Studies on the Classification of the Genus Saccharomy es

Abstract

The authentic strains of the four species of the genus Saccharomyces such as S. mellis, S. pastorianus S. oviformis and S. chevalieri, were used for antigen analyses by means of slide agglutination method with monospecific or absorbed antisera homologous to antigens of the genus Candida. Then antiserum of a species was absorbed repeatedly with heated cells of several species of the genera Candida and Saccharomyces in order to find a new antigen until the absorbed antiserum was exhausted. Antigenic structures of the species were confirmed by the reciprocal absorption method. S. mellis has thermostable antigens 1, 8, 10, 31 and 32, S. pastoriarus has antigens 1, 8, 10 and 32, S. oviformis has antigens 1, 2, 3, 10, 14, 18 and 31, and S. chevalieri has antigens 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 14, 18 and 31. But every species does not have any thermolabile antigen. Consequently, the first two species show almost the same to the antigenic structure of Candida pseudotropicalis, and the antigenic structure of S. oviformis isidentical to that of S.uvarum.