Isolation and Characterization of Unrecorded Wild Yeasts Obtained from Soils of Spice Fields and Mountains

The goal of this study was to investigate the diversity present among wild yeasts obtained from soils of spice fields and from mountain soils, and to further, characterize previously unrecorded novel wild yeast strains. In total, 36 strains from 17 different species of wild yeasts were isolated from 35 soil samples obtained from garlic fields of Geumsan, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea. Among these, six yeast strains of Trichosporon moniliiforme, and four strains each of Papiliotrema flavescens and Candida melibiosica species were isolated. Additionally, 22 strains of 18 different species of wild yeasts were isolated from 32 soil samples collected from the ballonflower and ginger fields of Geumsan, Korea. Finally, 46 strains of wild yeasts were isolated from 35 soil samples obtained from Mt. Daedun in Geumsan, Korea. Among the total of 106 isolated wild yeast strains, 10 strains, including Debaryomyces vindobonensis GHY31-3 represented novel yeast strains which were previously unrecorded. All the 10 previously unrecorded yeasts were oval or global in shape, and five strains, including Filobasidium stepposum SFG1-4 formed ascospores. Three strains, including Pseudozyma alboarmeniaca CD 23-5 grew well in vitamin-free medium. Cell-free extract obtained from Filobasidium magnum SFG1-3 indicated 28.6% of xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity.