Identification of Starmerella aleppica f.a., sp. nov. and large indels in the rRNA cistron that split the Starmerella genus

Yeast strains representing a novel asexual ascomycetous species were isolated from seven <i>Malva sylvestris</i> flowers. Sequencing of the chromosomal regions coding for the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit ribosomal RNA, the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 segments and parts of the gene coding for the small subunit ribosomal RNA showed that the isolates were conspecific. Comparative analysis of these sequences and the corresponding sequences of the type strains of ascomycetous yeasts revealed that the strains represent a hitherto undescribed species belonging to the <i>sensu stricto</i> subclade of the genus <i>Starmerella</i>. The new species is osmotolerant and can develop invasive pseudohyphae, but does not form spores. For the new species, the name <i>Starmerella aleppica</i> f.a. (forma asexualis) is proposed. The holotype, preserved in a metabolically inactive state, is CBS 12960^T (extype cultures: 2-1361 and CCY 90-2-1, NCAIM Y.02123). The GenBank accession numbers of barcode sequences are JX515983 (D1/D2 domain), JX515985 (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and partial 18S rRNA gene), PQ613837 (<i>TEF1</i> partial sequence) and PQ613838 (<i>RPB2</i> partial sequence). MycoBank: MB855459. The analysis of the D1/D2 and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of the type strains of species of the genus identified multiple multinucleotide indels that can be used as taxonomic markers (InDel markers). The indel patterns of the subclades are very different and homogeneous within the subclades. This result reinforces the idea raised, but also refuted, in previous studies that the <i>Starmerella</i> subclades may represent different genera.