[Assimilation of glucuronic and gluconic acids and ketogluconates by Torulopsis species]

Yeast strains (75) of the Torulopsis genus belonging to 42 species and varieties were studied. Most of them readily assimilated glucono-delta-lactone, with the exception of species that were imperfect analogues of the species Saccharomyces and Kluyveromyces. Only five of the species were capable of assimilating 5-keto-D-gluconate, and merely two of them, namely, T.ingeniosa and T. fragaria, assimilated D-glucuronic acid. These species have a basidiomycetic affinity in chemotaxonomic features.