Lipid and carotenoid production by Rhodotorula glutinis under irradiation/high-temperature and dark/low-temperature cultivation

Efficient Conversion of Fructose-Based Biomass into Lipids with Trichosporon fermentans Under Phosphate-Limited Conditions

Limiting nitrogen supply has been routinely used as the master regulator to direct lipid biosynthesis. However, this strategy does not work with nitrogen-rich substrates, such as Jerusalem artichoke (JA), a fructose-based biomass, while it is difficult to obtain a high carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) molar ratio. In this study, an alternative strategy to promote lipid accumulation by the oleaginous yeast Trichosporon fermentans CICC 1368 was developed by limiting phosphorous supply, and this strategy was implemented with JA hydrolysate as substrate. We showed that lipid accumulation was directly correlated with the C/P ratio of the culture media for T. fermentans. The time course of cell growth and lipid production was analyzed in a media with an initial C/P ratio of 6342, and the cellular lipid content could reach up to 48.5% of dry biomass. Moreover, JA hydrolysates were used as substrate for microbial lipid accumulation, under high C/P molar ratio condition, lipid yield, lipid content, and lipid coefficient increased by 10, 30, and 34%, respectively. It showed that by limiting phosphorus, the conversion of sugar into lipids can be improved effectively. Limiting phosphorus provides a promising solution to the problem of microbial lipid production with nitrogen-rich natural materials.

Some biological activities of pigments extracted from Micrococcus roseus (PTCC 1411) and Rhodotorula glutinis (PTCC 5257)

The importance of replacing synthetic pigments with natural types is increasing day by day in the food industry due to the harmful effects of some synthetic pigments. Microorganisms are a major source of natural pigments, which nowadays have attracted the attention of researchers. In this study, carotenoid pigments were produced by Micrococcus roseus and Rhodotorula glutinis, and some of their biological properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated. Given the results, bacteria, especially gram-positive bacteria, had higher sensitivity to the pigments extracted from M. roseus (PEM) and R. glutinis (PER) compared to molds so that Bacillus cereus and Alternaria citri had the highest and the lowest sensitivity, respectively. PER showed a higher antioxidant activity compared with PEM in the various methods of measuring antioxidant activity. In vitro and in vivo anti-tumor-promoting activities of PER were measured significantly more than PEM (P <0.05). Both pigment extracts remarkably inhibited the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation, so that ID₅₀ (50% inhibitory dose) of PEM and PER were 0.22 and 0.09 mg/ear, respectively.

The effect of amino acids on lipid production and nutrient removal by Rhodotorula glutinis cultivation in starch wastewater

In this paper, the components of amino acids in mixed starch wastewater (corn steep water/corn gluten water=1/3, v/v) were analyzed by GC-MS. Effects of amino acids on lipid production by Rhodotorula glutinis and COD removal were studied. The results showed that mixed starch wastewater contained 9 kinds of amino acids and these amino acids significantly improved the biomass (13.63g/L), lipid yield (2.48g/L) and COD removal compared to the basic medium (6.23g/L and 1.56g/L). In a 5L fermentor containing mixed starch wastewater as substrate to culture R. glutinis, the maximum biomass, lipid content and lipid yield reached 26.38g/L, 28.90% and 7.62g/L, with the associated removal rates of COD, TN and TP reaching 77.41%, 69.12% and 73.85%, respectively. The results revealed a promising approach for lipid production with using amino acids present in starch wastewater as an alternative nitrogen source.

Rhodotorula glutinis-potential source of lipids, carotenoids, and enzymes for use in industries

Rhodotorula glutinis is capable of synthesizing numerous valuable compounds with a wide industrial usage. Biomass of this yeast constitutes sources of microbiological oils, and the whole pool of fatty acids is dominated by oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acid. Due to its composition, the lipids may be useful as a source for the production of the so-called third-generation biodiesel. These yeasts are also capable of synthesizing carotenoids such as β-carotene, torulene, and torularhodin. Due to their health-promoting characteristics, carotenoids are commonly used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. They are also used as additives in fodders for livestock, fish, and crustaceans. A significant characteristic of R. glutinis is its capability to produce numerous enzymes, in particular, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). This enzyme is used in the food industry in the production of l-phenylalanine that constitutes the substrate for the synthesis of aspartame—a sweetener commonly used in the food industry.

Improvement of Sporobolomyces ruberrimus carotenoids production by the use of raw glycerol

The red yeast Sporobolomyces ruberrimus H110 was able to use glycerol as a carbon source. The highest concentration (0.51gL(-1)) and productivity (0.0064gL(-1)h(-1)) of carotenoids were achieved when raw glycerol from biodiesel production, containing around 1gL(-1) of fatty acids, was used as the carbon source, which represented increases of 27% and 1.5×, respectively, in relation to pure glycerol. Mass spectrometry analysis led to the identification of four carotenoids in the fermented samples, torularhodin, torulene, β-carotene and γ-carotene. The use of raw glycerol also enhanced the proportion of torularhodin (69% against 59% in pure glycerol). The addition of individual fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids) to pure glycerol resulted in increases between 15% and 25% in maximum concentration and between 1.6× and 2.0× in productivity of carotenoids. The presence of palmitic and oleic acids increased the torularhodin proportion to 66%.

Integrated process of two stage cultivation of Nannochloropsis sp. for nutraceutically valuable eicosapentaenoic acid along with biodiesel

The marine eustigmatophyte Nannochloropsis is one of the potential producers of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a valued nutraceutical. Nannochloropsis sp. was cultivated under photoautotrophic condition utilizing CO2 in a two phase cultivation process in order to enhance the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) productivity. It was cultivated in a photobioreactor up to late log phase for cell growth (phase I). Then, the culture was harvested and confronted to relatively low temperature (10 °C) and low light (30 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1)) in both photobioreactor and Erlenmeyer flask (phase II), thus augmenting EPA% by 3.4 fold. Lower temperature with low light favored the synthesis of EPA although, biomass productivity, lipid content and lipid productivity were slightly decreased relative to phase I. The total lipids extracted from Nannochloropsis sp. fractionated into neutral lipids (NLs), glycolipids (GLs) and phospholipids (PLs) and a major proportion of EPA was found in phospholipids. Results suggested that low temperature and low light may ameliorate partitioning towards EPA in phospholipids.

A multi-criteria analysis approach for ranking and selection of microorganisms for the production of oils for biodiesel production

Oleaginous microorganisms have potential to be used to produce oils as alternative feedstock for biodiesel production. Microalgae (Chlorella protothecoides and Chlorella zofingiensis), yeasts (Cryptococcus albidus and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa), and fungi (Aspergillus oryzae and Mucor plumbeus) were investigated for their ability to produce oil from glucose, xylose and glycerol. Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and preference ranking organization method for the enrichment of evaluations (PROMETHEE) with graphical analysis for interactive aid (GAIA), was used to rank and select the preferred microorganisms for oil production for biodiesel application. This was based on a number of criteria viz., oil concentration, content, production rate and yield, substrate consumption rate, fatty acids composition, biomass harvesting and nutrient costs. PROMETHEE selected A. oryzae, M. plumbeus and R. mucilaginosa as the most prospective species for oil production. However, further analysis by GAIA Webs identified A. oryzae and M. plumbeus as the best performing microorganisms.

New dual-stage pH control fed-batch cultivation strategy for the improvement of lipids and carotenoids production by the red yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921

The optimal medium pH to produce biomass and fatty acids by the red yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921 is 4.0, and to produce carotenoids is 5.0. Based on this difference, a dual-stage pH control fed-batch cultivation strategy for the enhancement of lipids and carotenoids production by this yeast was studied. The results showed that when the yeast growth phase was conducted at pH 4.0, and the products accumulation phase was conducted at pH 5.0, biomass, total fatty acid and total carotenoid productivities were significantly improved comparing with the yeast fed batch cultivations carried out at fixed medium pH (4 or 5). Under dual-stage pH control conditions, the biomass, carotenoids and lipids productivities attained 2.35 g/Lh, 0.29 g/Lh and 0.40 g/Lh, respectively. It was also observed that the oxygen played a major role in the yeast carotenoid production.

Enhanced lipid production with undetoxified corncob hydrolysate by Rhodotorula glutinis using a high cell density culture strategy

In recent years, energy crisis and environmental issues such as greenhouse effect, global warming, etc. has roused peoples' concern. Biodiesel, as renewable energy, has attracted much attention to deal with such problems. This work studied the lipid production by Rhodotorula glutinis with undetoxified corncob hydrolysate. The results indicated that R. glutinis had high tolerance to the inhibitors in corncob hydrolysate and it could utilize undetoxified corncob hydrolysate directly for lipid production. The cell grew well with undetoxified hydrolysate in the batch culture of 5L fermentor with the optimized C/N ratio of 75, lipid titer and lipid content reached 5.5g/L and 36.4%, respectively. High cell density culture with two-stage nitrogen feeding strategy was studied to enhance the lipid production, biomass, lipid concentration and lipid content of 70.8, 33.5g/L and 47.2% were obtained. The results indicated the potential application for lipid production by R. glutinis with corncob hydrolysate directly.

Synergistic effects of oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula glutinis and microalga Chlorella vulgaris for enhancement of biomass and lipid yields

The optimal mixed culture model of oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula glutinis and microalga Chlorella vulgaris was confirmed to enhance lipid production. A double system bubble column photo-bioreactor was designed and used for demonstrating the relationship of yeast and alga in mixed culture. The results showed that using the log-phase cultures of yeast and alga as seeds for mixed culture, the improvements of biomass and lipid yields reached 17.3% and 70.9%, respectively, compared with those of monocultures. Growth curves of two species were confirmed in the double system bubble column photo-bioreactor, and the second growth of yeast was observed during 36-48 h of mixed culture. Synergistic effects of two species for cell growth and lipid accumulation were demonstrated on O2/CO2 balance, substance exchange, dissolved oxygen and pH adjustment in mixed culture. This study provided a theoretical basis and culture model for producing lipids by mixed culture in place of monoculture.

An oleaginous endophyte Bacillus subtilis HB1310 isolated from thin-shelled walnut and its utilization of cotton stalk hydrolysate for lipid production

BACKGROUND

Third generation biodiesel processing from microbial lipids using low-cost lignocellulosic feedstocks has attracted much attention. Endophytes isolated from oleaginous plants possibly have the capacity to accumulate lipids similar to the hosts. However, little work has been reported in terms of endophytic bacteria isolation from oleaginous plants and their lipid production using lignocellulosic hydrolysate as substrate.

RESULTS

A new oleaginous endophyte HB1310 has been isolated from the thin-shelled walnut, and identified as Bacillus subtilis on the basis of both 16S rDNA gene sequencing and examination of its physiological and biochemical properties. This strain effectively accumulates cellular lipids using cotton stalk hydrolysate as a substrate. The optimum C/N ratio, culture temperature, and pH value were determined to be 50/1, 30°C, and 6.5, respectively. Batch fermentation was conducted in a bioreactor using these parameters. Satisfactory production, with a maximum lipid productivity of 2.3 g/L, lipid content of 39.8% (w/w), and cell dry weight (CDW) of 5.7 g/L, was obtained at a culture time of 48 h. Variations in the fluorescent intensity and lipid inclusion formation of cells collected at different sampling times illustrate the potential of this bacterium to be useful for cellular lipid production. The fatty acid profile of the produced bacterial lipids showed that the major constituents are myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids with an estimated cetane number of about 61.8, indicating that this strain may be suitable for biodiesel production.

CONCLUSIONS

The present investigation is the first report of an oleaginous endophytic bacterium isolated from the thin-shelled walnut. This strain is capable of producing high lipid contents rapidly using cotton stalk hydrolysate as a substrate, and its lipids are suitable for use as the feedstock for biodiesel production.