Characterization of a novel South American population of the astaxanthin producing yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (Phaffia rhodozyma)

LIBKIND, DIEGO; MOLINÉ, M; DE GARCÍA V,; FONTENLA, S; VAN BROOCK, M

JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

Springer Berlin / Heidelberg

Año: 2008 vol. 35 p. 151 - 158

1367-5435

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). This new population was found in a different substrate than tree exudates. The aim of our work was to characterize both phenotypically and genotypically two representative strains of this new population. Minor variations were found in physiological tests. PCR fingerprinting studies (MSP-PCR) showed the main differences between X. dendrorhous Patagonian and Type strains. Native strains accumulated a xanthophyll-like pigment which was identified as astaxanthin. These strains showed low content of cellular lipids (mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids) and produced only amylase of a total of six extracellular enzymes tested. Genetic differences between Patagonian and collection X. dendrorhous strains could be explained by geographic isolation and habitat specificity.