Molecular characterization and identification of marine yeasts from coastal and offshore regions in the southeastern Arabian Sea

Vijaya Bhaskar Y¹, Sravani M¹, Srinivas, TNR^1,3,*, Anil Kumar P^2,3, Bhumika V², Shenoy BD^{1, 3}

Affiliations
¹CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, 176, Lawson’s Bay Colony, Visakhapatnam 530017, India, ²Microbial Type Culture Collection & Gene Bank, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Sector 39A, Chandigarh 160036, India, ³Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.

^*Correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract
This study investigates the diversity and distribution of marine yeasts in southeastern Arabian Sea, focusing on coastal and offshore regions. Yeast strains were identified through ITS and D1/D2 domain rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Microscopic analysis was performed to examine budding patterns and cell morphology. A total of 45 yeast strains were isolated from water samples collected at various depths from locations, including Kochi, Kollam, Trivandrum, Rameswaram, and the coastal waters of the Lakshadweep Islands (Minicoy, Kalpeni, and Kavaratti). Morphologically, the yeast strains were predominantly oval to rod-shaped and clustered into six clades: Debaryomyces, Kodamaea, Meyerozyma, Starmerella (Ascomycota), Rhodotorula and Sterigmatomyces (Basidiomycota). Notably, Starmerella strains were the most abundant, particularly in coastal waters. Among them, S. etchellsii and M. caribbica exhibited significant dry weight and protein concentrations, ranging from 13.9% to 65.1%. This study expands the limited knowledge of marine yeast diversity in Indian waters and provides insights into their molecular identification and potential biotechnological applications.

Citation
Vijaya Bhaskar, Y., Sravani, M., Srinivas, T. N. R., Anil Kumar, P., Bhumika, V., & Shenoy, B. D. (2025). Molecular characterization and identification of marine yeasts from coastal and offshore regions in the southeastern Arabian Sea. MycoAsia, 2025/02. https://doi.org/10.59265/mycoasia.2025-02

Submission History
Received: 15 November 2023
Accepted: 02 December 2024
Published: 25 March 2025 

Editorial Team
Handling Editor: Dr. Patricia Vélez Aguilar
Reviewers: Dr. Chutima Kaewkrajay, Dr. Kozhikotte Manjusha