''Rhodosporidium toruloides'' is a species of oleaginous

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to consti ...

. It is a red

basidiomycete Basidiomycota () is one of two large divisions that, together with the Ascomycota, constitute the subkingdom Dikarya (often referred to as the "higher fungi") within the kingdom Fungi. Members are known as basidiomycetes. More specifically, Basi ...

isolated from the

wood pulp Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibers from wood, fiber crops, waste paper, or rags. Mixed with water and other chemical or plant-based additives, pulp is the major raw ma ...

conifer Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All ex ...

s and naturally accumulates carotenoids, neutral lipids, and enzymes relevant to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. It is able to metabolize all major components of lignocellulosic biomass (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) and is a potential host for metabolic engineering to produce terpenes and fatty acids. ''R. toruloides'' accumulates lipids within intracellular lipid bodies under nutrient-limiting conditions and could potentially be a source for engineering of lipid-production pathways. ''R. toruloides'' has been linked to bovine

mastitis Mastitis is inflammation of the breast or udder, usually associated with breastfeeding. Symptoms typically include local pain and redness. There is often an associated fever and general soreness. Onset is typically fairly rapid and usually occurs ...

, but its

epidemiology Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evide ...

has not yet been reported. The

anamorph In mycology, the terms teleomorph, anamorph, and holomorph apply to portions of the Biological life cycle, life cycles of fungi in the Phylum, phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota: *Teleomorph: the sexual reproductive stage (morph), typically a Asc ...

associated with the species is '' Mycotorula rubescens''.

References

Ustilaginomycotina Fungi described in 1967 {{Ustilaginomycotina-stub