Genome sequence of natural isolate of Kluyveromyces lactis

A middle school outreach project was developed involving the isolation of yeast species from natural sources. The bark of oak trees in Denver, Colorado, USA was sampled and various yeast species were identified. The isolate in question is of the species Kluyveromyces lactis, the "dairy yeast". Genome sequence analysis suggest that this isolate belongs to a distinct population than others isolated from natural sources in nearby states. This genetic diversity stands in contrast to the lack of diversity observed for North American oak bark isolates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The outreach activity partners educators, researchers, and students to enrich science awareness and biology discovery.