초록
<P><B>Abstract</B></P><P>Yeasts of the <I>Spathaspora</I> clade have the ability to convert <SMALL>d</SMALL>‐xylose to ethanol and/or xylitol. This is an important trait, as these yeasts may be used to produce bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass or as a source of new <SMALL>d</SMALL>‐xylose metabolism genes for recombinant industrial strains of <I>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</I>. The core group of the genus <I>Spathaspora</I> has 22 species, both formally described and not yet described. Other species, such as <I>Sp. allomyrinae</I>, <I>Candida alai</I>, <I>C. insectamans</I>, <I>C. lyxosophila</I>, <I>C. sake</I>, <I>Sp. boniae</I> and <I>C. subhashii</I> are weakly associated with this clade, based on LSU rRNA gene D1/D2 sequence analyses. <I>Spathaspora passalidarum</I>, <I>Sp. arborariae</I>, <I>Sp. gorwiae</I> and <I>Sp. hagerdaliae</I> produce mostly ethanol from <SMALL>d</SMALL>‐xylose, whereas the remaining species within the <I>Spathaspora</I> clade already tested for this property may be considered xylitol producers. Among the <SMALL>d</SMALL>‐xylose‐fermenting <I>Spathaspora</I> species, <I>Sp. passalidarum</I> is the best ethanol producer, displaying high ethanol yields and productivities when cultured in media supplemented with this pentose under oxygen‐limited or anaerobic conditions. The species also exhibits rapid <SMALL>d</SMALL>‐xylose consumption and the ability to ferment glucose, xylose and cellobiose simultaneously. These characteristics suggest that <I>Sp. passalidarum</I> is a potential candidate for domestication and use in the fermentation of lignocellulosic materials. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.</P>