PRODUCTION OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID BY A BACTERIUM ISOLATED FROM MACKEREL INTESTINES

Optimization of culture conditions for the growth rate, 5,8,11,14,17- cis-Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content and EPA productivity of a bacterium isolated from Pacific mackerel intestines was investigated by use of a culture medium containing 1.00 wt% peptone and 0.50 wt% yeast extract in an artificial sea water (ASW). Cultivation temperature affected the growth rate and cellular EPA content of the bacterium. The cellular EPA content at 8-degrees-C was as great as 16.8 mg/g of dry cells, which was more than two times greater than that at 25-degrees-C (7.3 mg/g of dry cells), although the growth rate showed a maximum at 25-degrees-C. Both the yield of bacterial cells and the cellular EPA content at 25-degrees-C reached maximum values when the pH of the culture medium was nearly 7.0 and when the concentration of ASW was 100% (v/v). Under optimum culture conditions [25-degrees-C pH 7.0 and 100% (v/v) ASW], the amount of EPA accumulated in the cellular lipids reached 45.6 mg/L of culture broth after 8 hr.