The identification and characterization of yeast species during winemaking are essential for ensuring fermentation quality and preventing microbial spoilage. In this study, an atypical yeast colony was isolated from a red wine sample and subjected to morphological and molecular analyses. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profiling of the ITS region yielded patterns inconsistent with known wine-associated yeasts. Subsequent sequencing of the D1/D2 domain confirmed the isolate as Dipodascopsis uninucleata, marking its first documented occurrence in a wine matrix. Microscopic examination revealed distinctive ascus structures, while literature review highlighted the species’ capacity to produce bioactive oxylipins and accumulate lipids, suggesting potential biotechnological applications. Interference assays demonstrated minimal impact of D. uninucleata genomic DNA on the qPCR-based quantification of Brettanomyces bruxellensis, a key spoilage organism. These findings expand the known diversity of wine microbiota and underscore the importance of molecular tools in detecting rare or previously unreported yeast species in oenological environments.
Betancourt et al. (Fri,) studied this question.