KILLER YEASTS OF KLUYVEROMYCES AND HANSENULA GENERA WITH POTENTIAL APPLICATION IN FERMENTATION AND THERAPY

The killing/immunity interactions among killer strains of the genera K luyveromyces, Hansenula and Saccharomyces from the Czechoslovak Collec tion of Yeasts were studied with the aim to find the strains with broa d specificity and killer activity targeted against a range of undesira ble wild yeasts causing stuck fermentations. Among 49 tested Kluyverom yces strains, five strains were found, and among 55 Hansenula strains, ten yeast strains were found with activity against a sensitive strain of Saccharomyces. Hansenula mrakii CCY 38-7-1 and Hansenula saturnus var. subsufficiens CCY 38-4-2 showed exceptional activity against the wine contaminants, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, as well as against pathog enic Candida species within a broad range of pH 2.9-5.1. Their potenti al biotechnological application is discussed.