Enhancement of microbial oil production by alpha-linolenic acid producing Yarrowia lipolytica strains QU22 and QU137

Microbial oils enriched in essential polyunsaturated fatty acids can be used as nutritional complements. In order to improve the lipid yields and lipid profiles of 2 Yarrowia lipolytica strains, the effects of medium components and culture conditions were investigated using shake flasks. Under optimized conditions (cultivation for 3 days at 25oC and 150 rpm, using peptone as a nitrogen source and glucose as a carbon source), the biomass, lipid yield, and lipid content reached 6.75 g/L, 3.48 g/L, and 51.55% for Y. lipolytica QU22, and 6.85 g/L, 3.52 g/L, and 51.38% for Y. lipolytica QU137, respectively. Using a shaking speed of 150 rpm, unsaturated fatty acids constituted 87.96% (QU22) and 87.08% (QU137) of the total lipids produced by these strains, with 9.52 and 7.86% of alpha-linolenic acid, respectively. The strains are suitable candidates for fermentation processes involving essential polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) production.