RESULTS:

Two yeast strains NYNU 236122 and NYNU 236180 were isolated from plant leaves collected in Tianchi Mountain Henan Province central China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed the closest relatives of the strains are three described Kondoa species Kondoa chamaenerii Kondoa miscanthi and Kondoa subrosea. Genetically the isolated strains differed from the type strains of their three related species by 2–11(0.2–1.8%) base substitutions in the D1/D2 domain 16–40 (2.6–5.6%) base mismatches in the internal transcribed spacer region and more than 10.1% base substitutions in the partial RPB2 gene. Furthermore the two strains differ physiologically from their closest related species K. chamaenerii in their ability to assimilate dl-lactate nitrite and l-lysine and their inability to assimilate nitrate. Additionally they differ from K. miscanthi and K. subrosea in their ability to assimilate inulin d-gluconate and l-lysine. The species name of Kondoa tianchiensis f.a. sp. nov. is proposed with holotype CICC 33616T (Mycobank MB 853544).