Journal of Environmental Biology

Screening and identification of oleaginous moulds for lipid production

B. Sheerin Banu¹*, Ramprasad Kuncham², M.A. Azeem³ and M.R. Bharath¹ 

¹Research and Development Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, India

²Eurofins Genomics India Pvt. Ltd., Whitefield, Bengaluru-560 048, India

³Department of Pharmacognosy, Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy, Bangalore-560 027, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: basha.sheerin28@hotmail.com

Key words

Biodiesel,

Genomic DNA,

Lipid production,

Mould isolate,

Oleaginous moulds

Publication Data

Paper received : 18.03.2017??????

Revised received : 27.03.2017???

Re-revised received : 08.04.2017

Accepted : 02.05.2017

Abstract

Aim: The present study was carried out to isolate the moulds from garden soils of Lalbagh Botanical Garden and Cubbon Park Bangalore City, India and screen them for their oleaginicity.

Methodology: Several types of moulds were isolated randomly from garden soils and screened for their lipid production. Twenty five moulds were screened for their abilities to produce lipids. Potential lipid producers were identified by cultural method and confirmed by ITS region gene Sanger DNA sequencing. The fatty acid profile of two mould isolates was identified using GC-FID. 

Results: Interestingly, two isolates such as GS7 and GS12 were found to be promising lipid producers among twenty five screened moulds, and maximum lipid contents found in GS7 and GS12 were 22 and 24.3%, respectively. The mould isolates were identified as Penicillium citrinum (GS7) and Trichoderma asperellum (GS12) using colony characteristics and Sanger Sequencing. Consensus gene sequences were submitted to NCBI genbank and Accession numbers (KX865284 and KY623504) were obtained. The fatty acid profile of Pencillium citrinum showed 56.85% of saturated fatty acid (SFA), 32.20% of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and 10.95% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while Trichoderma asperellum showed 47.73% ofsaturated fatty acid (SFA), 25.12% of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and 27.09% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), respectively. 

Interpretation: GS7 (Penicillium citrinum) and GS12 (Trichoderma asperellum) described in the study were identified as promising lipid producers. This study would help in better selection of moulds for producing lipids which are suitable for biodiesel production.                  

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