Optimization of arachidonic acid production by Mortierella alpina Wuji‐H4 isolate

Abstract

AbstractA fungal isolate Wuji‐H4 with a dense‐lobe rosette growth pattern on malt extract agar was identified as Mortierella alpina Peyronel. It was capable of producing 504 mg/L of arachidonic acid (AA) in the screening medium. Its AA content accounted for 42.4% of the total fatty acids. The AA yield was raised to 1,817 mg/L by a step‐by‐step approach, which uncovered that the preferred carbon source, nitrogen source, and temperature for fungal growth and lipid production were soluble starch, urea, and 24°C, respectively. Productivity was further optimized by exploiting the interactions between the constituents of the medium by the response surface method. A partial factorial design, followed by steepest ascent analysis, was carried out to locate the general vicinity of the optimal level of each nutrient. The response surface of AA production in this optimal region was then approximated with a full quadratic equation obtained from a three‐factor/five‐level central composite rotatable design. Maximum AA yield was predicted to occur in a medium that contained 99.7 g/L of soluble starch, 12.6 g/L of yeast extract, and 3.0 g/L of KH2PO4. Upon verification, the average experimental yield of AA (3,885 mg/L) was not significantly different from the predicted AA yield (3,940 mg/L), indicating that the response surface method had succeeded in exploiting the AA production potential of this new fungal isolate.