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

LIBKIND DIEGO; MOLINÉ MARTÍN; DE GARCÍA VIRGINIA; FONTENLA SONIA; VAN BROOCK MARÍA

JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

Año: 2008 vol. 35 p. 151 - 158

1367-5435

A novel population of the biotechnologicallyimportant yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, the sexualstage of PhaYa rhodozyma, has been recently isolatedfor the Wrst time in the southern Hemisphere (Patagonia,Argentina). The aim of the present work was to phenotypicallyand genotypically characterize two representativestrains of this new population, and assess such strains as apotential biotechnological source of astaxanthin, fatty acidsand extracellular enzymes. Minor variations were found inphysiological tests. PCR Wngerprinting studies (MSP-PCR)showed the main diVerences between X. dendrorhous Patagonianand Type strains. Patagonian strains accumulated axanthophyll-like pigment, which was identiWed as astaxanthin.These strains showed low fatty acids content (mainlypolyunsaturated fatty acids) and, of a total of six extracellularenzymes tested, only produced amylase. Genetic diVerencesbetween Patagonian and collection X. dendrorhousstrains could be explained by geographic isolation and habitatspeciWcity.