A major clade of new yeast taxa from the digestive tract of basidiocarp-feeding beetles is recognized based on rRNA gene sequence analyses. Almost 30 % of 650 gut isolates formed a statistically well-supported clade that included Candida tanzawaensis. The yeasts in the clade were isolated from 11 families of beetles, of which Tenebrionidae and Erotylidae were most commonly sampled. Repeated isolation of certain yeasts from the same beetle species at different times and places indicated strong host associations. Sexual reproduction was never observed in the yeasts. Based on comparisons of small- and large-subunit rRNA gene sequences and morphological and physiological traits, the yeasts were placed in Candida ambrosiae and in 16 other undescribed taxa. In this report, the novel species in the genus Candida are described and their relationships with other taxa in the Saccharomycetes are discussed. The novel species and their type strains are as follows: Candida guaymorum (NRRL Y-27568T=CBS 9823T), Candida bokatorum (NRRL Y-27571T=CBS 9824T), Candida kunorum (NRRL Y-27580T=CBS 9825T), Candida terraborum (NRRL Y-27573T=CBS 9826T), Candida emberorum (NRRL Y-27606T=CBS 9827T), Candida wounanorum (NRRL Y-27574T=CBS 9828T), Candida yuchorum (NRRL Y-27569T=CBS 9829T), Candida chickasaworum (NRRL Y-27566T=CBS 9830T), Candida choctaworum (NRRL Y-27584T=CBS 9831T), Candida bolitotheri (NRRL Y-27587T=CBS 9832T), Candida atakaporum (NRRL Y-27570T=CBS 9833T), Candida panamericana (NRRL Y-27567T=CBS 9834T), Candida bribrorum (NRRL Y-27572T=CBS 9835T), Candida maxii (NRRL Y-27588T=CBS 9836T), Candida anneliseae (NRRL Y-27563T=CBS 9837T) and Candida taliae (NRRL Y-27589T=CBS 9838T).
JonesK. G.,
BlackwellM.1996; Ribosomal DNA sequence analysis places the yeast-like genus Symbiotaphrina within filamentous ascomycetes. Mycologia 88:212–218[CrossRef]
JonesK. G.,
DowdP. F.,
BlackwellM.1999; Polyphyletic origins of yeast-like endocytobionts from anobiid and cerambycid beetles. Mycol Res 103:542–546[CrossRef]
JurzitzaG.1979; The fungi symbiotic with anobiid beetles. In Insect–Fungus Symbiosis: Nutrition, Mutualism, and Commensalism pp 65–76 Edited by
BatraL. R.
New York: Wiley;
KurtzmanC. P.,
PhaffH. J.1987; Molecular taxonomy. In The Yeasts, vol. 1, Biology of Yeasts pp 63–94 Edited by
RoseA. H.,
HarrisonJ. S.
London: Academic Press;
KurtzmanC. P.,
RobnettC. J.1997; Identification of clinically important ascomycetous yeasts based on nucleotide divergence in the 5′ end of the large subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA gene. J Clin Microbiol 35:1216–1223
KurtzmanC. P.,
RobnettC. J.1998; Identification and phylogeny of ascomycetous yeasts from analysis of nuclear large subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA partial sequences. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 73:331–371[CrossRef]
LeeS. B.,
TaylorJ. W.1990; Isolation of DNA from fungal mycelia and single spores. In PCR Protocols – a Guide to Methods and Applications pp 282–287 Edited by
InnisM. A.,
GelfandD. H.,
SninskyJ. J.,
WhiteT. J.
San Diego, CA: Academic Press;
NakaseT.,
ItohM.,
TakematsuA.,
KomagataK.1988; Candida tanzawaensis , a new species of yeast isolated from moss collected in Japan. Trans Mycol Soc Jpn 29:331–338
NodaH.,
NakashimaN.,
KoizumiM.1995; Phylogenetic position of yeast-like symbiotes of rice planthoppers based on partial 18S rDNA sequences. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 25:639–646[CrossRef]
PriceC. W.,
FusonG. B.,
PhaffH. J.1978; Genome comparison in yeast systematics: delimination of species within the genera Schwanniomyces , Saccharomyces , Debaryomyces and Pichia
. Microbiol Rev 42:161–193
SuhS.-O.,
BlackwellM.2004; The beetle gut as a habitat for new species of yeasts. In Insect Fungal Associations: Ecology and Evolution (in press). Edited by
VegaF. E.,
BlackwellM.
New York: Oxford University Press;
SuhS.-O.,
MarshallC. J.,
McHughJ. V.,
BlackwellM.2003; Wood ingestion by passalid beetles in the presence of xylose-fermenting gut yeasts. Mol Ecol 12:3137–3145[CrossRef]
TatusovaT. A.,
MaddenT. L.1999; blast 2 Sequences, a new tool for comparing protein and nucleotide sequences. FEMS Microbiol Lett 174:247–250[CrossRef]
ThompsonJ. D.,
GibsonT. J.,
PlewniakF.,
JeanmouginF.,
HigginsD. G.1997; The clustal_x windows interface: flexible strategies for multiple sequence alignment aided by quality analysis tools. Nucleic Acids Res 25:4876–4882[CrossRef]
WhiteT. J.,
BrunsT.,
LeeS.,
TaylorJ.1990; Amplification and direct sequencing of fungal ribosomal RNA genes for phylogenetics. In PCR Protocols – a Guide to Methods and Applications pp 315–322 Edited by
InnisM. A.,
GelfandD. H.,
SninskyJ. J.,
WhiteT. J.
San Diego, CA: Academic Press;
YarrowD.1998; Methods for the isolation, maintenance and identification of yeasts. In The Yeasts, a Taxonomic Study , 4th edn. pp 77–100 Edited by
KurtzmanC. P,
FellJ. W.
Amsterdam: Elsevier;