MOLECULAR AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF EXOPHIALA SPECIES DESCRIBED FROM FISH

Eighteen strains of black yeasts, phenetically identified as Exophiala pisciphila, E. psychrophila or E. salmonis, were compared using ITS1 sequencing and RFLP of PCR-amplified ribosomal genes; in addition, the ir physiological profiles were determined. One strain contained an ins ert in its SSU ribosomal gene. The strains were found to have very sim ilar SSU rDNA RFLP patterns, but to be heterogeneous in ITS RFLP patte rns and ITS1 sequences. Physiological data corresponded with these fin dings. A distinction of species in psychrophilic Exophiala species rem ains difficult.