Screening and characterization of squalene-producing thraustochytrids from Hong Kong mangroves.
Eighteen strains of thraustochytrids were newly isolated from Hong Kong mangroves, and their fatty acid and squalene contents were analyzed. All strains could grow well heterotrophically with glucose as the sole carbon source. All of them had the typical fatty acid profile of thraustchytrids and could produce a large amount of docosahexaenoic acid. The cell dry weight ranged from 5.49 to 15.62 g/L and squalene content from 0.02 to 0.18 mg/g at 72 h. The highest squalene-producing strain, BR-MP4-A1 was identified as a new strain of Aurantiochytrium species through sequence comparison of the 18S rRNA gene. The highest biomass of Aurantiochytrium sp. BR-MP4-A1 was achieved at 72 h, whereas its squalene content reached the maximum of 0.567 mg/g at 36 h but decreased rapidly thereafter. The production of squalene by thraustochytrids might be highly influenced by culture conditions.
Department of Biology and Kwong Living Trust Food Safety and Analysis Laboratory, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
Qian
Q
Li
Guan-Qun
GQ
Chen
King-Wai
KW
Fan
Fu-Ping
FP
Lu
Tsunehiro
T
Aki
Yue
Y
Jiang
D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D006723:Hong Kong; D010802:Phylogeny; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D013185:Squalene / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D058009:Stramenopiles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development
D005227:Fatty Acids; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D013185:Squalene; D004247:DNA