Hanseniaspora opuntiae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hanseniaspora opuntiae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Saccharomycetes |
| Order: | Saccharomycetales |
| Family: | Saccharomycodaceae |
| Genus: | Hanseniaspora |
| Species: | H. opuntiae |
| Binomial name | |
| Hanseniaspora opuntiae Čadež, Poot, Raspor & M.Th. Smith 2003[1] | |
Hanseniaspora opuntiae is a species of yeast in the family Saccharomycetaceae. It has been isolated from locations worldwide, on grape berries and on prickly pear cacti.
Samples of H. opuntiae were first isolated from samples taken from prickly pear cacti in Hawaii.[2] The species was first described by Neža Čadež, Gé A. Poot, Peter Raspor, and Maudy Th. Smith in 2003 and given the specific epithet refers to the genus of the host plant where it was first isolated.[1]
Genetic sequencing shows that the species is closely related to Hanseniaspora lachancei, Hanseniaspora pseudoguilliermondii, and Hanseniaspora guilliermondii.[3] The four species can only be differentiated from those species by using PCR fingerprinting and not by conventional physiological criteria.[2]
Description
Microscopic examination of the yeast cells in YM liquid medium after 48 hours at 25 °C reveals cells that are 3.0 to 16.0 μm by 1.5 to 5.0 μm in size, apiculate, ovoid to elongate, appearing singly or in pairs. Reproduction is by budding, which occurs at both poles of the cell. In broth culture, sediment is present, and after one month a very thin ring and a sediment is formed.[1]
Colonies that are grown on malt agar for one month at 25 °C appear cream-colored, butyrous, glossy, and smooth. Growth is flat to slightly raised at the center, with an entire to slightly undulating margin.[1] The yeast forms poorly developed pseudohyphae on cornmeal or potato agar.[1][2] The yeast has been observed to form four hat-shaped ascospores when grown for at least seven days on 5% Difco malt extract agar.[2]
The yeast can ferment glucose and cellobiose, but not galactose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, raffinose or trehalose.[1] It has a positive growth rate at 37 °C, but there is no growth at 40 °C.[1][2] It can grow on agar media containing 0.1% cycloheximide and 10% sodium but growth on 50% glucose-yeast extract agar is weak.[1] It has been shown to thrive during the early stages of fermentation of alcoholic beverages, but has a relatively low alcohol tolerance and activity decreases as alcohol levels increase.[4]