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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #327550
Title: Description of Teunomyces gen. nov. for the Candida kruisii clade, Suhomyces gen. nov. for the Candida tanzawaensis clade and Suhomyces kilbournensis sp. nov.

Author
item Kurtzman, Cletus
item Robnett, Christie
item BLACKWELL, MEREDITH - Louisana State University

Submitted to: Federation of European Microbiological Societies Yeast Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/26/2016
Publication Date: 5/1/2016
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5642491
Citation: Kurtzman, C.P., Robnett, C.J., Blackwell, M. 2016. Description of Teunomyces gen. nov. for the Candida kruisii clade, Suhomyces gen. nov. for the Candida tanzawaensis clade and Suhomyces kilbournensis sp. nov.. Federation Of European Microbiological Societies Yeast Research. doi: 10.1093/femsyr/fow041.

Interpretive Summary: In a study to examine the ecology of microorganisms associated with maize cultivation and their effect on plant health, we isolated and characterized yeasts from maize plants and from surrounding soil in fields located in south-central Illinois. Among the isolates were strains of a new species that is a member of the Candida tanzawaensis clade, as determined from gene sequence analysis. Sequence analysis of earlier maize isolates that had been preserved in the ARS Culture Collection resulted in discovery of addition strains of the new species, one of which had been isolated from Illinois maize in 1945. Because isolations were made over a period of 60 years, maize varietal differences are unlikely to influence association with the new yeast. This yeast is not known to be a maize pathogen, suggesting that the association is influenced by undetermined physiological conditions or distribution by insects during feeding on maize plants. Because of changes in the code of nomenclature that governs genus assignment of fungi, this new species and other members of the C. tanzawaensis clade were placed in the new genus Suhomyces. Species of the closely related Candida kruisii clade were placed in the new genus Teunomyces, thus removing species from the genus Candida that were unrelated to the type species of that genus. The new species is being described as Suhomyces kilbournensis, named in recognition of the small agricultural community of Kilbourne, Illinois, which is the location of field plots examined in this study. Because of its long association with maize, S. kilbournensis will be examined for protection of maize plants against fungal pathogens and for ability to degrade mycotoxins that are commonly produced by mold pathogens of maize.

Technical Abstract: DNA sequence analysis has shown that species of the Candida kruisii clade and species of the C. tanzawaensis clade represent phylogenetically circumscribed genera, which are described as Teunomyces gen. nov., type species T. kruisii, and Suhomyces gen. nov., type species S. tanzawaensis. Many of the species are distributed worldwide and they are often isolated from fungus-feeding insects and their habitats. Included is the description of S. kilbournensis (type strain NRRL Y-17864, CBS 14276), a species found almost exclusively on maize kernels (Zea mays) in IL, USA.