Identification of culturable psychrophilic yeasts isolated from sediments and melt waters of the Calderone Glacier (Italy)

The present study reports the results of the characterization of psychrophilic yeasts isolated from melt waters and sediments of the Calderone Glacier (Italy). Culturable yeasts, filamentous fungi and bacteria occurring in deeppiping and supraglacial sediments, and in melt waters were monitored. A first set of 30 yeast isolates were identified by using molecular (MSP-PCR fingerprinting and 26S rRNA gene sequencing of the D1/D2 region) methods, as belonging to seven species: Aureobasidium pullulans, Cryptococcus adeliensis, Cryptococcus gastricus (over 50 % of the total strains), Cryptococcus victoriae, Cryptococcus watticus, Rhodotorula psychrophenolica and Guehomyces pullulans. One strain, presumably belonging to a new species, yet to be described, was also isolated. The results obtained in the present study suggest the possibility that glacial environments of this European southern glacier could harbor viable psychrophilic yeast populations.