The oleaginous yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii BI281A as a new potential biodiesel feedstock : selection and lipid production optimization

Abstract

A high throughput screening (HTS) methodology for evaluation of cellular lipid content based on Nile red fluorescence reads using black background 96-wells test plates and a plate reader equipment allowed the rapid intracellular lipid estimation of strains from a Brazilian phylloplane yeast collection. A new oleaginous yeast,Meyerozyma guilliermondii BI281A, was selected, for which the gravimetric determination of total lipids relative to dry weight was 52.38%for glucose or 34.97%for pure glycerol. The lipid production was optimized obtaining 108 mg/L of neutral lipids using pure glycerol as carbon source, and the strain proved capable of accumulating oil using raw glycerol from a biodiesel refinery. The lipid profile showed monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) varying between 56 or 74% in pure or raw glycerol, respectively. M. guilliermondii BI281A bears potential as a new biodiesel feedstock.