Abstract:
Black yeasts are a phylogenetically diverse group of ascomycetous fungi that may exist in both unicellular
and mycelial morphs. This group of fungi contains numerous commercially significant species as well as others whose
precise roles are unknown, such as endolichenic species. There is currently a paucity of data about endolichenic black
yeast species. To bridge this gap, we surveyed China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in July 2019. Several fungal
species associated with diverse lichens were isolated during this survey. Among these were two isolates of a previously
unknown species of oleaginous black yeast from Mycosphaerellales. Analyses of morphological and molecular data
revealed that these two isolates were closely related to Xenodevriesia strelitziicola (Xenodevriesiaceae), although with
significant differences. As a result, we established the genus Melanodevriesia gen. nov. to describe this previously
unknown species, Melanodevriesia melanelixiae sp. nov. In addition, we used Transmission Electron Microscopy
to visualise the intracellular oil bodies metabolised by this fungus in its unicellular state. The black yeast species
identified in this study may have a wide range of commercial applications. More research is needed to determine the
chemical composition of the microbial oil synthesized by this fungus and whether it has commercial value.
