Deoxyribonucleic Acid Base Composition of Species in the Yeast Genus Kluyveromyces van der Walt emend. van der Walt

Abstract

The deoxyribonucleic acid base composition (percent guanine + cytosine [GC]) was determined for 29 strains, representing 18 species of the genus Kluyveromyces . It was concluded that on the basis of GC content (47.4%) and other properties K. veronae occupies an uncertain position in the genus Kluyveromyces . The GC content of the remaining 17 species ranged from 35.3 to 43.4%, and three groups of species were recognized. The GC content of the first ranged from 35.3 to 38.0%; that of the second group from 39.5 to 41.7%; that of the third group from 42.4 to 43.4%. Several species revealed a nearly identical GC content. The GC contents do not correspond in all instances with the five groups of species proposed by van der Walt.