Summary
The relationship between varieties “marxianus” and “lactis” of Kluyveromyces marxianus was investigated. Strains of these varieties readily form hybrids, but their classification in one species has recently been contested. Enzyme patterns and the GC contents of their DNAs differed significantly. Moreover, DNA-DNA reassociation was less than 15%. Since the generally accepted definition of a species is based on gene exchange, we used two approaches for directly detecting genetic recombination in crosses between representatives of both species. First, multiple marked strains were crossed, and the offspring from the resulting hybrids analyzed. Secondly, the fate of individual chromosomes in identical crosses was followed by comparing the karyotypes of the parent strains, the hybrids formed between them, and the descendants of these hybrids. Karyotypes were obtained by orthogonal-field-altemation gel electrophoresis (OFAGE). Gene exchange was not detected with either method. We therefore concluded that the formation of hybrids, even when they produced viable offspring, was not sufficient to include var. “lactis” and var. “marxianus” in one species.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bicknell JN, Douglas HC (1970) J Bacteriol 101:505–512
Boeke JD, LaCroute F, Fink GR (1984) Mol Gen Genet 197:345–346
Carle F, Olson MV (1984) Nucleic Acids Res 12:5647–5664
Carle F, Olson MV (1985) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82:3756–3760
Cottrell M, Kock JFL, Lategan PM, Botes PJ, Britz TJ (1985) FEMS Microbiol Lett 30:373–376
Das S, Hollenberg CP (1982) Curr Genet 6:123–128
Dobzhansky T (1976) In: Ayala FJ (ed) Molecular evolution. Sinauer, Sunderland, pp 95–105
Dobzhansky T, Ayala FJ, Stebbins GL, Valentine (1977) Evolution. Freeman, San Francisco
Fuson GB, Presley HL, Phaff HJ (1987) Int J Syst Bacteriol 37:371–379
Johannsen E (1980) Antonie van Leeuwenhoek J Microbiol Serol 46:177–189
Johannsen E, van der Walt JP (1978) Arch Microbiol 118:45–48
Jonge P de, Jongh FCM de, Meijers R, Steensma HY, Scheffers WA (1986) Yeast 2:193–204
Kurtzman CP, Smiley MJ, Johnson CJ (1980) Int J Syst Bacteriol 30:503–513
Lachance M-A, Phaff HJ (1979) Int J Syst Bacteriol 29:70–78
Martini AV, Martini A (1987) Int J Syst Bacteriol 37:380–385
Meyer SA, Phaff HJ (1970) Taxonomic significance of DNA base composition in yeast. In: Ahearn DG (ed) Recent trends in yeast research, vol 1. Spectrum (Georgia State University), Atlanta, pp 1–29
Nakase T, Komagata K (1971) J Gen Appl Microbiol 17:227–238
Poncet S, Fiol J-B (1972) Antonie van Leeuwenhoek J Microbiol Serol 38:145–152
Price CW, Fuson GB, Phaff HJ (1978) Microbiol Rev 42:161–193
Rouwenhorst RJ, Visser LE, Baan AA van der, Scheffers WA, Dijken JP van (1988) Appl Environ Microbiol 54:1131–1137
Sherman F, Fink GR, Hicks JB (1981) Methods in yeast genetics. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Sidenberg DG, Lachance M-A (1986) Int J Syst Bacteriol 36:94–102
Walt JP van der (1956) Antonie van Leeuwenhoek J Microbiol Serol 22:321–326
Walt JP van der (1970) Kluyveromyces van der Walt emend. van der Walt. In: Lodder J (ed) The yeasts: a taxonomic study. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 316–378
Walt JP van der, Johannsen E (1984) Kluyveromyces van der Walt emend. van der Walt. In: Kreger-van Rij (ed) The yeasts: a taxonomic study. Elsevier, Amsterdam New York, pp 316–378
Yamada Y, Aizawa K, Matsumoto A, Nakagawa Y, Banno J (1987) J Gen Appl Microbiol 33:363–369
Yarrow D (1975) In: Centraal Bureau voor Schimmelcultures Baam en Delft Progress Report 1974. Verhandelingen der Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afdeling Natuurkunde Tweede Reeks 66:57–78
Zonneveld BJM (1986) J Microbiol Methods 4:287–291
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Steensma, H.Y., de Jongh, F.C.M. & Linnekamp, M. The use of electrophoretic karyotypes in the classification of yeasts: Kluyveromyces marxianus and K. lactis . Curr Genet 14, 311–317 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00419987
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00419987