α-Ketoglutaric acid production from rapeseed oil by Yarrowia lipolytica yeast

The possibility of using rapeseed oil as a carbon source for microbiological production of alpha-ketoglutaric acid (KGA) has been studied. Acid formation on the selective media has been tested in 26 strains of Yarrowia lipolytica yeast, and the strain Y. lipolytica VKM Y-2412 was selected as a prospective producer of KGA from rapeseed oil. KGA production by the selected strain was studied in dependence on thiamine concentration, medium pH, temperature, aeration, and concentration of oil. Under optimal conditions (thiamine concentration of 0.063 mu g g cells(-1), pH 3.5, 30 A degrees C, high dissolved oxygen concentration (pO(2)) of 50 % (of air saturation), and oil concentration in a range from 20 to 60 g l(-1)), Y. lipolytica VKM Y-2412 produced up to 102.5 g l(-1) of KGA with the mass yield coefficient of 0.95 g g(-1) and the volumetric KGA productivity (Q (KGA)) of 0.8 g l(-1) h(-1).