Identification and biodiversity of yeasts isolated from Koumiss in Xinjiang of China

• Published in: Wei sheng wu hsüeh pao Vol. 47; no. 4; p. 578
• Main Authors: Ni, Hui-juan, Bao, Qiu-hua, Sun, Tian-song, Chen, Xia, Zhang, He-ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.08.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Biodiversity; China; Cultured Milk Products - microbiology; DNA, Fungal - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Yeasts - classification; Yeasts - genetics; Yeasts - isolation & purification; China
• ISSN: 0001-6209

A total of 87 yeast strains were isolated from 28 home-made koumiss samples, a traditional fermented mare milk product in Xinjiang of China. The isolates were identified by standard physiological and biochemical tests and analysis of the large-subunit (26S) rDNA gene D1/D2 domain sequences. They are proved to be Saccharomyces unisporus (48.3% of the isolates), Kluyveromyces marxianus (27.6%) and Pichia membranaefaciens (15.0%), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (9.2%). Among them, six isolates and a standard yeast strain were selected for analysis of D1/D2 domain sequences. They are indicated as S. unisporus, K. marxianus, S. cerevisiae, P. membranifaciens, P. fermentans, P. galeiformis and the standard yeast strain is indicated as K. lactis (100%). The results obtained demonstrate the value of using analysis of D1/D2 domain sequences methods, in conjunction with the traditional taxonomic methods based on phenotypic characteristics. This study forms an essential step towards the preservation and exploitation of the hi