Spathaspora N.H: Nguyen, S.-O. Suh & M. Blackwell (2006)

This chapter studies the genus Spathaspora. In the determination of the asexual reproduction it is seen that yeast cells are mostly globose and form by multilateral budding. Septate hyphae and pseudohyphae are present. In sexual reproduction it is found that the allantoid asci arise without conjugation and contain a single ascospore. Ascospores are elongate and tapering at the ends, with a membrane encircling the long axis of the spore. Asci are persistent. The chapter also discusses physiology/biochemistry and phylogenetic placement of the genus in which glucose and other sugars are fermented, including xylose. Nitrate is not assimilated, biotin and thiamin are necessary for growth, and acetic acid is not produced. Extracellular starch is not produced and the diazonium blue B reaction is negative. The type species taken is Spathaspora passalidarum. The monotypic genus Spathaspora consists of a single isolate. Asci and ascospores are distinctively different from any other known yeasts. © 2011