Single cell oil production by oleaginous yeasts grown in synthetic and waste-derived volatile fatty acids

• Published in: Microorganisms (Basel) Vol. 8; no. 11; pp. 1 - 18
• Main Authors: Bettencourt, Sara, Miranda, Catarina, Pozdniakova, Tatiana A., Sampaio, Paula, Franco-Duarte, Ricardo, Pais, Célia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 17-11-2020; MDPI AG; MDPI
• Subjects: Biomass; Carbon; Carbon sources; Cellulose; Ciências Biológicas; Ciências Naturais; dark fermentation effluent; Effluents; Fatty acids; Fermentation; Filtrate; Lipids; Microorganisms; Municipal solid waste; Oils & fats; oleaginous yeasts; Science & Technology; single cell oils; Volatile fatty acids; Yeast; Yeasts; United States > US; Germany; Spain
• ISSN: 2076-2607; 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111809

Four yeast isolates from the species— Apiotrichum brassicae , Candida tropicalis , Metschnikowia pulcherrima , and Pichia kudriavzevii —previously selected by their oleaginous character and growth flexibility in different carbon sources, were tested for their capacity to convert volatile fatty acids into lipids, in the form of single cell oils. Growth, lipid yields, volatile fatty acids consumption, and long-chain fatty acid profiles were evaluated in media supplemented with seven different volatile fatty acids (acetic, butyric, propionic, isobutyric, valeric, isovaleric, and caproic), and also in a dark fermentation effluent filtrate. Yeasts A. brassicae and P. kudriavzevii attained lipid productivities of more than 40% ( w / w ), mainly composed of oleic (>40%), palmitic (20%), and stearic (20%) acids, both in synthetic media and in the waste-derived effluent filtrate. These isolates may be potential candidates for single cell oil production in larger scale applications by using alternative carbon sources, combining economic and environmental benefits.
This work was supported by the European project "VOLATILE-Biowaste derived volatile fatty acid platform for biopolymers, bioactive compounds and chemical building blocks" (Call H2020-NMBP-BIO-2016 Grant agreement No. 720777) and by the strategic programme UID/BIA/04050/2013 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007569) funded by national funds through the FCT I.P., by the ERDF through the COMPETE2020.