Effect of extraction methods on lipid yield and fatty acid composition of lipid classes containing gamma-linolenic acid extracted from fungi

The effect of extraction procedures on the lipid yield and fatty acid composition of total lipid and main lipid structures (phospholipids, diacylglycerols, triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, and sterol esters) of fungal biomass (Mucor mucedo CCF-1384) containing gamma-linolenic acid (CLA) was investigated. Seventeen extraction methods, divided into three groups, were tested: six with chloroform/methanol, five with hexane/alcohols, and six with common solvents or mixtures. The chloroform/methanol procedure (2:1)was selected as standard, where lipid yield (TL/DCW, total lipid per dry cell weight) was 17.8%, considered to be 100% of lipids present. All chloroform/methanol extractions yielded more than 83% recovery of lipids. Use of hexane/isopropanol solvent systems led to a maximum of 75% recovery. The best lipid yield was achieved by a two-step extraction with ethanol and hexane (120%). Extraction efficiency of the other solvent systems reached a maximum of 73%. Triacylglycerols were the main structures of lipid isolated; only methanol-extracted lipid contained 58.5% phospholipids. The fatty acid content of total recovered lipid was variable and depended on both the lipid class composition and the solvent system. CLA concentrations in total lipids isolated by hexane/alcohol procedures (7.3-10.7%) are comparable with classical chloroform/methanol systems (6.5-10.0%). The maximal GLA yield was obtained with chloroform/methanol/n-butanol/water/0.1 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (2:1:1:1:0.1, by vol) and after two-step extraction with ethanol and hexane (14.3 and 13.7 g GLA/kg DCW, respectively). The highest GLA content was analyzed in the phospholipid fraction (16.1%) after using chloroform/methanol/n-butanol/water/0.1 M EDTA (2:1:1:1:0.1, by vol). Remarkably low concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids were determined in the free fatty acid fraction.