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Properties of the Yeast Communities Associated with Termites of a Tropical Monsoon Forest: Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam

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Abstract—

Yeast populations were investigated for the following substrates associated with termitaria of five termite species occurring in the Cat Tien National Park (south Vietnam): nest walls, fungal gardens (if present), and termite gut and body surface, as well as for the litter and upper soil horizons near the termitaria. The morpho-physiological properties of the yeasts isolated from associations with termites were analyzed. The isolated fungi with yeast type of growth were assigned to 39 species, 10 of which have not been described at the time of this study. The yeast communities developing in termite guts and on their body surface exhibited low species diversity. The yeasts isolated from termite guts and body surface were characterized by a relatively broad spectrum of morphological and physiological properties (24 to 33 parameters out of the 34 ones in the standard description). The most common properties were the presence of mycelial or pseudomycelial growth, as well as ability to ferment glucose, use plant glycosides (salicin) and simple products of wood degradation (xylose and cellobiose) as growth substrates.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to the colleagues of the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution: S.M. Tsurikov for help in termite preparation and identification; M.V. Kholodova and I.G. Meshcherskii for providing the possibility to apply molecular diagnostic techniques; A.G. Zuev and A.M. Potapov for their invaluable help in statistical processing and interpretation of the results; and to A.E. Ivanova (Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow State University) for assistance in laboratory work.

Funding

The work was partially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project no. 18-29-05076 “Role of Soil Microorganisms and Invertebrates in the Degradation of Resistant Artificial Polymers in Different Climatic Zones”. The work of A.V. Kachalkin was carried out within the framework of the Development Program of the Interdisciplinary Scientific and Educational School, Lomonosov Moscow State University “The Future of the Planet and Global Environmental Changes”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    A. I. Zueva & A. V. Tiunov

  2. Faculty of Soil Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    A. V. Kachalkin & I. A. Maksimova

  3. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290, Pushchino, Russia

    A. V. Kachalkin

  4. Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center, 650000, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Nguyen Van Thinh

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  1. A. I. Zueva
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  2. A. V. Kachalkin
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  3. I. A. Maksimova
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  4. Nguyen Van Thinh
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  5. A. V. Tiunov
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Correspondence to A. I. Zueva.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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Translated by P. Sigalevich

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Zueva, A.I., Kachalkin, A.V., Maksimova, I.A. et al. Properties of the Yeast Communities Associated with Termites of a Tropical Monsoon Forest: Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam. Microbiology 90, 489–499 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261721040172

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261721040172

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