Jonie C. Yee, Paul John L. Geraldino, Jyh-Yih Leu, Chi-Wei Chang, Yi-Li Lai, Chi-Shun Tu
A Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the components of defined culture media for glycolipid mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL) production. The glycolipid-producing yeast strain used in the study was Pseudozyma aphidis SN046 isolated from marine sediment. Identity was verified through ITS rRNA gene sequencing using the primers ITS1 and ITS4. The culture medium components (maltose, soybean oil, NaNO3, yeast extract, MgSO4, and KH2PO4) were prepared using 50% seawater and tested using two-level Fractional Factorial Design. The test identified maltose, soybean oil, and yeast extract as the most significant basal medium components in glycolipid production. An increased glycolipid production of 106.08 g L-1 was achieved compared to un-optimized yield of 27.64 g L-1. TLC confirmed that P. aphidis SN046 produced three different types of MELs (MEL-A, MEL-B, and MEL-C). Fluorescence microscopy, using Nile red stain, revealed that the MELs were extracellularly-secreted by P. aphidis SN046. The study demonstrated that P. aphidis SN046 can efficiently produce MELs under optimized shake-flask culture. It also provided information for future industrial scale production of MELs that have important biotechnological applications.
Department of Biology, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, 6000, Philippines; Department of Life Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, 24205, Taiwan; Department of Physics, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, 24205, Taiwan
