Chemical characterization and stereospecific analysis of lipids synthesized by certain yeast strains

Fatty acid analysis of lipids from yeast strains, Apiotrichum curvatum ATCC 10567, Cryptococcus albidus ATCC 56297 Lipomyces starkeyi ATCC 12659, and Rhodosporidium toruloides ATCC 10788, grown an whey permeate revealed palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acid; as the predominant fatty acids in the triacylglycerol fractions. The phospholipid fractions were dominated by oleic and linoleic acids. The stereospecific distribution of fatty acids in the triacylglycerol fractions of lipids from two yeast strains, Apiotrichum curvatum A TCC 10567 and Lipomyces starkeyi ATCC 12659, was determined and revealed the presence of almost entirely unsaturated fatty acids at the sn-2 position (91.9% and 82.8%, respectively). The dominance of unsaturated fatty acids (in the range of 61.5 to 72.3%) at the sn-1 position was also observed. Oleic acid was the predominant fatty acid at positions sn-1 and sn-2 for both yeast strains. Position sn-3 had the greatest concentrations of saturated fatty acids, with palmitic acid as the predominant fatty acid.