• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.7-24
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• 2023

More than five hundreds of yeast species (including 9 variants) encompassing 142 genera and 48 classes of 2 phyla exist in Korea. However, only 173 species have been cataloged in the National Species List of Korea (NSLK), the backbone reference to claim sovereign rights over biological resources, as of December 2021, due to the lack of taxonomic descriptions, although some of these species are extensively used in industry. The present pilot study investigated the taxonomy of strains belonging to the six most widely used or frequently isolated yeast species (Meyeromyma guilliermondii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Candida tropicalis, and Papiliotrema flavescens) to include these species in the NSLK. Strains with diverse habitats and geographic origins were retrieved from the National Institute of Biological Resources culture collection. These strains clustered in the same clade as the type strains of the designated species according to phylogenetic analysis of the D1/D2 sequences. Moreover, we described the cell morphology and physiological characteristics of representative strains of each species. This study suggests that these six species are indigenous to Korea and can be accordingly listed in the NSLK.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.287-306
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• 2023

According to our previous study, 500 species of yeast exist in Korea, including nine variants comprising 142 genera and 48 classes in two phyla. Additionally, 4,483 fungal species have been documented at the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR). However, despite the industrial use of several yeasts, only 173 species formed part of the National Species List of Korea (NSLK) as of December 2021, mainly due to the lack of taxonomic descriptions. This study aimed to investigate the taxonomy of seven newly isolated yeast species (Hyphopichia burtonii, Starmerella sorbosivorans, Cyberlindnera mycetangii, Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum, Nakazawaea ernobii, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Schizosaccharomyces japonicus) for inclusion in the NSLK. The strains were clustered for the phylogenetic analysis of fungal rDNA (D1/D2-26S) sequences. This study provides descriptions of their cell morphology and physiological characteristics, the results of which confirm the indigenous origin of these seven species in Korea and recommend their inclusion in the NSLK.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.35-54
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• 2024

With a history spanning 9,000 years, yeast has played a central role in the traditional production of fermented foods, particularly alcohol and bakery. Recent research has highlighted the versatility of yeast in various industries, including the production of bioactive compounds, bioethanol, pigments, and enzymes, and as a host for molecular biology studies. In Korea, yeast isolation has traditionally focused on traditional fermented foods such as soybean paste. However, there is a growing trend in the isolation and characterization of yeasts from natural environments such as flowers and fruits for industrial applications. In this study, we isolated and identified 12 yeasts from various natural environments in Korea, including botanical gardens and parks that are not listed on the National Species List of Korea (NSLK). These newly discovered species included Sakaguchia oryzae, Cystobasidium raffinophilum, Meira argovae, Kazachstania humilis, Meyerozyma smithsonii, Anthracocystis trispicatae, Naganishia brisbanensis, Tremella yokohamensis, Kwoniella shandongensis, Kwoniella newhampshirensis, Aureobasidium proteae, and Rhodotorula dairenensis.