Phosphatases and the utilisation of inositol hexaphosphate by soil yeasts of the genus Cryptococcus

Abstract Six strains of 5 Cryptococcus spp. were tested for growth on inositol hexaphosphate (Na-IHP) as sole P source and for production of acid and alkaline phosphatases when grown in the presence or absence of orthophosphate. The enzymes of the three species which did grow on Na-IHP hydrolysed p -nitrophenylphosphate, β-glycerophosphate, pyrophosphate and Na-IHP, but not insoluble salts of IHP. These results are discussed with respect to the utilisation of soil IMP and organic P.