Effect of glutamate on arachidonic acid production from Mortierella alpina.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of glutamate on arachidonic acid production from Mortierella alpina.


RESULTS
Cell growth, arachidonic acid production, proportions of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PuFAs) in fatty acids and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity were analysed when glutamate concentration was 0.8 g l(-1). Biomass and arachidonic acid production were higher in the culture containing glutamate than those in the control culture, and both reached their maximum of 25 g l(-1) and 1.4 g l(-1) after 7 d, respectively. The proportions of some PuFAs, oleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid were decreased while linoleic acid and arachidonic acid were enhanced by glutamate addition. Glutamate addition enhanced G6PDH activity compared with the control during the whole culture process.


CONCLUSIONS
Addition of 0.8 g l(-1) glutamate was beneficial to enhance arachidonic acid production from Mortierella alpina, which was a result of activating the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP).


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that the addition of glutamate and regulation of PPP had a positive influence on arachidonic acid synthesis in Mortierella species.
D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018533:Biomass; D003470:Culture Media; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D005285:Fermentation; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020094:Mortierella / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D003470:Culture Media; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase