Lipid production by Candida curvata

Total lipids extracted from cells of C. curvata grown on glucose, sucrose, maltose and xylose showed maximum growth with glucose as a carbon source producing 33% lipids on dry wt. basis. Cell growth was followed by measuring the turbidity of cell suspension at 540 nm. Thin-layer chromatography of the extracts showed changes in the lipid class with growth. Maximum amount of triglycerides (76.4%) was observed at the end of the fermentation period (72 hours) while in the early stage it was richer in phospholipids than triglycerides. Gas liquid chromatography showed quantitative changes in the fatty acid composition of the lipids extracted at different fermentation periods. Shorter chain acids were predominant in the early growth phase while the oleic acid showed a drammatic increase from 4.7 to 39.8% in the later phase.