Compositions, methods, and kits for polyunsaturated fatty acids from microalgae

• US 8,343,753 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
• Original Assignee: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
• Inventors: Chilton, Floyd, Lu, Fan
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Jon P
• Assistant Examiner(s): UNDERDAHL, THANE E
• Application Number:
  US12/436,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20100099765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 435/257.1
• US Class Current: 435/257.1
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/158 Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/10 for ruminants
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/80 for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/20 having a carboxyl group bound to a chain of seven or more carbon atoms, e.g. stearic, palmitic, arachidic acids
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/02 Algae
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/04 Rhodophycota or rhodophyta (red algae), e.g. Porphyra
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/30 Boraginaceae (Borage family), e.g. comfrey, lungwort or forget-me-not
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/06 Antiasthmatics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/06 Antihyperlipidemics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/08 Antiallergic agents antiasthmatic agents A61P11/06; ophthalmic antiallergics A61P27/14
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/48 by liquid-liquid treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C11B 1/10 by extracting
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/79 Vectors or expression systems specially adapted for eukaryotic hosts
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6427 Polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFA], i.e. having two or more double bonds in their backbone
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/818 Alternative feeds for fish, e.g. in aquacultures

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions, methods, and kits comprising PUFAs produced by microalgae, in particular omega-3 and/or omega-6 fatty acids produced by members of the genus Rhodomonas, in particular Rhodomonas salina. The invention also provides compositions, methods, and kits comprising the PUFAs for the prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of a disease or condition, in particular a cardiovascular and/or inflammatory disease or condition.

Claims

1. An isolated microalgae of the Rhodomonas strain ATCC No. PTA-9989.

2. A process of making a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition comprising at least 8% polyunsaturated fatty acids in weight, the process comprising:

extracting the polyunsaturated fatty acids from the microalgae of claim 1, wherein,

(a) SDA is in an amount of about 5% to about 50% of total fatty acids;

(b) EPA is in an amount of about 2% to about 40% of total fatty acids;

(c) DHA is in an amount of about 2% to about 40% of total fatty acids; and

optionally

(d) GLA is in an amount of about 0.1% to about 10% of total fatty acids;

wherein the composition comprises at least 8% polyunsaturated fatty acids in weight.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the microalgae is a microalgae having a cell wall of reduced thickness as compared to the wild-type microalgae, wherein said cell wall of reduced thickness improves extractability and/or bioavailability of the microalgae lipid fraction.

4. A process of making a composition comprising at least 5% stearidonic acid, the process comprising:

(a) cultivating the microalgae of claim 1 to produce a microalgae biomass; and

either

(b) extracting said microalgae oil from said cultivated microalgae;

or

(c) removing water from said microalgae biomass to achieve a solids content from 5 to 100% weight percent;

wherein the composition comprises at least 5% stearidonic acid.

5. A method for preparing a microalgae biomass composition comprising one or more PUFAs, the method comprising:

culturing a microalgae of claim 1 under a culture condition sufficient to provide a microalgae biomass comprising the one or more PUFAs, wherein the microalgae biomass is harvested after at least one logarithmic growth phase of the microalgae, wherein the omega-3 fatty acid is stearidonic acid (SDA), wherein the omega-6 fatty acid is γ

-linolenic acid (GLA), wherein the SDA at harvest is at least about 5% of the total fatty acid, wherein the GLA at harvest is less than about 1% of total fatty acid.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the culture medium comprises a first phosphorus concentration at a lag phase and a second phosphorus concentration at the logarithmic growth phase at harvest, wherein the second phosphorus concentration is at or within about 20% of the first phosphorus concentration.

7. A biologically pure culture of the isolated Rhodomonas of claim 1.

8. A method for preparing a microalgae biomass composition comprising one or more PUFAs, the method comprising:

culturing a microalgae of claim 7 under a culture condition sufficient to provide a microalgae biomass comprising the one or more PUFAs, wherein the microalgae biomass is harvested after at least one logarithmic growth phase of the microalgae, wherein the omega-3 fatty acid is stearidonic acid (SDA), wherein the omega-6 fatty acid is optionally present and is γ

-linolenic acid (GLA), wherein the SDA at harvest is at least about 5% of the total fatty acid, wherein the GLA if present at harvest is less than about 1% of total fatty acid.

9. A method for preparing a microalgae biomass composition comprising at least 8% polyunsaturated fatty acids in weight, the method comprising:

culturing a microalgae of claim 7 the process comprising;

extracting the polyunsaturated fatty acids from the microalgae, wherein,

(a) SDA is in an amount of about 5% to about 50% of total fatty acids;

(b) EPA is in an amount of about 2% to about 40% of total fatty acids;

(c) DHA is in an amount of about 2% to about 40% of total fatty acids; and

optionally

(d) GLA is in an amount of about 0.1% to about 10% of total fatty acids;

wherein the composition comprises at least 8% polyunsaturated fatty acids in weight.