Sequence-based identification of species belonging to the genus Debaryomyces

In the present study we assessed the identification by sequence analysis of the 15 species belonging to the genus Debaryomyces. We found that the following species can be identified both quickly and correctly by direct sequence comparison of the ribosomal 5.8S-ITS region: D. carsonii, D. etchelsii, D. maramus, D. melissophilits, D. occidentalis and D. yamadae. In contrast, the species D. castellii, D. coudertii, D. hansenii, D. nepalensis, D. polymorphus, D. pselidopolymorphus, D. robertsiae, D. udenii and D. vanrijiae showed high sequence similarity in ribosomal regions with one or several species. In these cases, sequence comparison of the ACT1gene is proposed to ensure unequivocal strain designation. (c) 2005 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.