T. Nakase et al., A TAXONOMIC STUDY ON CELLULOLYTIC YEASTS AND YEAST-LIKE MICROORGANISMS ISOLATED IN JAPAN .2. THE GENUS CRYPTOCOCCUS, Journal of General and Applied Microbiology, 42(1), 1996, pp. 7-15
Seven strains of cellulolytic anamorphic basidiomycetous yeasts isolat
ed from natural materials collected in Japan were identified as three
species in the genus Cryptococcus; Cryptococcus flavus (1 strain), Cry
ptococcus cellulolyticus sp, nov. (5 strains) and Cryptococcus sp. (1
strain). Cr, cellulolyticus resembles Cr, flavus in the taxonomic crit
eria traditionally employed for yeasts but is differentiated from this
species in DNA-DNA reassociation experiments. Practically, Cv. cellul
olyticus is discriminated from Cr. flavus in the assimilation of eryth
ritol and the lack of assimilation of ethanol, A strain assigned to Cr
yptococcus sp. produces septated mycelium and has Q-9 as the major ubi
quinone. These characteristics resemble those of Q-9-equipped strains
of Cryptococcus humicolus. However, differences are found in the lack
of assimilation of melezitose and in growth without vitamins. We retai
ned it as unidentified because Cr, humicolus itself is assumed to be a
heterogeneous species and a revision of the species concept is requir
ed.