Pichia guilliermondii

Abstract

Pichia guilliermondii (asporogenous strains of this species are designated as Candida guilliermondii) is the model organism of a group so named flavinogenic yeasts capable of riboflavin oversynthesis during starvation for iron. Besides, some strains of this species efficiently convert xylose to xylitol, an anti-caries sweetener. However, there are also pathogenic C. guilliermondii strains. This species has been used for studying enzymology of riboflavin synthesis due to overproduction of participating enzymes and intermediates under iron-limiting conditions as well as for identification of genes of negative and positive action involved in such a regulation. Besides, P. guilliermondii was used for identification and studying the properties of the systems for active transport of riboflavin in the cell (riboflavin permease) and out of the cell (riboflavin excretase). The genetic line of P. guilliermondii with high fertility has been selected and the methods of classic genetics (hybridization and analysis of meiotic segregation) have been developed. More recently, tools for molecular genetic studies of P. guilliermondii have been developed which include collection of host strains, vectors with recessive and dominant markers, several transformation protocols including that for gene knock out. Recently, the genome of this yeast species was sequenced and become publicly available (http://www.broad.mit.edu) © 2009 Springer Netherlands.