Method for producing highly unsaturated fatty acids and lipid containing same

• US 6,958,229 B2
• Filed: 09/03/1999
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Suntory Holdings Limited (Kotobuki Realty Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Suntory Ltd (Kotobuki Realty Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shigeta, Seiko, Suzuki, Osamu, Aki, Tsunehiro, Ono, Kazuhisa, Akimoto, Kengo
• Primary Examiner(s): Marx, Irene
• Application Number:
  US09/389,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20020146784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,244 Days
• Field of Search: 435/134, 435/135, 435/254.1
• US Class Current: 435/134
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/16 Addition of microorganisms or extracts thereof, e.g. single-cell proteins, to feeding-stuff compositions A23K10/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/158 Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6427 Polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFA], i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6432 Eicosapentaenoic acids [EPA]
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6472 containing polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA] residues, i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone

Abstract

A method for producing highly unsaturated fatty acids comprising culturing a microorganism, belonging to the genus Mortierella and having resistance to a carbon source, in a medium having a carbon source concentration of at least 4% by weight, and collecting highly unsaturated fatty acids from the cultured products. Culturing the microorganism for about a week gives at least about 7 g/L of highly unsaturated fatty acids.

Claims

1. A process for producing arachidonic acid or a lipid containing arachidonic acid comprising the steps of:

(1) culturing a microrganism belonging to the genus Mortierella and subgenus Mortierella that is strain SAM 2197 FERM BP-6261 , in a medium having a carbon source concentration of at least 4% by weight at the start of culturing and the addition of at least an additional 6% by weight of carbon source during the culturing, thereby forming arachidonic acid or a lipid containing arachidonic acid;

(2) collecting the cultured cells; and

(3) extracting arachidonic acid or a lipid containing arachidonic acid from the collected cells;

wherein the microganism produces arachidonic acid of at least about 7 g/L culture medium when cultured in a medium containing at least about 4% carbon source at the start of culturing and the addition of at least an additional 6% by weight of carbon source during the culturing, and at least about 2% nitrogen source at the start of culturing for 5 to 10 days with agitation and aeration.

2. The process for producing arachidonic acid or lipid containing arachidonic acid according to claim 1, wherein the carbon source concentration at the start of culturing is at least 8% by weight.