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

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Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

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

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially funded by the Universidad Nacional del Comahue (Project B121) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas (Project PIP6536) granted to M. van Broock; and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Cientifica y Técnica (Projects PICTR2003-00528 and PICT 22200). We are grateful to Jose Paulo Sampaio (CREM, UNL, Portugal) for providing X. dendrorhous Collection cultures, and Michael Arts (National Water Research Institute, Canada) for lipid analysis.

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  1. Laboratorio de Microbiología Aplicada y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche (CRUB), CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas), Quintral 1250, 8400, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Diego Libkind, Martín Moliné, Virginia de García, Sonia Fontenla & María van Broock

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  1. Diego Libkind
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  2. Martín Moliné
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  3. Virginia de García
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  4. Sonia Fontenla
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  5. María van Broock
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Correspondence to Diego Libkind.

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Libkind, D., Moliné, M., de García, V. et al. Characterization of a novel South American population of the astaxanthin producing yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (Phaffia rhodozyma). J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 35, 151–158 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-007-0275-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-007-0275-8

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