Geotrichum bryndzae sp nov., a novel asexual arthroconidial yeast species related to the genus Galactomyces

Ten strains of an asexual arthroconidial yeast species were isolated from Bryndza, a traditional Slovak artisanal sheep cheese, which was manufactured from raw milk during a 4-month summer production period at two Slovakian sites (the northern Ruzomberok and the central-southern Tisovec areas). Sequence comparison of the D1/D2 domains of the large-subunit rRNA gene revealed that this yeast represents a novel species of the genus Geotrichum, which contains anamorphs of the ascogenous genus Galactomyces, for which the name Geotrichum bryndzae sp. nov. is proposed (type culture CCY 16-2-1(T) = NRRL Y-48450(T) = CBS 11176(T)). The novel species is most closely related to Geotrichum silvicola NRRL Y-27641(T), although yeasts with identical or very similar sequences have been found throughout the world.