DGLA-Rich Microbial Oil With Reduced Arachidonic Acid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to produce microbial oil/lipid with high dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) content and low arachidonic acid (ARA) content, leading to technical difficulties in achieving a product of satisfactory quality.
Innovation Solution
A microbial oil/lipid with high DGLA purity and reduced ARA content is produced using a microorganism with a Δ5 desaturase gene mutation, such as Mortierella alpina NSM243-16 strain, cultured without Δ5 desaturase inhibitors, resulting in DGLA content greater than 30 wt.% and ARA content less than 0.3 wt.%, with specific long-chain saturated fatty acid contents controlled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional culturing methods are used to produce DGLA in microorganisms, then DGLA can be generated as a precursor for ARA, but ARA content remains high and separation from DGLA is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful factor (ARA) from the system by using microorganisms with disrupted Δ5 desaturase genes that cannot convert DGLA to ARA, thereby producing microbial oil/lipid with minimal ARA content and high DGLA purity without requiring complex separation processes
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of producing DGLA and then separating it from ARA as in conventional methods, the invention inverts the approach by using microorganisms that inherently cannot produce ARA from DGLA due to gene disruption, thus eliminating the separation step and directly producing high-purity DGLA-containing oil/lipid
2Reliability
If Δ5 desaturase inhibitors are used to decrease ARA generation, then DGLA/ARA ratio improves, but product complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the need for complex processing by using microorganisms with genetically disrupted Δ5 desaturase genes, eliminating the requirement for Δ5 desaturase inhibitors and associated complex culture and processing procedures while achieving high DGLA/ARA ratio
Solution Approach 2:
The microorganism with disrupted Δ5 desaturase gene serves itself by inherently preventing ARA formation from DGLA, eliminating the need for external inhibitors or complex processing steps to achieve the desired DGLA/ARA ratio
3Quantity of substance
If gene disruption methods are applied to achieve high DGLA content, then DGLA production increases, but manufacturing precision and quality control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The microorganism with disrupted Δ5 desaturase gene maintains stable and consistent production of high-DGLA oil/lipid through its inherent genetic characteristic, providing reliable quality control and consistent product quality without requiring complex manufacturing precision measures
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The microbial oil/lipid achieves high DGLA purity and minimal ARA, suitable for use in medicaments, cosmetics, and foodstuffs, providing anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic benefits.
Implementation Method 1
DGLA is known to be produced as a precursor for arachidonic acid (C20:4, n-6) (5, 8, 11, 14-eicosatetraenoic acid) (also referred to hereinafter as ARA) in microorganisms such as Mortierella alpina
Data Source
AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an oil/lipid that contains dihomo-γ-linolenic acid at a higher purity. Provided is a microbial oil/lipid that is specified by a high content of dihomo-γ-linolenic acid contained therein and/or a reduced content of undesirable constituting fatty acid(s).