Abstract
An Aspergillus terreus, isolated from oil contaminated soil, could degrade a wide range of petroleum hydrocarbons including the immediate oxidation products of hydrocarbons, like alkanols and alkanals. Among all the linear chain carbon substrates, highest growth of 39.1 ± 3.8 g l−1 (wet weight) was observed when n-hexadecane was used as the sole source of carbon. The growth of the fungus on this highly hydrophobic substrate was associated with the morphological change of the hyphae and increase production of lipid in the cells. The lipid production in the hydrocarbon (n-hexadecane) grown cells was sevenfold higher than the corresponding glucose grown cells. The fatty acid profile of the lipid content formed in the hydrocarbon grown cells was significantly different from the glucose grown cells and was composed of fatty acids with chain length C14 to C33 as revealed from the liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analyses. Among the ranges, the fatty acids with chain lengths C14 to C18 were predominant in the profile. Considering the fatty acid profile and the high level of lipid production, this A. terreus mediated production of lipid is envisaged to have potential application in the oleochemical industries including the production of biodiesel.
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The authors are thankful for the Central Instrumental Facility and the scientific officers of IIT Guwahati for providing the facility to analyze the samples through SEM and LCMS.
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Kumar, A.K., Vatsyayan, P. & Goswami, P. Production of Lipid and Fatty Acids during Growth of Aspergillus terreus on Hydrocarbon Substrates. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 160, 1293–1300 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-009-8669-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-009-8669-x