The type strains of the 20 species of the yeast genus Kluyveromyces sensu van der Walt 1970 were studied by gel electrophoresis of 11 isofunctional enzymes. These enzymes included five oxidoreductases (alcohol dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.1], lactate dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.27], malate dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.37], catalase [EC 1.11.1.6], and superoxide dismutase [EC 1.15.1.1]), five hydrolases (esterase [EC 3.1.1.1], alkaline phosphatase [EC 3.1.3.1], α-glucosidase [EC 3.2.1.20], β-glucosidase [EC 3.2.1.21], and exo-β-glucanase [EC 3.2.1.58]), and one lyase (aldolase [EC 4.1.2.12]). Polymorphism was evident in most of the enzymes studied. Each type strain had a unique pattern when all enzymes were considered. The results of a multivariate analysis of the electrophoretic patterns supported the division of the genus into 13 species, 2 of which comprised four and five taxa, respectively, which were recognized in 1970. Enzyme electrophoresis provided evidence that widespread gene flow does not necessarily occur between yeasts which are able to hybridize in the laboratory.
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