1. Isolation and characterization of polyunsaturated fatty acid producing Thraustochytrium species: screening of strains and optimization of omega-3 production.
- Author
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Burja AM, Radianingtyas H, Windust A, and Barrow CJ
- Subjects
- Atlantic Ocean, Biomass, Canada, Carotenoids biosynthesis, DNA, Fungal chemistry, DNA, Fungal isolation & purification, DNA, Ribosomal chemistry, DNA, Ribosomal isolation & purification, Docosahexaenoic Acids metabolism, Eicosapentaenoic Acid biosynthesis, Fungi isolation & purification, Genes, rRNA genetics, Molecular Sequence Data, Phylogeny, RNA, Fungal genetics, RNA, Ribosomal, 18S genetics, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Xanthophylls biosynthesis, Fatty Acids, Omega-3 biosynthesis, Fatty Acids, Unsaturated biosynthesis, Fungi classification, Fungi metabolism, Geologic Sediments microbiology
- Abstract
An isolation program targeting Thraustochytrids (marine fungoid protists) from 19 different Atlantic Canadian locations was performed. Sixty-eight isolates were screened for biomass, total fatty acid (TFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content. Analysis of fatty acid methyl ester results discerned four distinctive clusters based on fatty acid profiles, with biomass ranging from 0.1 to 2.3 g L(-1), and lipid, EPA, and DHA contents ranging from 27.1 to 321.14, 2.97 to 21.25, and 5.18 to 83.63 mg g(-1) biomass, respectively. ONC-T18, was subsequently chosen for further manipulations. Identified using 18S rRNA gene sequencing techniques as a Thraustochytrium sp., most closely related to Thraustochytrium striatum T91-6, ONC-T18 produced up to 28.0 g L(-1) biomass, 81.7% TFA, 31.4% (w/w biomass) DHA, and 4.6 g L(-1) DHA under optimal fermentation conditions. Furthermore, this strain was found to produce the carotenoids and xanthophylls astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, echinenone, and beta-carotene. Given this strain's impressive productivity when compared to commercial strains, such as Schizochytrium sp. SR21 (which has only 50% TFA), coupled with its ability to grow at economical nitrogen and very low salt concentrations (2 g L(-1)), ONC-T18 is seen as an ideal candidate for both scale-up and commercialization.
- Published
- 2006
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