Caracterización fenotípica y ubicación filogenética de cepas de levaduras del género Rhodotorula y afines en ambientes domésticos de las diferentes regiones del Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction: The growing interest in environmental microbiology has highlighted the importance of studying the complex diversity of microorganisms inhabiting domestic spaces. These environments, often overlooked in microbiological studies, harbor microbial communities whose presence can have significant and direct implications for the health of the inhabitants. Objective: To characterize yeast strains at the phenotypic and molecular levels belonging to the genus Rhodotorula and related species that colonize extreme domestic environments in different regions of Ecuador. Methodology: This study was conducted using an experimental and descriptive research design. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to phenotypically and genetically characterize the yeast strains of the genus Rhodotorula. Results: Primary isolation of different strains of the genus Rhodotorula was performed from domestic environments, specifically from kitchen sinks in several households in different regions of Ecuador. Conclusion: The data obtained in the present study support that kitchen sinks in domestic environments can be colonized by different genus Rhodotorula and Cytobasidium species, and these strains show affinity for certain virulence factors.