Scheffersomyces parashehatae f.a., sp. nov., Scheffersomyces xylosifermentans f.a., sp. nov., Candida broadrunensis sp. nov. and Candida manassasensis sp. nov., novel yeasts associated with wood-ingesting insects, and their ecological and biofuel implications.

During a survey of yeasts associated with wood-ingesting insects, 69 strains in the Scheffersomyces clade and related taxa were isolated from passalid and tenebrionid beetles and the decayed wood inhabited by them. The majority of these yeasts was found to be capable of fermenting xylose, and was recognized as Scheffersomyces stipitis or its close relative Scheffersomyces illinoinensis, which are known to be associated with wood-decaying beetles and rotten wood. Yeasts in 'Scheffersomyces' ( = Candida) ergatensis and 'Scheffersomyces' ( = Candida) coipomoensis were also frequently isolated. The remaining six strains were identified as representing four novel species in the genera Scheffersomyces and Candida based on multilocus sequence analyses of nuclear rRNA genes and four protein-coding genes, as well as other taxonomic characteristics. Two xylose-fermenting species, Scheffersomyces parashehatae f.a., sp. nov. (type strain ATCC MYA-4653(T) = CBS 12535(T) = EH045(T); MycoBank MB805440) and Scheffersomyces xylosifermentans f.a., sp. nov. (type strain ATCC MYA-4859(T) = CBS 12540(T) = MY10-052(T); MycoBank MB805441), formed a clade with Scheffersomyces shehatae and related Scheffersomyces species. Interestingly, S. xylosifermentans can survive at 40 °C, which is a rare property among xylose-fermenting yeasts. Candida broadrunensis sp. nov. (type strain ATCC MYA-4650(T) = CBS 11838(T) = EH019(T); MycoBank MB805442) is a sister taxon of C. ergatensis, while Candida manassasensis sp. nov. (type strain ATCC MYA-4652(T) = CBS 12534(T) = EH030(T); MycoBank MB805443) is closely related to Candida palmioleophila in the Candida glaebosa clade. The multilocus DNA sequence comparisons in this study suggest that the genus Scheffersomyces needs to be circumscribed to the species near S. stipitis (type species) and S. shehatae that can be characterized by the ability to ferment xylose.

Microbotryozyma collariae gen. nov., sp. nov., a basidiomycetous yeast isolated from a plant bug Collaria oleosa (Miridae).

Two strains of a basidiomycetous yeast were derived from an insect trypanosomatid culture isolated from the intestine of a plant bug, Collaria oleosa (Heteroptera: Miridae), collected in Costa Rica. The yeast did not form ballistoconidia but reproduced only by budding. Teliospores were not observed in individual and crossed cultures of each strain. Morphological and other taxonomic characteristics of the yeast were similar to those of the species in the polyphyletic genus Rhodotorula. However, molecular phylogeny inferred from the internal transcribed spacers and D1/D2 region of the large subunit rRNA gene showed that the strains represent a new species placed among the smut fungi in the family Ustilentylomataceae, which includes Aurantiosporium subnitens, Fulvisporium restifaciens, Ustilentyloma fluitans, and Rhodotorula hordea. Given the well distinguished phylogenetic position of this novel species within the Ustilentylomataceae, we propose Microbotryozyma collariae gen. nov., sp. nov. to accommodate the yeast isolated from C. oleosa, with strain American Type Culture Collection MYA-4666(T) (= PRA303-1S = CBS 12537) designated as the type strain.

Trichosporon xylopini sp. nov., a hemicellulose-degrading yeast isolated from the wood-inhabiting beetle Xylopinus saperdioides.

Four arthroconidium-producing yeasts were isolated from the gut of wood-inhabiting tenebrionid and passalid beetles. The rRNA genes of these yeast strains were sequenced, compared and analysed. The sequence results and other taxonomic characterizations placed two of the strains into Trichosporon porosum, and the remaining strains, EH024(T) and EH026 which were isolated from Xylopinus saperdioides (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), into a novel species of the genus Trichosporon in the Porosum clade. Strain EN6S23 was independently isolated from forest soil in Taiwan and was identified as the same novel species based on identical sequences in the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene and similar physiological characteristics to those of strains EH024(T) and EH026. The three strains can assimilate cellulose and xylan as sole carbon source, and are clearly distinguished from their closest taxon, T. porosum, by 14 nt differences in the ITS and D1/D2 region. These strains did not reproduce sexually under the laboratory conditions tested. The novel species is proposed as Trichosporon xylopini sp. nov. (type strain EH024(T)  = ATCC MYA-4670(T)  = CBS 11841(T)).

Yeasts in the Sugiyamaella clade associated with wood-ingesting beetles and the proposal of Candida bullrunensis sp. nov.

During a survey of yeasts associated with wood-ingesting insects, six strains of the Sugiyamaella clade were isolated from the gut of passalid and tenebrionid beetles and the decayed wood inhabited by them. Phylogeny based on rRNA gene sequences placed these yeasts as members of Sugiyamaella smithiae, Sugiyamaella americana, Candida lignohabitans and a novel species closely related to Su. americana. The only strain of the novel species, EH008(T), could be unquestionably distinguished from its relatives by DNA sequences and other taxonomic characteristics. Ascospore production was not observed under the laboratory conditions tested. Therefore, this novel species is proposed as Candida bullrunensis sp. nov. (type strain EH008(T) = ATCC MYA-4660(T) = CBS 11840(T)).

Kazachstania intestinalis sp. nov., an ascosporogenous yeast from the gut of passalid beetle Odontotaenius disjunctus.

Three ascosporogenous yeast strains were isolated from the gut of the passalid beetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus, inhabiting on rotten oak trees. DNA sequence comparison and other taxonomic characteristics identified the strains as a novel species in the genus Kazachstania. The name Kazachstania intestinalis sp. nov. (type strain EH085(T) = ATCC MYA-4658(T) = CBS 11839(T)) is proposed for the strains. The yeast is homothallic, producing persistent asci with 1-4 spheroidal ascospores. Molecular phylogeny from ribosomal RNA gene sequences placed this novel species on the basal lineage of a clade including Kazachstania lodderae, Kazachstania exigua, Kazachstania martiniae, and other related Kazachstania spp., but none of those species was a close sister to K. intestinalis.

Characterization of oleaginous yeasts revealed two novel species: Trichosporon cacaoliposimilis sp. nov. and Trichosporon oleaginosus sp. nov.

Two new species in the anamorphic basidiomycetous genus Trichosporon (Tremellomycetes, Agaricomycotina) were uncovered in a DNA sequence-based molecular analysis of oleaginous yeasts maintained in the ATCC Mycology Collection. One yeast is named as Trichosporon cacaoliposimilis sp. nov. for its capability of synthesizing and accumulating a large amount of lipids having a composition equivalent to that of natural cacao butter. The type strain is ATCC 20505(T), originally deposited as Trichosporon sp. The other can use food industry wastes and agricultural byproducts as the substrate for growth and accumulation of a high level of oil and accordingly is named Trichosporon oleaginosus sp. nov. The type strain is ATCC 20509(T), previously identified as Cryptococcus curvatus. Molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that T. cacaoliposimilis is a novel taxon in the Gracile clade of the genus, close to T. gracile and T. dulcitum, and that T. oleaginosus belongs to the Cutaneum clade, with T. jirovecii as the closest sister taxon. Other oleaginous yeasts were identified as new strains of known taxa, T. insectorum, Candida orthopsilosis and C. palmioleophila.

Methylotrophic yeasts near Ogataea (Hansenula) polymorpha: a proposal of Ogataea angusta comb. nov. and Candida parapolymorpha sp. nov.

Ogataea (Hansenula) polymorpha and related yeasts were studied to clarify their taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships. The molecular analyses based on ribosomal DNA sequences revealed that (1) ATCC 14755, type strain of Pichia angusta, is phylogenetically distinguished from the majority of O. polymorpha strains including ATCC 34438(T) (=NRRL Y-5445(T)=CBS 4732(T)), type of the species; (2) Ogataea thermophila is conspecific to O. polymorpha; and (3) two of the strains, ATCC 26012 and ATCC 58401, are a novel Candida species closely related to O. polymorpha. The conclusions were also supported by physiological characteristics and other taxonomic features of these strains. Therefore, we propose here two novel species, Ogataea angusta comb. nov. (ATCC 14755(T)=CBS 7073(T)=NRRL Y-2214(T)) and Candida parapolymorpha sp. nov. (ATCC 26012(T)=NRRL Y-7560(T)), and conclude that O. thermophila is a synonym of O. polymorpha.

Diatrypasimilis australiensis, a novel xylarialean fungus from mangrove.

A marine xylarialean fungus, isolated from roots of Rhizophora (mangrove) in Australia, displays morphology of eight ellipsoidal dark brown ascospores in a cylindrical ascus having a refractive apical apparatus. Each ascospore has a longitudinal germ slit. The fungus grew very slowly and produced dark brown water-soluble pigment(s) on various media. It developed unique, column-shaped, indeterminate synnemata on which needle-shaped conidia were produced. The sexual stage of this fungus was not observed under the laboratory conditions tested. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the combined sequences of nuclear ribosomal RNA genes and their internal transcribed spacers placed it at a basal position in the clade of Diatrypaceae of the Xylariales with comparatively high statistical support. However the morphological features and phylogenetic position of this organism do not closely resemble any known fungal taxa. Therefore this fungus is proposed to be a representative of a novel taxon and described as Diatrypasimilis australiensis gen. et sp. nov.