Mitochondrial DNA Analyses of the Lipomycetaceae

Abstract

Summary The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from the five type species of the five known genera in the Lipomycetaceae was analysed. Restriction analysis showed that the fingerprint pattern of the mtDNA of each strain was distinct. Genome size, estimated by summation of the fragment sizes, varied between 31 kb and 52 kb. DNA homology between the mtDNA of the various strains was determined by employing probes prepared from the total mtDNA of Lipomyces starkeyi and Zygozyma oligophaga as well as from certain restriction fragments from these two strains. The L. starkeyi probe hybridized weakly with Waltomyces lipofer and Dipodascopsis uninucleata under low and high stringency conditions. A very weak signal for the anamorph, Myxozyma melibiosi , as well as Z. oligophaga , was detected under low stringency conditions. Under high stringency this signal was lost. The Z. oligophaga mtDNA probe hybridized weakly to the other four strains under low stringency conditions. Under high stringency this signal was lost. No hybridization occurred with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae control.