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Yeast in a megadiverse country for sustainable futures

Abstract:

Ecuador is acknowledged as one of the megadiverse countries globally, not only because of its latitude but also because of its large number of microhabitats created by the Andes Mountains that run north to south of its territory. Ecuador is also one of the under-explored regions in the world in terms of microbial biodiversity. The Catholic University Yeast Collection in Quito (CLQCA) was founded in 2006 to preserve the yeast biodiversity by collecting from selected substrates found in different ecosystems. This chapter aims to provide an overall view of the most relevant outcomes of the projects carried out at the CLQCA. The capacitation of new entrepreneurs contributes to the sustainability and, at the same time, creates new opportunities for the industry. This chapter also deals with the relevance of ex situ preservation of yeasts collected in natural environments, and the biotechnological potential of Ecuadorian yeast species. Finally, the chapter demonstrates how a culture collection in a developing country can find a niche as a supporter of the local economy by developing new technologies and services to the industry.