Candidozyma cisalpinoae sp. nov., a Genomically Distinct, Flower‐Associated Yeast, Resistant to Azoles and Exhibiting Pathogenicity‐Related Traits

Six yeast isolates were recovered from Ipomoea flowers collected in the Cerrado biome of Tocantins, Brazil. Sequence analyses of the ITS-5.8S region and the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene indicated that these isolates represent a novel species of the genus Candidozyma, phylogenetically related to Candidozyma auris and Ca. ruelliae. A phylogenomic analysis based on 2116 single-copy orthologs from Candidozyma species with available whole-genome sequences showed that the new species, represented by strain UFMG-CM-Y6065, is a sister species to Ca. ruelliae. The name Candidozyma cisalpinoae sp. nov. (MycoBank no. 861366) is proposed to accommodate the new species. The holotype is CBS16108. Sporulation or other evidence of sexual reproduction was not observed, although the genome sequence showed the presence of a functional mating type locus (MATa) and functional pheromone peptides, indicating that the species is haplontic and heterothallic. The species exhibited resistance to multiple antifungals, growth at 42°C, biofilm formation, adhesion to buccal epithelial cells, and expression of efflux pumps, traits of clinical relevance that have been reported for other species in the genus Candidozyma.