In this study, twenty-five whey samples collected from dairy industries in the city of Isfahan. The samples were cultured on malt extract broth (MEB) and yeast extract glucose chloramphenicol agar (YGCA) media. Eleven yeast strains (designated M1 to M11) were isolated from the culture. The strains were identified by their morphological and physiological properties. Betagalactosidase activity in the yeast strains showed that a strain of K. lactis designated as M2 had highest enzyme activity (up to 8103 EU/ml). The isolated yeast strains were examined for their ability in reduction of the biological oxygen demand (BOD). The results demonstrated a high level of reduction in the M2 strain. This strain was also found to have highest level of single cell protein (SCP), production (up to 11.79 g/l dry mass cell). The co-culture of the isolated yeast strains with Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in the highest biomass yield up to 22.38 g/l dry mass cell and significant reduction in initial BOD. Together, the data showed that the isolated yeast strain could be of valuable application in bioconversion of whey.

Objective: The general purpose of this study was to evaluate a new chromogenic medium "Candida ID agar" for identification of Candida species and compare it with Candida CHROM agar.Materials and methods: 150 clinical samples were cultured on Candida ID agar and Candida CHROM agar. The isolated yeasts were also identified using APi kit system and the results compared with Candida ID agar and Candida CHROM agar using laboratory test evaluation formula.Results: The sensitivity of Candida ID agar was 96.4% which was more than that in Candida CHROM agar of 51% especially for Candida albicans.Conclusion: Candida ID agar was more useful for identification of Candida albicans and differentiation of other Candida species in compare with CHROM agar.

In an investigation of the biodiversity of endophytic fungal species associated with saffron plant in Iran's main saffron cultivation regions, five isolates belong to Talaromyces genuswere obtained. The isolates identified as Talaromyces versatilis, T. aurantiacus, T. pinophilus, T. funiculosus, and T. purpureogenus by morphological and molecular criteria. To our knowledge, two species, including Talaromyces versatilis and T. aurantiacus are the first reports for the mycobiota of Iran.

Isolates of the yeasts Candida membranifaciens, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Pichia guilliermondii obtained from healthy apples were evaluated as potential bio. control agents for apple gray mold caused by Botrytis mali and B. cinerea. In-vitro volatile metabolites emitted from all yeast isolates inhibited the mycelial growth of B. mali and B. cinerea by 82.7 to 97.7 and 81.2 to 98.3 percent, respectively. Each of the yeasts significantly reduced the decay area in apples inoculated with the pathogens C. membranifaciens A2, A4, A5 and P. guilliermondii A6 had the greatest effect on decay reduction at 4oC, 20oC and 20±3oC. The populations of C. membranifaciens A2 and C. membranifaciens A5 during the experiment increased in apple wounds at 4oC.

Objective: The aim of this study is to survey the presence of candida among the clinical isolates and the evaluating the phenotypic diagnostic methods to distinguish candida dubliniensis from candida albicans. Materials and Methods: The present study evaluated 520 clinical isolates through five phenotypic methods of differential diagnosis. The methods were performed in two stages of probable diagnosis and absolute diagnosis (supplementary test). In the first stage, colony colour in CHRO Magar candida medium, and chlamydocanidia in casein agar grown at 45°C were assessed. The isolates that demonstrated the characteristic of candida dubliniensis at this stage were tested in the second stage in terms of assimilation of terehalose and xylose and intercellular β-D-glucosidase activity. Results: 13 out of the 520 isolates suspected to candida dubliniensis were diagnosed to in the first stage. In the second stage, five were identified as candida dubliniensis using supplemental tests, which contained 4 isolates from the vagina and one from urine. Conclusion: The present study determined the incidence of candida dubliniensis in vagina, urine and total of the clinical isolates to be 1.33%, 0.74% and 0.96%, respectively. According to the findings of this study, among the phenotypic methods of differential diagnosis, use of CHROM agar candida medium with intercellular β-Dglucosidase activity for fresh isolates obtained from clinical specimens is suggested, whereas, for the isolates obtained from subcultures, phenotypic methods are not recommended.