Adaptations of Drosophila and Yeasts: their Interactions with the Volatile 2-propanol in the Cactus-Micro organism-Drosophila Model System

Abstract

The interactions of yeasts growing in decaying cactus tissue with and without 2-propanol were studied with respect to the costs and benefits provided to three cactophilic Drosophila species (D. mojavensis, D. arizonensis and D. buzzatit). Two common cactus yeasts, Candida sonorensis and Cryptococcus cereanus, which can tolerate and metabolize 2-propanol, provide benefits to the three Drosophila species in the presence of the alcohol, as compared with another common cactus yeast, Pichia cactophila, which has less tolerance and cannot metabolize 2-propanol.