Isolation and Characterization of a Yeast Cryptococcus sp. S-2 That Produces Raw Starch-digesting α-Amylase, Xylanase, and Polygalacturonase

Abstract

We isolated a yeast from air, strain S-2, which produces raw starch-digesting α-amylase, xylanase, and polygalacturonase. The fermentation ability was negative, and D. B. B., urease, and DNase tests were positive. The major ubiquinone was Q-10 and the mol% G + C content of nuclear DNA was 67. The cells were oval to ellipsoidal ; no true mycelium, pseudomycelium, or teliospores were observed ; and it contained a large amount of xylose (19. 7 mol%) in the whole-cell hydrolyzates. From these characters, strain S-2 was assigned to the genus Cryptococcus.