IN VITRO ANTI-MICROBIAL AND PROBIOTIC CHARACTERIZATION OF KILLER YEAST ISOLATED FROM CITRUS AURANTIFOLIASRIVIDYA D., SEEMA J. PATEL AND ANIL H. SHYAM MOHANAbstract Killer yeast possesses a wide range of anti-microbial virtues and secretes a glycoprotein called mycocin. They are commercially used as starters in fermentation, as anti-fungal in the agriculture sector and as therapeutic mycocin syrups for combating pathogenic microorganisms. A killer strain of Kodamaea ohmeri (C3 isolate) was isolated from Citrus aurantifolia and characterized by traditional and molecular means. The strain does not produce a germ tube and doesnât exhibit ureolytic activity. The C3 isolate demonstrated aggregation (45±5 % in 5 h), co-aggregation with Candida albicans (71.96±1.68 % in 24 h) and Escherichia coli (32.78±0.54 % in 24 h). The killer strain is tolerant to gastric and intestinal juices which are made of lytic enzymes at extreme pH environments. K. ohmeri also showed in vitro antagonism against the phytopathogen P. citrinum. Altogether the isolated killer yeast Kodamaea ohmeri is safe to use as a probiotic after the conduction of clinical trials. |