PHYLOGENY OF METSCHNIKOWIA SPECIES ESTIMATED FROM PARTIAL RIBOSOMAL-RNA SEQUENCES

Phylogenetic relationships of species assigned to the genus Metschniko wia were estimated from the extents of divergence among partial sequen ces of rRNA. The data suggest that the aquatic species (Metschnikowia australis, Metschnikowia bicuspidata, Metschnikowia krissii, and Metsc hnikowia zobellii) and the terrestrial species (Metschnikowia hawaiien sis, Metschnikowia lunata, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, and Metschnikowi a reukaufii) form two groups within the genus. M. lunata and M. hawaii ensis are well separated from other members of the genus, and M. hawai iensis may be sufficiently divergent that it could be placed in a new genus. Species of the genus Metschnikowia are unique compared with oth er ascomycetous yeasts because they have a deletion in the large-subun it rRNA sequence that includes nucleotides 434 to 483.