Vanderwaltozyma japonica sp. nov.: a novel yeast isolated from subtropical regions in Japan

Seven yeast strains, NBRC 11072, NBRC 11076, NBRC 11078^T, NBRC 11080, NBRC 116645, NBRC 116646 and NBRC 116647, were isolated from the subtropical regions of Japan. The seven strains share identical nucleotide sequences in the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Six strains (NBRC 11072, NBRC 11076, NBRC 11078^T, NBRC 11080, NBRC 116645 and NBRC 116646) share identical mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COX II) sequences as well, while NBRC 116647 differs from them by one substitution in this region. The yeast strains were closely related to <i>Vanderwaltozyma verrucispora</i> NBRC 1884^T in the ITS regions. However, in the D1/D2 domains and COX II, they were closely related to <i>Torulaspora globosa</i> CBS 764^T and <i>Naumovozyma castellii</i> NRRL Y-12630^T, respectively. They differed from <i>V. verrucispora</i> by 49 nucleotide substitutions with 26 gaps in the ITS region, from <i>T. globosa</i> by 19 nucleotide substitutions with 3 gaps in the D1/D2 domains and from <i>N. castellii</i> by 49 nucleotide substitutions with 6 gaps in the COX II. The phylogenetic analysis of the seven strains based on the sequences of the D1/D2 domains of LSU and ITS regions among related species showed that these strains represent a single novel species within the genus <i>Vanderwaltozyma</i>. The seven strains could be differentiated from other known species of the genus <i>Vanderwaltozyma</i> because of their inability to assimilate glycerol as a carbon source. Therefore, we suggest that these seven strains represent a novel species, designated <i>Vanderwaltozyma japonica</i> sp. nov. The holotype is NBRC 11078^T (isotype: TBRC 19102^T). The MycoBank number is MB 855476.