COENZYME Q SYSTEM IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE ASCOSPOROGENOUS YEAST GENERA DEBARYOMYCES, SACCHAROMYCES, KLUYVEROMYCES, AND ENDOMYCOPSIS

Abstract

One hundred and thirty-one cultures of the genera Debaryomyces, Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Endomycopsis, and Saccharomycopsis were examined for the Co-Q system. The genus Debaryomyces was divided into two groups; Q-6 in the intense fermentors of D. globosus, D. franciscae, and D. nilsonii, and Q-9 in the weak fermentors such as D. hansenii, D. cantarellii, and D. tamarii. The genera Saccharomyces and Kluyveromyces were characterized by the only system comprising Q-6. The genus Endomycopsis represented three types of Co-Q system; Q-7 in E. bispora, E. platypodis, and E. monospora, Q-8 in most of the species in this genus, E. capsularis, E. fibuligera, E. vini, E. burtonii, E. javanensis, and E. selenospora, and Q-9 in E. ovetensis and E. lipolytica. Saccharomycopsis synnaedendra gave the Q-8 system. Discussions are made from the taxonomic point of view, especially on the yeasts and yeast-like organisms possessing the same system of Co-Q as found in the genera Hansenula and Pichia (Q-7, Q-8, and Q-9).