Isolation, Characterization and Biotechnological Potentials of Thraustochytrids from Icelandic Waters

• Published in: Marine drugs Vol. 17; no. 8; p. 449
• Main Authors: Stefánsson, Magnús Örn, Baldursson, Sigurður, Magnússon, Kristinn P, Eyþórsdóttir, Arnheiður, Einarsson, Hjörleifur
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 31.07.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Algae; Aquaculture; Aquaculture feeds; Aquatic Organisms - isolation & purification; Aquatic Organisms - metabolism; biodiesel; Biodiesel fuels; Biofuels; Biomass; Biotechnology; Carbon; Carbon sources; Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Culture Media - chemistry; DNA; Docosahexaenoic acid; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); Emissions; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - isolation & purification; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - metabolism; Fatty Acids, Omega-6 - isolation & purification; Fatty Acids, Omega-6 - metabolism; Fish; fish byproducts; Fisheries; Glucose; Glycerol; Glycerol - chemistry; Iceland; Identification; Industrial Microbiology - methods; Lipids; Locations (working); Nitrogen; Nitrogen - chemistry; PUFA; Ratios; Sequence analysis; single cell oil; Stramenopiles - isolation & purification; Stramenopiles - metabolism; Substrates; Variance analysis; Iceland; fish byproducts; biomass; single cell oil; PUFA; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); biodiesel
• ISSN: 1660-3397; 1660-3397
• DOI: 10.3390/md17080449

The following study reports on the first thraustochytrid isolates identified from Iceland. They were collected from three different locations off the northern coast of the country (Location A, Skagaströnd; Location B, Hveravík; and Location C, Eyjafjörður). Using 18S rDNA sequence analysis, isolates from Locations A and B were identified within the species while other isolates within the species when compared to other known strains. Cells isolated from Locations A ( 2 . 10 ± 0 . 70 g/L) and B ( 1 . 54 ± 0 . 17 g/L) produced more biomass than the ones isolated from Location C ( 0 . 43 ± 0 . 02 g/L). This study offers the first-time examination of the utility of byproducts from fisheries as a nitrogen source in media formulation for thraustochytrids. Experiments showed that isolates produced more biomass (per unit of substrate) when cultured on nitrogen of marine ( 2 . 55 ± 0 . 74 g/L) as compared to of commercial origin ( 1 . 06 ± 0 . 57 g/L). Glycerol ( 2 . 43 ± 0 . 56 g/L) was a better carbon source than glucose ( 1 . 84 ± 0 . 57 g/L) in growth studies. Fatty acid (FA) profiles showed that the isolates from Location C ( ) had low ratios of monounsaturated ( 4 . 21 ± 2 . 96 % ) and omega-6 ( 0 . 68 ± 0 . 59 % ) FAs. However, the isolates also had high ratios of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 35 . 65 ± 1 . 73 % ) and total omega-3 FAs ( 40 . 39 ± 2 . 39 % ), indicating that they could serve as a source of marine oils for human consumption and in aquaculture feeds. The isolates from Location A could be used in biodiesel production due to their high ratios of monounsaturated ( 18 . 38 ± 6 . 27 % ) long chain ( 57 . 43 ± 8 . 27 % ) FAs.