Lipid and Fatty Acid Biosynthesis by Rhodotorula minuta

Demand for fatty acids is increasing at an annual rate of 17%, due to their increased use in the oleochemical and transport industries. Presently, vegetable oils are the major source of fatty acids, whereas lipids with fatty acids similar to those of some vegetable oils have been reported to be synthesized by oleaginous microorganisms. In the present study, the culturing conditions for the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula minuta IIP-33 have been optimized. In contrast to the lipid accumulation characteristics of most oleaginous yeasts, a carbonto- nitrogen ratio of 30 was favorable for maximal accumulation of lipids (48%) with 22.5% conversion of glucose as carbon substrate. The lipids contained fatty acids in the C7–C18 range, the relative composition of which varied with culture temperature. JAOCS 75, 501–505 (1998)