Yeast diversity in the acidic Rio Agrio-Lake Caviahue volcanic environment (Patagonia, Argentina).
FEMS Microbiol Ecol
; 65(3): 415-24, 2008 Sep.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18537834
The Rio Agrio and Lake Caviahue system (RAC), in Northwestern Patagonia, is a natural acidic environment. The aims of this study were to characterize the yeast community and to provide the first ecological assessment of yeast diversity of this extreme aquatic environment. Yeast occurrence and diversity were studied at seven sites where the water pH varied between 1.8 and 6.7. Yeast CFU counts in the river ranged from 30 to 1200 CFU L(-1), but in the Lake the values were lower (30-60 CFU L(-1)). A total of 25 different yeast species were found, 11 of which belonged to undescribed taxa. Among these was an unusual strongly acidophilic Cryptococcus species. The RAC yeast community resembles that of acidic aquatic environments resulting from anthropic activities such as the São Domingos mines in Portugal and the Rio Tinto in Spain, respectively. The isolated yeast species were organized into different grades of adaptation to the RAC aquatic system. Based on the proposed grades, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Rhodosporidium toruloides and two novel Cryptococcus species were the most adapted species. These Cryptococcus species are apparently specialists of acidic aquatic environments, and might bear physiological features that possibly account for their ability to thrive in such extreme environments.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Microbiología del Agua
/
Levaduras
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Adaptación Biológica
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Biodiversidad
País/Región como asunto:
America do sul
/
Argentina
Idioma:
En
Revista:
FEMS Microbiol Ecol
Año:
2008
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Argentina
Pais de publicación:
Reino Unido