Halotolerant and halophilic fungi represent a much better model organisms for the study of adaptations to hypersaline conditions than mesophilic, salt-sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the article we present 3 fungi, that we propose as new model organisms: extremely halotolerant black yeast Hortaea werneckii, halotolerante marine yeast Debaryomyces hansenii and halophilic fungus Wallemia ichthyophaga. The suggestion is based on their ecology and physiological and molecular mechanisms of adaptation already investigated.
COBISS.SI-ID: 26049241
The most halophilic fungal genus Wallemia, that inhabits hypersaline environments, is adapted to life at hypersaline conditions on the level of ecology, morphology, physiology, cell structure and molecular mechanisms. Investigation of these organisms and discovery of key genes/proteins, involved in adaptation, opens the possibility for improvement of salt tolerance in biotechnologically important transgenic yeasts and plants.
COBISS.SI-ID: 26227417