A novel psychrotolerant member of the hymenomycetous yeasts from Antarctica: Cryptococcus watticus sp. nov.

Soil, snow and organic material, collected in November 1997 from the Vestvold Hills, Davis Base, Antarctica, were screened for yeasts. Two isolates, which were shown to be indistinguishable by rDNA sequencing and protein analysis by SDS-PAGE, are described in this communication as a novel species, Cryptococcus watticus sp. nov. (type culture, CBS 9496T=NRRL Y-27556T). Sequence analyses of the 26S rDNA D1/D2 region placed C. watticus in the hymenomycetous yeasts in a cluster with Holtermannia corniformis and Cryptococcus nyarrowii. This species has been allocated to the genus Cryptococcus on the basis of physiological and morphological characteristics.