Diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from King George Island, the sub-Antarctic region
Abstract Background Antarctica has been successfully colonized by microorganisms despite presenting adverse conditions for life such as low temperatures, high solar radiation, low nutrient availability and dryness. Although these “cold-loving” microorganisms are recognized as primarily responsible f...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:3b2d2b499d354be4b7a0e1c98afa42bf 2023-05-15T13:33:50+02:00 Diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from King George Island, the sub-Antarctic region Carrasco Mario Rozas Juan Barahona Salvador Alcaíno Jennifer Cifuentes Víctor Baeza Marcelo 2012-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-12-251 https://doaj.org/article/3b2d2b499d354be4b7a0e1c98afa42bf EN eng BMC http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/12/251 https://doaj.org/toc/1471-2180 doi:10.1186/1471-2180-12-251 1471-2180 https://doaj.org/article/3b2d2b499d354be4b7a0e1c98afa42bf BMC Microbiology, Vol 12, Iss 1, p 251 (2012) Antarctic yeasts Psychrophilic-psychrotolerant yeasts Extracellular enzyme activities rDNA yeast identification Microbiology QR1-502 article 2012 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-12-251 2022-12-30T22:09:53Z Abstract Background Antarctica has been successfully colonized by microorganisms despite presenting adverse conditions for life such as low temperatures, high solar radiation, low nutrient availability and dryness. Although these “cold-loving” microorganisms are recognized as primarily responsible for nutrient and organic matter recycling/mineralization, the yeasts, in particular, remain poorly characterized and understood. The aim of this work was to study the yeast microbiota in soil and water samples collected on King George Island. Results A high number of yeast isolates was obtained from 34 soil and 14 water samples. Molecular analyses based on rDNA sequences revealed 22 yeast species belonging to 12 genera, with Mrakia and Cryptococcus genera containing the highest species diversity . The species Sporidiobolus salmonicolor was by far the most ubiquitous, being identified in 24 isolates from 13 different samples. Most of the yeasts were psychrotolerant and ranged widely in their ability to assimilate carbon sources (consuming from 1 to 27 of the 29 carbon sources tested). All species displayed at least 1 of the 8 extracellular enzyme activities tested. Lipase, amylase and esterase activity dominated, while chitinase and xylanase were less common. Two yeasts identified as Leuconeurospora sp. and Dioszegia fristingensis displayed 6 enzyme activities. Conclusions A high diversity of yeasts was isolated in this work including undescribed species and species not previously isolated from the Antarctic region, including Wickerhamomyces anomalus , which has not been isolated from cold regions in general. The diversity of extracellular enzyme activities, and hence the variety of compounds that the yeasts may degrade or transform, suggests an important nutrient recycling role of microorganisms in this region. These yeasts are of potential use in industrial applications requiring high enzyme activities at low temperatures. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica King George Island Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic The Antarctic King George Island BMC Microbiology 12 1 251 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctic yeasts Psychrophilic-psychrotolerant yeasts Extracellular enzyme activities rDNA yeast identification Microbiology QR1-502 |
spellingShingle |
Antarctic yeasts Psychrophilic-psychrotolerant yeasts Extracellular enzyme activities rDNA yeast identification Microbiology QR1-502 Carrasco Mario Rozas Juan Barahona Salvador Alcaíno Jennifer Cifuentes Víctor Baeza Marcelo Diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from King George Island, the sub-Antarctic region |
topic_facet |
Antarctic yeasts Psychrophilic-psychrotolerant yeasts Extracellular enzyme activities rDNA yeast identification Microbiology QR1-502 |
description |
Abstract Background Antarctica has been successfully colonized by microorganisms despite presenting adverse conditions for life such as low temperatures, high solar radiation, low nutrient availability and dryness. Although these “cold-loving” microorganisms are recognized as primarily responsible for nutrient and organic matter recycling/mineralization, the yeasts, in particular, remain poorly characterized and understood. The aim of this work was to study the yeast microbiota in soil and water samples collected on King George Island. Results A high number of yeast isolates was obtained from 34 soil and 14 water samples. Molecular analyses based on rDNA sequences revealed 22 yeast species belonging to 12 genera, with Mrakia and Cryptococcus genera containing the highest species diversity . The species Sporidiobolus salmonicolor was by far the most ubiquitous, being identified in 24 isolates from 13 different samples. Most of the yeasts were psychrotolerant and ranged widely in their ability to assimilate carbon sources (consuming from 1 to 27 of the 29 carbon sources tested). All species displayed at least 1 of the 8 extracellular enzyme activities tested. Lipase, amylase and esterase activity dominated, while chitinase and xylanase were less common. Two yeasts identified as Leuconeurospora sp. and Dioszegia fristingensis displayed 6 enzyme activities. Conclusions A high diversity of yeasts was isolated in this work including undescribed species and species not previously isolated from the Antarctic region, including Wickerhamomyces anomalus , which has not been isolated from cold regions in general. The diversity of extracellular enzyme activities, and hence the variety of compounds that the yeasts may degrade or transform, suggests an important nutrient recycling role of microorganisms in this region. These yeasts are of potential use in industrial applications requiring high enzyme activities at low temperatures. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Carrasco Mario Rozas Juan Barahona Salvador Alcaíno Jennifer Cifuentes Víctor Baeza Marcelo |
author_facet |
Carrasco Mario Rozas Juan Barahona Salvador Alcaíno Jennifer Cifuentes Víctor Baeza Marcelo |
author_sort |
Carrasco Mario |
title |
Diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from King George Island, the sub-Antarctic region |
title_short |
Diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from King George Island, the sub-Antarctic region |
title_full |
Diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from King George Island, the sub-Antarctic region |
title_fullStr |
Diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from King George Island, the sub-Antarctic region |
title_full_unstemmed |
Diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from King George Island, the sub-Antarctic region |
title_sort |
diversity and extracellular enzymatic activities of yeasts isolated from king george island, the sub-antarctic region |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-12-251 https://doaj.org/article/3b2d2b499d354be4b7a0e1c98afa42bf |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic King George Island |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic King George Island |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica King George Island |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica King George Island |
op_source |
BMC Microbiology, Vol 12, Iss 1, p 251 (2012) |
op_relation |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/12/251 https://doaj.org/toc/1471-2180 doi:10.1186/1471-2180-12-251 1471-2180 https://doaj.org/article/3b2d2b499d354be4b7a0e1c98afa42bf |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-12-251 |
container_title |
BMC Microbiology |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
251 |
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1766046387418431488 |