The striking reddish-pink colour of the phylloplane yeast Sporobolomyces roseus was found to be due to three major carotenoid pigments which were identified by UV and mass spectra as β-carotene, torulene and torularhodin. Simple protocols for the extraction of these pigments and their visual separation by thin-layer chromatography are presented. Ultrastructurally, the pigments were localized within numerous small lipid droplets. Putative physiological roles and the biotechnological relevance of carotenoids from red yeasts are discussed.
