We studied here the yeast content of poultry feces, collected randomly from a French farm located in the north of the country. Thus, 81 yeast colonies were isolated and clustered into 22 distinct groups using the rep-PCR method. A single colony was taken from each group and identified using biochemical (ID 32C system) and molecular (sequencing of the D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA and ITS1-5.8-ITS2 rDNA region) methods. Both methods led to the identification of Candida famata species. One isolate of C. famata strains, named strain Y5, was further studied for its cytotoxicity, adhesion, and surface properties, hemolytic activity, and its survival in simulated gastric and intestine environments. The data obtained advocate the probiotic potential of this isolate.
Keywords: Candida famata; Poultry feces; Probiotics; Rep-PCR; Yeasts.