[2][3] While the addition of salt to the medium is not required for its cultivation, H. werneckii can grow in close to saturated NaCl solutions.

[3] Several components of the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) signalling pathway (which controls responses to osmotic shock) have been studied in detail and some seem to differ in function compared to their counterparts in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

[5][6][7] Adaptation to high concentrations of salt are also accompanied by changes in membrane lipid composition, mainly by increasing the unsaturation of the phospholipid fatty acids.

[8][9] H. werneckii causes a rare superficial and non-invasive skin infection tinea nigra.

[10] The typical symptoms are non-scaly, smooth, brown-black painless spots on the palms of hands and soles of feet.