Isoenzyme, restriction fragment length polymorphism, and random amplified polymorphic DNA characterization of Phaffia rhodozyma Miller et al.

The validity of the species concept was examined with strains of Phaffia rhodozyma by comparing the isoenzyme profiles, ribosomal DNAs, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) patterns of the strains. The isoenzyme profiles appeared to be more stable than the RAPD patterns or the electrophoretic karyotypes determined previously (A. Nagy, N. Garamszegi, C. Vágvölgyi, and L. Ferenczy, FEMS Microbiol. Lett., in press). The ribosomal DNA patterns revealed only a limited degree of variability, while RAPD analysis proved to be the most useful method for differentiating the strains studied. Strain CBS 5905T (T = type strain) produced characteristic RAPD patterns, which were different from those produced by the other strains. However, despite the high degree of variability observed, the isoenzyme data and the slightly variable ribosomal DNA hybridization profiles confirmed that the strains which we examined belong to one species.