Characterization and robust nature of newly isolated oleaginous marine yeast Rhodosporidium spp. from coastal water of Northern China

• Published in: AMB Express 2017-02, Vol.7 (1), p.30-30, Article 30
• Main Authors: Wang, Qiuzhen, Cui, Yan, Sen, Biswarup, Ma, Wenmeng, Zheng, Rose Lynn, Liu, Xianhua, Wang, Guangyi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cryptococcus; Life Sciences; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Original; Original Article; Rhodosporidium; Rhodotorula
• ISSN: 2191-0855; 2191-0855
• DOI: 10.1186/s13568-017-0329-x

A total of ten marine yeast strains isolated from Bohai Sea, Northern China were identified to be members of three genera Rhodosporidium , Rhodotorula , and Cryptococcus . Two representative strains Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 and Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 with high lipid content based on Nile red staining method were further characterized. A wide range of culture conditions (C and N sources, pH, temperature, salinity and C/N ratio) were tested to characterize the biomass and lipid production (yield and productivity) of these strains. Results indicated that Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 was capable of achieving lipid yield up to 44% and 0.09 g/l–h productivity on glucose and peptone medium at pH 4, 20 °C, 30% salinity, and C/N 80. Three fatty acids, namely oleic acid (18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0) and linoleic acid (18:2) were the major intracellular fatty acids, which accounted for 90% of total lipids. With promising features for intracellular lipid accumulation, Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 is a robust strain with great potentials for application in biodiesel production from renewable feedstocks.