Metschnikowia sp. yHQL305 growth on artificial media. Image by David Krause.

Metschnikowia sp. yHQL305 is a potentially novel species notable for its production of abundant amounts of pulcherrimin. It was isolated by Dr. Quinn Langdon from a sample of Quercus garryana leaves from the Standish-Hickey State Recreational Area in California. The ability of this yeast to produce large amounts of pulcherrimin may facilitate research into increasing branched-chain amino acid flux in yeast, a necessary part of engineering the production of the advanced biofuel isobutanol.