes.