• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.249-258
• /
• 2019

The goal of this study was to isolate and characterize the wild yeast strains in the soils of Hajodae and Gyungpodae Beaches, Gyungpo Lake in Kangwon-do, Korea and evaluate their anti-demential and tyrosinase inhibitory activities. Among the 27 yeast strains isolated from 30 soil samples from Hajodae Beach, Cyberlindnera culbertsonii HJ31-1, Dothichiza pithyophila HJ22-4, Metschnikowia bicuspidata HJ16-1, and Sakaguchia cladiensis HJ14-1 were recorded for the first time in Korea. Additionally, six of the 55 wild yeast strains isolated from 45 soil samples from Gyungpodae Beach and Gyungpo Lake had not previously been detected in Korea, such as Aureobasidium melanogenum JR3-1. The microbiological characteristics and anti-demential and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of these previously unrecorded yeasts were investigated. Almost all of them were oval-shaped and had ascospores except for Dothichiza pithyophila HJ22-4, Diutina siamensis JR37-5, and Canadida gelsemii DC 35-1. Furthermore, they were all sugar-tolerant and able to grow in 20% glucose-containing YPD broth, except for Cyberlindnera culbertsonii HJ31-1. Diutina siamensis JR37-5 had the highest tyrosinase inhibitory activity (30.9%).

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.204-209
• /
• 2020

In 2019, as a subset study to discover indigenous yeast species in Korea, a total of 20 yeast species were isolated from soil samples collected in Pochoen-si. Among them, eight strains were unreported species. From the high 26S rRNA gene sequence similarity and formation of a robust phylogenetic clade with the closest species, it was determined that each strain belonged to independent and predefined yeast species. The 20 strains were assigned to the genera Aureobasidium (1 strain) and Meyerozyma (1 strain) of the phylum Ascomycota and Cystofilobasidium (2 strains), Filobasidium (1 strain), Naganishia (2 strains), Bullera (3 strains), Leucosporidium (9 strains) and Sampaiozyma (1 strain) of the phylum Basidiomycota. There is no official report of the following species in Korea: Leucosporidium creatinivorum (4 strains), Leucosporidium escuderoi(2 strains), Leucosporidium golubevii(1 strain) and Leucosporidium intermedium (2 strains). Basic biochemical characteristics, colony and cell morphology are also described in the species description section.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.545-553
• /
• 2021

In 2021, seven yeast strains were isolated from earthworm (Eisenia andrei) gut samples collected from the Nanji Water Regeneration Center in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, Korea. A total of seven yeasts were isolated, of which three strains have not been previously reported in Korea. To identify the yeasts, pairwise sequence comparisons of large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences were performed using the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST). Assimilation test and cell morphology analysis were performed using the API 20C AUX kit and phase contrast microscope, respectively. Five of the seven strains were assigned to the genus Candida of the order Saccharomycetales of the class Saccharomycetes, and two to the genus Apiotrichum of the order Trichosporonales of the class Tremellomycetes. The yeast strain Candida sojae E2 belongs to the family Debaryomycetaceae, and Apiotrichum laibachii E8 and A. laibachii E9 belong to the family Trichosporonaceae. All strains were cultured in yeast mold agar for three days and showed different colony forms. C. sojae E2 was round and entire shaped, while A. laibachii E8 and A. laibachii E9 was round and convex shaped. This study focuses on the description of the three yeast strains that have not been officially reported in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.7-24
• /
• 2023

More than five hundreds of yeast species (including 9 variants) encompassing 142 genera and 48 classes of 2 phyla exist in Korea. However, only 173 species have been cataloged in the National Species List of Korea (NSLK), the backbone reference to claim sovereign rights over biological resources, as of December 2021, due to the lack of taxonomic descriptions, although some of these species are extensively used in industry. The present pilot study investigated the taxonomy of strains belonging to the six most widely used or frequently isolated yeast species (Meyeromyma guilliermondii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Candida tropicalis, and Papiliotrema flavescens) to include these species in the NSLK. Strains with diverse habitats and geographic origins were retrieved from the National Institute of Biological Resources culture collection. These strains clustered in the same clade as the type strains of the designated species according to phylogenetic analysis of the D1/D2 sequences. Moreover, we described the cell morphology and physiological characteristics of representative strains of each species. This study suggests that these six species are indigenous to Korea and can be accordingly listed in the NSLK.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.75-82
• /
• 2018

Totally 91 strains of wild yeasts were isolated from the humus rich soil in the Bogyong city park of Daejeon city, Korea. Majority of the strains belonged to Cryptococcus spp., which included 11 strains of Cryptococcus aureus. Among them, Kwoniella mangroviensis JSS0500, Candida corydalis JSS0501, Candida bombi JSS0503, Candida multigemmis JSS0504, Cryptococcus dimennae JSS0506, Cryptococcus saitoi JSS0507, Cryptococcus victoriae JSS0508, Metschnikowia pulcherrima JSS0502, Papiliotrema aurea JSS0505, Debaryomyces vanrijia JSS0509, Occultifur externus JSS0510, Filobasidium floriforme JSS0511 and Yamadazyma scolyti JSS0512 represented newly recorded yeast strains in Korea, and their microbiological characteristics were investigated. All of these unrecorded yeasts showed oval shape and also formed ascospores and pseudomycelia, except for Kwoniella mangroviensis JSS0500, Candida bombi JSS0503, and Metschnikowia pulcherrima JSS0502. Seven strains including Candida corydalis JSS0501 grew in vitamin-free medium, and 4 of the wild yeasts including Cryptococcus victoriae JSS0508 were halotolerant, i.e., capable of growing in 10% NaCl-containing yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD) broth. Debaryomyces vanrijia JSS0509 was found to be a thermophilic yeast that grew at $37^{\circ}C$.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.39-49
• /
• 2023

This study aimed to screen and investigate the microbiological characteristics, enzyme activity, and physiological functionality of unrecorded wild yeasts from the Wolsung valley of South Deogyu mountain and Jinjamcheon in Daejeon city, Korea. Candida sorboxylosa WSC25-4 (NNIBRFG47336), Arxula adeninivorans WSC6-3 (NNIBRFG47335), Farysizyma taiwaniana JRC6-2 (NNIBRFG47339), Saturnispora dispora JTS19-1 (NNIBRFG47334), Vanderwaltozyma polyspora JJCH5-3 (NNIBRFG47337), and Vanrija fragicola SW-9 (NNIBRFG47338) have not been previously recorded. None of these formed spores or pseudo-mycelium, and four strains, including C. sorboxylosa WSC25-4, were global in shaped. Except for V. polyspora JJCH5-3, all strains grew well in the yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD), potato-dextrose and yeast malt extract media. A. adeninivorans WSC6-3 and S. dispora JTS19-1 grew well in 40% glucose-containing YPD medium and V. fragicola SW-9 in 5% NaCl-containing YPD medium. The supernatant of A. adeninivorans WSC6-3, F. taiwaniana JRC6-2, and V. fragicola SW-9 exhibited 58.0, 59.0, and 59.0% of glucoamylase activity, respectively. C. sorboxylosa WSC25-4 also produced extracellular alkaline protease. Antioxidant activity of the supernatant from F. taiwanian JRC6-2 was high (79.8%), while the other five unrecorded yeasts demonstrated elevated antiaging superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity (99%). Anti-gout xanthin oxidase inhibitory activity of S. dispora JTS19-1 and V. fragicola SW-9 was also elevated at 79 and 80%, respectively.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.336-343
• /
• 2021

In 2020, as a subset study to discover indigenous yeast species in Korea, a total of 22 yeast species were isolated from soil samples collected in Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do. Among them, 10 strains were unreported species. From the high 26S rRNA gene sequence similarity and formation of a robust phylogenetic clade with the closest species, it was determined that each strain belonged independent and predefined yeast species. The 22 strains were assigned to the genera Dothiora (1 strain), Sarocladium (1 strain), Tetrapisispora (1 strain) and Torulaspora (2 strains) of the phylum Ascomycota; the genera Erythrobasidium (1 strain), Leucosporidium (4 strains), Ustilentyloma (2 strains), Fellozyma (1 strain), Sampaiozyma (2 strains), Filobasidium (1 strain), Solicoccozyma (2 strains) and Vishniacozyma (4 strains) of the phylum Basidiomycota. This is the first official report of the following species in Korea: Dothiora cannabinae (1 strain), Sarocladium strictum (1 strain), Fellozyma inositophila (1 strain), Filobasidium magnum (1 strain), Solicoccozyma phenolicus (1 strain), Solicoccozyma terreus(1 strain), Vishniacozyma tephrensis(1 strain) and Vishniacozyma victoriae (3 strains). Cell morphology, phenotypic features and biochemical features are described in the Species Description section.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.350-355
• /
• 2021

In 2020, 11 Basidiomycetous yeast strains were isolated from soil samples collected from the forests of Namhansanseong in Korea. Among them, seven species were reported, but four species were unreported in Korea. To identify wild yeasts, pairwise sequence comparisons of D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA were performed using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). The cell morphologies and assimilation test are observed by phase contrast microscope and API 20C AUX kit, respectively. The 11 strains were assigned to the genera Rhodotorula (4 strains) of the order Sporidiobolales of the class Microbotryomycetes; and Cryptococcus(2 strains), Goffeauzyma (1 strains), Naganishia (2 strains) of the order Filobasidiales and Saitozyma (2 strains) of the order Tremellales of the class Tremellomycetes in the phylum Basidiomycota. The unreported yeast strains Cryptococcus gastricus 20n5-2, Goffeauzyma gilvescens 20n2-7, Naganishia adeliensis 20n8-1, and Naganishia friedmannii 20n24-1 belong to the family Filobasidiaceae. All strains had oval shaped cells and cream-colored colonies cultured on on YM agar for 3 days. In this study, we focus on the description of four unreported yeast species in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.87-100
• /
• 2021

This study aimed to isolate wild yeasts obtained from flowers and soil of the Wolpyung park, Daejeon city and Gykpo beach, Buan, Jeollabuk-do in Korea, and to further characterize previously unrecorded wild yeast strains. In total, 88 strains of 62 different species of wild yeasts were isolated from 75 samples obtained from the Wolpyung park. Among these, six strains of Trichosporon moniliiforme and four strains each of Papiliotrema flavescens and Candida melibiosica were isolated. Additionally, 39 strains of 30 different species of wild yeasts were isolated from 35 samples collected from the Gykpo beach. Among the 127 isolated wild yeast strains, 10 strains, including Apiotrichum porosum ASCM32-1, were previously unrecorded. All the 10 previously unrecorded yeasts were oval or global in shape, and three strains, including Candida athensensis WP4-90-3, formed spores. Three strains, including Vishniacozyma taibaiensis WP13-2, were halophilic yeasts which grew in 15% NaCl-containing YPD(yeast extract-peptone-dextrose) medium. Five strains, including C. athensensis WP4-90-3, showed 15% ethanol resistance. Cell-free extracts from Candida oleophila WP5-19-1 and Wickerhamomyces anomalus HO9-2 showed the highest β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity (49.0%) and neutrophil elastase inhibitory activity (38.4%), respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.491-504
• /
• 2023

To explore fungal diversity in orchard soil where fire-blighted apple trees are buried, we collected soil samples from apple orchards in Chungju, Korea. Fungal isolates were obtained from DG18 agar and identified at the species level based on morphological features and phylogenetic analyses. The colony characteristics and microstructures were examined using a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope after culturing on potato dextrose agar (PDA), malt extract agar (MEA), Czapek yeast agar (CYA), and oatmeal agar (OA) The PCR-amplified products of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region and 28S large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene, as well as partial sequences of the β-tubulin, calmodulin, and translation elongation factor 1-α genes were sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. Seven previously unknown fungal species were explored in Korea. All samples, including Aspergillus aureolatus, Botryotrichum atrogriseum, Dactylonectria novozelandica, Fusarium denticulatum, Paecilomyces tabacinus, Sarcopodium tibetense and Talaromyces stollii, had ascomycetes. Herein, we report their descriptions and features.