Combined mutagenesis of Rhodosporidium toruloides for improved production of carotenoids and lipids.
OBJECTIVE
To improve production of lipids and carotenoids by the oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides by screening mutant strains.


RESULTS
Upon physical mutagenesis of the haploid strain R. toruloides np11 with an atmospheric and room temperature plasma method followed by chemical mutagenesis with nitrosoguanidine, a mutant strain, R. toruloides XR-2, formed dark-red colonies on a screening plate. When cultivated in nitrogen-limited media, XR-2 cells grew slower but accumulated 0.23 g lipids/g cell dry wt and 0.75 mg carotenoids/g CDW. To improve its production capacity, different amino acids and vitamins were supplemented. p-Aminobenzoic acid and tryptophan had beneficial effects on cell growth. When cultivated in nitrogen-limited media in the presence of selected vitamins, XR-2 accumulated 0.41 g lipids/g CDW and 0.69 mg carotenoids/g CDW.


CONCLUSIONS
A mutant R. toruloides strain with improved production profiles for lipids and carotenoids was obtained, indicating its potential to use combined mutagenesis for a more productive phenotype.
School of Food Science & Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, 1 Qinggongyuan, Dalian, 116034, China.|Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China.
Chaolei
C
Zhang
Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China.
Hongwei
H
Shen
Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China.
Xibin
X
Zhang
Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China.
Xue
X
Yu
School of Food Science & Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, 1 Qinggongyuan, Dalian, 116034, China.
Han
H
Wang
School of Food Science & Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, 1 Qinggongyuan, Dalian, 116034, China.
Shan
S
Xiao
School of Food Science & Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, 1 Qinggongyuan, Dalian, 116034, China.
Jihui
J
Wang
Division of Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China. zhaozb@dicp.ac.cn.
Zongbao K
ZK
Zhao
D010129:4-Aminobenzoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005285:Fermentation; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D008055:Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000494:pharmacology; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000494:pharmacology
D003470:Culture Media; D008055:Lipids; D014815:Vitamins; D002338:Carotenoids; D014364:Tryptophan; D009584:Nitrogen; D010129:4-Aminobenzoic Acid
Atmospheric and room temperature plasma; Carotenoids; Combined mutagenesis; Microbial lipids; Oleaginous yeast