ABSTRACT
A total of 191 yeasts were isolated from 197 samples collected from eight estuarine mangrove forests along four different coastlines of Thailand (Andaman Sea and the East, North and West coasts of the Gulf of Thailand). Of these, 178 isolates were identified as 32 species in 16 genera of Ascomycota, 12 species in nine genera of Basidiomycota, and 13 isolates as potential new species, respectively. Mangroves located along the Andaman Sea coastline had a higher yeast diversity at the species and genera levels than those along the Gulf of Thailand. Kluyveromyces siamensis was the most frequently isolated species, whilst Candida tropicalis was the only species isolated at all eight sites. Screening isolated yeast strains belonging to genera previously reported as oleaginous yeast plus the 13 potential new species, revealed two oleaginous strains, Rhodotorula sphaerocarpa 11-14.4 and Saitozyma podzolica 11-11.3.1. Both of these strains were isolated from the same mangrove forest on the Andaman Sea coastline. They could accumulate lipid when suspended in glucose solution without any supplementation, while the fatty acid composition and oil profile of Rh. sphaerocarpa 11-14.4 and Sait. podzolica 11-11.3.1 were similar to vegetable oil and cocoa butter, respectively.