Yeasts associated with termites: a phenotypic and genotypic characterization and use of coevolution for dating evolutionary radiations in asco- and basidiomycetes

• Published in: Systematic and applied microbiology 1996-08, Vol.19 (2), p.265-283
• Main Authors: Prillinger, Hansjörg, Messner, Robert, König, Helmut, Bauer, Robert, Lopandic, Ksenija, Molnar, Orsolya, Dangel, Petra, Weigang, Franz, Kirisits, Thomas, Nakase, Takasi, Sigler, Lynne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anatomy and morphology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Ascomycete phylogeny; Ascomycota; Basidiomycete phylogeny; Basidiomycota; Biological and medical sciences; Blattaria; cell wall components; characterization; Coevolution-fungi-arthropods; comparisons; Cryptocercus punctulatus; Debaryomyces; Endomycetales; evolution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungus evolution; genbank/j01353; genbank/m83271; genbank/m85053; genbank/m85854; genotype; Genotypic identification; heterotermes indicola; hindgut; identification; Isoptera; mastotermis darwineinsis; Microbial ecology; molecular sequence data; Neotermes; neotermes jouteli; Normal microflora of man and animals. Rumen; nucleotide sequences; Ophiostoma; phenotype; physiology; Reticulitermes santonensis; sequence homology; Sporothrix albicans; symbionts; Termites; ultrastructure; Yeasts; Zootermopsis; Zootermopsis angusticollis; zootermopsis nevadensis
• ISSN: 0723-2020; 1618-0984
• DOI: 10.1016/S0723-2020(96)80053-1

Thirtynine yeast isolates or dimorphic fungi were obtained from the hindgut of the lower termites Mastotermis darwiniensis (Mastotermitidae), Zootermopsis angusticollis, Z. nevadensis (Hodotermitidae), Neotermes jouteli (Kalotermitidae), Reticulitermes santonensis, Heterotermes indicola (Rhinotermitidae) and the roach Cryptocercus punctulatus. Using RAPD-PCR the 39 yeast isolates were assigned to 13 different species. Commonly yeast species were specific to the termite species isolates from. There were only two yeast species which were found in different species of lower termites. Based on phenotypic characters Debaryomyces hansenii showed a high score in four species. The qualitative and quantitative yeast cell wall monosaccharide composition, the ubiquinone system, partial sequencing of 18S ribosomal DNA (bases 1273 to 948; numbering according to the gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and the ultrastructure of septal pores indicate that 11 yeast species belong to the Endomycetales. Although ascospores were lacking, two of these species were identified to belong to the genus Debaryomyces. One remaining yeast isolate was identified as a Sporothrix anamorph representative for the filamentous Ascomycetes (Ophiostomataceae s. str.); the second species showed affinities to the Basidiomycetes in particular to the genus Trichosporon. Comparing an additional 18S rDNA fragment (bases 595 to 993) and RAPD-PCR data using different species type strains of the genus Sporothrix, the filamentous ascomycete was genotypically identified as Sporothrix albicans. Sporothrix. albicans, although phylogenetically closely related to S. schenckii var. schenckii and Ophiostoma stenoceras remains genotypically distinct. An emended species description of S. albicans is presented. Evidence is provided that the yeasts isolated from the hindgut can be considered symbionts.