A novel psychrotrophic fungus, Mortierella minutissima, for D-limonene biotransformation

Of 98 strains of moulds, isolated from arctic soils, Mortierella minutissima 01, grew the best on agar plates with limonene vapor. Perillyl alcohol and perillic acid were the main products of limonene biotransformation. Maximal yield of perillyl alcohol (125 mg 1(-1)) occurred in medium containing 0.8% substrate, at 15degreesC, pH 6 and after 4-5 d.