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Microcin production by the yeast Cryptococcus humicola

W Golubev1, Y Shabalin

  • 1All-Russian Collection of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino.

FEMS Microbiology Letters
|June 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Cryptococcus humicola strains produce microcins, a type of killer toxin effective against various fungi. These toxins, lacking plasmids, are small, stable, and protein-like, contributing to the yeast killer phenomenon.

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Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Biochemistry
  • Yeast Genetics

Background:

  • The 'killer phenomenon' in yeasts involves the secretion of toxins that inhibit other yeast strains.
  • Previous research identified mycocins as one type of yeast killer toxin.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the nature of killer toxins secreted by Cryptococcus humicola strains.
  • To determine if these toxins are plasmid-mediated or possess other molecular characteristics.

Main Methods:

  • Assaying the inhibitory activity of C. humicola filtrates against various yeast-like fungi.
  • Testing toxin properties including pH stability, solubility, proteolysis resistance, thermostability, and diffusibility.
  • Screening for the presence of RNA or DNA plasmids in killer strains.

Main Results:

  • C. humicola strains secrete toxins inhibitory to ascomycetous and basidiomycetous fungi between pH 3 and 5.5.
  • No RNA or DNA plasmids were detected in the killer strains.
  • The toxins are amino acid-containing, low molecular weight, methanol-soluble, proteolysis-resistant, thermostable, and cellophane-diffusible, consistent with microcins.

Conclusions:

  • Cryptococcus humicola secretes microcins, a distinct class of killer toxins.
  • The killer phenomenon in yeasts can be attributed to at least two types of excreted toxins: mycocins and microcins.
  • Microcin production in C. humicola is not dependent on plasmids.

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