Killer activity of yeasts isolated from natural environments against some medically important Candida species

Twenty-five yeast cultures, mainly of human origin, belonging to four pathogenic yeast species--Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida tropicalis were tested for their sensitivity to ten basidiomycetous and eleven ascomycetous yeast species isolated from the water and soil environments and from tree leaves. The best killer activity among basidiomycetous species was exhibited by Rhodotorula glutinis, and R. mucilaginosa. The other carotenoid producing species Cystofilobasidium capitatum, Sporobolomyces salmonicolor, and S. roseus were active only against about 40% of the tested strains and exhibited weak activity. The broadest killer activity among ascomycetous yeasts was shown by the strains Pichia anomala and Metschnikowia pulcherrima. The species Debaryomyces castellii, Debaryomyces hansenii, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Pichia membranifaciens, and Williopsis californica did not show any killer activity. The best killer activity exhibited the strains isolated from leafy material. The lowest activity pattern was found among strains originating from soil environment.