Expanding the geographical distribution of Blastobotrysmalaysiensis (Saccharomycetales) beyond the Asian continent - a cave fungus first reported in the Americas

Abstract

Background: Saccharomycetales are ascomycetic yeasts and, amongst them, the genus Blastobotrys has approximately 30 known species. Blastobotrysmalaysiensis is a yeast species, described from cave samples, known until then only from Malaysia. In this study, we characterise a new strain and report the second occurrence record of this species. Here, Blastobotrysmalaysiensis URM 8507/SXS 675, was collected from sediments samples from a cave in the Parque Estadual de Terra Ronca (PETER) in Goiás, Brazil. Phylogenetic analyses revealed strong support with the sequence of the species type, as well as with other species of the clade. This new record contributes by providing new molecular data for the species and expanding the knowledge of its distribution beyond the Asian continent.

New information: First record of a yeast for the American continent and its second mention for the world.

Keywords: Saccharomycetales; cave; geographic distribution; phylogeny; yeast.

Figure 1.

A Location of the studied area, Parque Estadual de Terra Ronca (PETER), Goiás, Brazil; B Entrance of Lapa do Angélica cav;e C Internal part of cave (aphotic zone); D Resurgence.

Figure 2.

Phylogenetic relationships between Blastobotrysmalaysiensis URM 8507/SXS 675 (in bold) and other Blastobotrys species and corresponding clade, based on rDNA of the ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) region. Values at nodes indicate bootstrap from Maximum Likelihood/Bayesian posterior probability analysis. Schizoaccharomycesjaponicus was included as an outgroup.

Figure 3.

Morphology of Blastobotrysmalaysiensis (URM 8507/SXS 675). A Colony of B.malaysiensis; B Yeast cells, with multilateral budding (arrows); C Blastoconidia stained with lactophenol blue; D Blastoconidia attached to hyphae from pedicels (arrows). A-B grown on PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar) after eight days of growth at 27ºC and C-D grown on MEA (Malt Extract Agar) at 27ºC for five days. Scale bars: 10 mm (A), 10 µm (B, C, D).