Growth and lipid production of Rhodotorula glutinis R4, in comparison to other oleaginous yeasts

• Published in: Journal of Biotechnology
• Main Authors: Maza, D. Daniela, Viñarta, Silvana C., Su, Ying, Guillamón, José Manuel, Aybar, Manuel J.
• Other Authors: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (Argentina), Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (Argentina), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020
• Subjects: Rhodotorula; Microbial lipids; Single cell oils; Biodiesel; Oleaginous yeast; Antarctica; Third generation biodiesel; Tucumán; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/205503; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2020.01.012; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100002923; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003074; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100007482

Some Rhodotorula spp. have been characterized as oleaginous yeasts. Under certain culture conditions they can accumulate neutral lipids, which are mainly triglycerides (TAG). Microbial TAG that can be used as raw material for biodiesel synthesis are attractive for the biofuel industry. In this study, the ability to synthesize lipids of Rhodotorula glutinis R4, isolated in Antarctica, was compared with eight strains belonging to the genera Rhodotorula and Yarrowia with the aim of proposing a novel source of oils for biodiesel synthesis. All strains were cultured under nitrogen (N) limiting conditions and an excess of carbon (C) in the culture medium. We found that yeasts accumulated between 9–48.9 % (w/w) of lipids. Among them, R. glutinis R4 showed the highest growth (14 g L−1, μmax 0,092 h−1) and lipid production (7 g L−1; 47 % w/w). Microbial oils produced by R. glutinis R4 are similar to vegetable oils, with 61 % of oleic acid, indicating that it is adequate for biodiesel synthesis. Our results demonstrate that biodiesel derived from R. glutinis R4 complies with international fuel standards ASTM D6751 and EN 14214. Therefore, this work demonstrates that Rhodotorula glutinis R4 is a novel and valuable source of microbial oils for biodiesel synthesis. This work was supported by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, FONCYT (PICT2013-1154; PICT2016-3083; PICT2013-2016, PICT2013-1686, PICT2015-1207, PICT2018-1370); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET (PUE-2016-0012, PIP0677-2015) and the Secretaría de Ciencia, Arte e Innovación Tecnológica de la Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, SCAIT-UNT, (PIUNT D509 and PIUNT D605). Peer reviewed