Hanseniaspora nectarophila

Hanseniaspora nectarophila is a species of fungus that occurs as a yeast.

H. nectarophila was first described in 2014 from specimens collected from Syphocampylus corymbiferus flowers from a farm in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, Brazil.^[1] Its name originates from the flower nectar that the type strain was collected from.^[1]

H. nectarophila cells have been described as "ovoid to elongate" in shape, with sizes ranging from 3.5–8.0 μm in length and 1.8–5.0 μm in width.^[1] Cells have been seen to occur singly, in pairs, or in short chains. Budding is largely bipolar, although occasionally is multilateral, which is a rare feature among Hanseniaspora.^[1] Colonies grown on malt agar appear cream-colored, glossy, and smooth, with undulating edges. The asci are reported to contain one or two ascospores, which are spherical and warty in appearance.^[1]

Glucose and trehalose are fermented by H. nectarophila; trehalose fermentation is uncommon among its closest relatives, making trehalose fermentation a possible identifying trait.^[1] Other carbon sources used by H. nectarophila include cellobiose, salicin, and arbutin; many common sugars such as lactose and galactose are not metabolized.^[1]

H. nectarophila has been found to be a common species in grape juice before and after fermentation in wineries in Cyprus, being particularly common in the Koilani area,^[2] as well as in Yunnan Province, China.^[3] Its effect on wine fermentation is not currently understood.^[2] H. nectarophila has also been isolated from orange peels from an orange processing facility in Reggio Calabria, Italy.^[4]