CULTIVATION OF YEAST CANDIDA LIPOLYTICA ON HYDROCARBON .3. OXIDATION AND UTILIZATION OF INDIVIDUAL PURE HYDROCARBONS

The ability of the yeast Candida lipolytica 4-1 to oxidize and utilize various pure aliphatic hydrocarbons occurring in gas oil was studied. It was found that the given strain of Candida lipolytica oxidized n-alkanes without adaptation, starting with heptane, and utilized them for growth, starting with nonane. Isoalkanes with a single methyl group in the side chain were also oxidized and utilized for growth, but less than the corresponding n-alkanes. The site of the methyl group in the isoalkane chain influences its conversion to biomass. Branched chains at both ends of the isoalkane molecule prevent its utilization for growth of Candida lipolytica. 1-olefines are also oxidized and utilized for growth, though less than the corresponding n-paraffins. Alkylaromatic hydrocarbons are oxidized from amylbenzene up to decylbenzene, which is utilized only slightly for growth of the yeast. © 1969 Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.