Purification, characterization and in vivo biocontrol efficiency of killer toxins from Debaryomyces hansenii strains.

Nowadays, the biological control of various yeast and mold pathogens that cause diseases in humans, animals, and plants is an increasing of interest. The discovery of novel agents allows prevention of infectious diseases and post-harvest losses reported every year. In the study, we aimed to investigate the production, purification, and characterization as well as in vivo biocontrol efficiency of killer toxins produced by Debaryomyces hansenii strains TEM8 and TEM17. The molecular mass of the killer toxins was 31.5 kDa and they showed high stability at pHs between 2.5 and 5.5 and up to 37 °C. Their internal amino acid sequences matched the DEHA2G18766g (CAG90862.1) from D. hansenii CBS767, which is similar to Saccharomyces cerevisiae YGR282C BGL2 endo-beta-1,3-glucanase. The yeasts and their purified killer toxins significantly inhibited the growth of plant pathogenic fungi Alternaria brassicicola, Alternaria citri, Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer in fruits. The findings of this paper have recommended these yeast strains and their toxins as effective biocontrol agents against fungi that cause post-harvest diseases.

Molecular characterization and lipase profiling of the yeasts isolated from environments contaminated with petroleum.

In the present study, 120 yeast isolates from different sources (active sludge, soil, and wastewater samples obtained from petroleum refinery and soil contaminated by petroleum) were obtained. The yeast isolates were screened for lipase production and twelve of the isolates (D3, D17, D24, D27, D30, D38, D40, D42, D44, D46, D56, and D57) exhibited lipase activity. Molecular characterization of the yeasts showing the lipase production was performed with RFLP of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 18S rRNA and sequence analysis of D1/D2 domain of 26S rRNA. The 26S rRNA sequencing revealed that four new strains, D38, D40, D44 and D57 identified as Rhodotorula slooffiae, Candida davisiana, Cryptococcus diffluens, and Cryptococcus uzbekistanensis, respectively, are lipase producing yeast species. This study is the first report showed lipase production by these species. The other lipase producing strains identified as Candida parapsilosis (D3), Rhodotorula muciloginosa (D17 and D42), Cryptococcus albidus (D24, D27, D30, and D56), and Wickerhamomyces anomalus (D46).