Kondoa tianchiensis f.a., sp. nov., an anamorphic yeast species isolated from plant leaves

Two yeast strains, NYNU 236122 and NYNU 236180, were isolated from plant leaves collected in Tianchi Mountain, Henan Province, central China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed the closest relatives of the strains are three described <i>Kondoa</i> species, <i>Kondoa chamaenerii</i>, <i>Kondoa miscanthi</i>, and <i>Kondoa subrosea</i>. Genetically, the isolated strains differed from the type strains of their three related species by 2-11(0.2-1.8%) base substitutions in the D1/D2 domain, 16-40 (2.6-5.6%) base mismatches in the internal transcribed spacer region, and more than 10.1% base substitutions in the partial <i>RPB2</i> gene. Furthermore, the two strains differ physiologically from their closest related species, <i>K. chamaenerii</i>, in their ability to assimilate dl-lactate, nitrite, and l-lysine and their inability to assimilate nitrate. Additionally, they differ from <i>K. miscanthi</i> and <i>K. subrosea</i> in their ability to assimilate inulin, d-gluconate, and l-lysine. The species name of <i>Kondoa tianchiensis</i> f.a., sp. nov. is proposed with holotype CICC 33616^T (Mycobank MB 853544).