Impact of phosphate concentration on docosahexaenoic acid production and related enzyme activities in fermentation of Schizochytrium sp.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an important and widely used infant food additive. In this study, the effects of phosphate concentration on lipid and especially DHA synthesis in the oleaginous fungi Schizochytrium sp. HX-308 have been investigated in batch cultures. The maximum DHA yield (8.9 g/L) and DHA productivity (148.3 mg/L h) in 0.1 g/L KH₂PO₄ concentration were higher than the DHA yield (6.2 g/L) and DHA productivity (86.1 mg/L h) in 4 g/L KH₂PO₄ concentration. Furthermore, differences in related enzyme activities (malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and NAD⁺-isocitrate dehydrogenase) between phosphate-sufficient and phosphate-limitation conditions were assayed. The results showed that the phosphate-limitation condition could maintain higher activities of malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in addition to lower activity of NAD⁺-isocitrate dehydrogenase. In addition, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase might be the main supplier of NADPH at the early stage of fermentation while malic enzyme might be the provider at the late stage. This information might explain the regulation mechanism of phosphate limitation for lipid production and be useful for further DHA production enhancement.