Efficient Lipid Production by Cryptococcus curvatus through SSELP Process

Microbial lipids from plant biomass are promising for the biodiesel industry. These lipids are made through three steps: pretreatment, saccharification, and lipid production. However, use of biomass extracts as feedstock produces low yields at a high cost. A cost-effective and integrated process is required to advance plant biomass-based microbial lipid technology.

Zongbao K. Zhao, from Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China, tested three strategies using the oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus curvatus ATCC 20509 as a lipid producer and alkaline-pretreated corn stover as a feedstock. Of the three strategies, the simultaneous saccharification and enhanced lipid production (SSELP) had the highest lipid yield of 159.4 mg/g pretreated corn stover. Cellulolytic enzymes used in the SSELP were also reusable upon recycling of supernatants.

The SSELP required less cellulolytic enzymes and had a higher lipid yield. The process also facilitated enzyme recycling which would lead to reduced enzyme consumption.