Taxonomic assessment and enzymes production by yeasts isolated from marine and terrestrial Antarctic samples

Author(s)

Duarte, A. W. F. ^[1] ; Dayo-Owoyemi, I. ^[2] ; Nobre, F. S. ^[1] ; Pagnocca, F. C. ^[3] ; Chaud, L. C. S. ^[4] ; Pessoa, A. ^[5] ; Felipe, M. G. A. ^[4] ; Sette, L. D. ^{[1, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Div Recursos Microbianos CPQBA, UNICAMP, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, Ctr Insetos Sociais, UNESP, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Bioquim & Microbiol, UNESP, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Biotecnol, Escola Engn Lorena, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Ciencias Farmaceut, Dept Tecnol Bioquim Farmaceut, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: EXTREMOPHILES; v. 17, n. 6, p. 1023-1035, NOV 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 32

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the taxonomic identity of yeasts isolated from the Antarctic continent and to evaluate their ability to produce enzymes (lipase, protease and xylanase) at low and moderate temperatures. A total of 97 yeast strains were recovered from marine and terrestrial samples collected in the Antarctica. The highest amount of yeast strains was obtained from marine sediments, followed by lichens, ornithogenic soils, sea stars, Salpa sp., algae, sea urchin, sea squirt, stone with lichens, Nacella concinna, sea sponge, sea isopod and sea snail. Data from polyphasic taxonomy revealed the presence of 21 yeast species, distributed in the phylum Ascomycota (n = 8) and Basidiomycota (n = 13). Representatives of encapsulated yeasts, belonging to genera Rhodotorula and Cryptococcus were recovered from 7 different Antarctic samples. Moreover, Candida glaebosa, Cryptococcus victoriae, Meyerozyma (Pichia) guilliermondii, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and R. laryngis were the most abundant yeast species recovered. This is the first report of the occurrence of some species of yeasts recovered from Antarctic marine invertebrates. Additionally, results from enzymes production at low/moderate temperatures revealed that the Antarctic environment contains metabolically diverse cultivable yeasts, which could be considered as a target for biotechnological applications. Among the evaluated yeasts in the present study 46.39, 37.11 and 14.43 % were able to produce lipase (at 15 A degrees C), xylanase (at 15 A degrees C) and protease (at 25 A degrees C), respectively. The majority of lipolytic, proteolytic and xylanolytic strains were distributed in the phylum Basidiomycota and were mainly recovered from sea stars, lichens, sea urchin and marine sediments. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/17033-0 - Biotechnological exploitation of Antarctic-derived fungi
• Grantee: Lara Durães Sette
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 10/08352-5 - Biodiversity of marine and terrestrial yeasts from Antarctic ecossystems and prospection of lipases
• Grantee: Alysson Wagner Fernandes Duarte
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate