Enhanced production of lipids containing polyenoic fatty acids by very high density cultures of eukaryotic microbes in fermentors
First Claim
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1. A process for producing microbial lipids comprising conducting a fermentation of microorganisms of the order Thraustochytriales capable of producing at least 15% of lipids as highly unsaturated fatty acids having at least four unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds in a fermentation medium comprising a carbon source and a limiting nutrient source, the process comprising:
- a) providing the fermentation medium comprising the carbon source and limiting nutrient source;
b) adding the microorganisms to the fermentation medium;
c) adding an additional amount of the carbon source and limiting nutrient source to a fermentation medium to increase the biomass density of the fermentation medium to at least 100 g/L on a dry cell weight basis; and
d) adding an additional amount of the carbon source while limiting the amount of the limiting nutrient source added to the formulation medium to induce lipid production by the microorganisms.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a process for growing eukaryotic microorganisms which are capable of producing lipids, in particular lipids containing polyenoic fatty acids. The present invention also provides a process for producing eukaryotic microbial lipids.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A process for producing microbial lipids comprising conducting a fermentation of microorganisms of the order Thraustochytriales capable of producing at least 15% of lipids as highly unsaturated fatty acids having at least four unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds in a fermentation medium comprising a carbon source and a limiting nutrient source, the process comprising:
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a) providing the fermentation medium comprising the carbon source and limiting nutrient source; b) adding the microorganisms to the fermentation medium; c) adding an additional amount of the carbon source and limiting nutrient source to a fermentation medium to increase the biomass density of the fermentation medium to at least 100 g/L on a dry cell weight basis; and d) adding an additional amount of the carbon source while limiting the amount of the limiting nutrient source added to the formulation medium to induce lipid production by the microorganisms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process for growing microorganisms of the order Thraustochytriales by conducting a fermentation of the microorganisms in a fermentation medium comprising a carbon source, and a limiting nutrient source the process comprising:
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a) providing the fermentation medium comprising the carbon source and the limiting nutrient source; b) adding the microorganisms to the fermentation medium; c) adding an additional amount of the carbon source and limiting nutrient source to the fermentation medium to increase the biomass density of the fermentation medium to at least 100 g/L on a dry cell weight basis, wherein the additional amount of the carbon source and the limiting nutrient source are added at a rate sufficient to increase the biomass density of the fermentation medium to at least 100 g/L; d) adding an additional amount of the carbon source while reducing the amount of limiting nutrient source added to induce lipid production by the microorganisms; and e) recovering the lipids from the fermentation medium, wherein the primary use of the carbon source by the microorganisms is to produce the lipids after induction of lipid production; wherein the fermentation of the microorganisms when the biomass density is at least 100 g/L on a dry cell weight basis produces lipids containing polyunsaturated fatty acids; wherein the lipids are at least 20% of the biomass when the biomass density is at least 100 g/L; wherein the process produces lipids at least at an average rate of 0.5 g/L/hr; and wherein at least about 15% of the total lipids produced by the microorganisms are polyunsaturated lipids.
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Specification