Kinetic and Stoichiometric Modeling-Based Analysis of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Production Potential by <i>Crypthecodinium cohnii</i> from Glycerol, Glucose and Ethanol
Kristaps Berzins,
Reinis Muiznieks,
Matiss R. Baumanis,
Inese Strazdina,
Karlis Shvirksts,
Santa Prikule,
Vytautas Galvanauskas,
Daniel Pleissner,
Agris Pentjuss,
Mara Grube,
Uldis Kalnenieks,
Egils Stalidzans
Affiliations
Kristaps Berzins
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Reinis Muiznieks
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Matiss R. Baumanis
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Inese Strazdina
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Karlis Shvirksts
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Santa Prikule
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Vytautas Galvanauskas
Biotehniskais Centrs AS, Dzerbenes Street 27, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
Daniel Pleissner
Sustainable Chemistry (Resource Efciency), Institute of Sustainable and Environmental Chemistry, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C13.203, 21335 Luneburg, Germany
Agris Pentjuss
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Mara Grube
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Uldis Kalnenieks
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Egils Stalidzans
Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is one of the most important long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), with numerous health benefits. Crypthecodinium cohnii, a marine heterotrophic dinoflagellate, is successfully used for the industrial production of DHA because it can accumulate DHA at high concentrations within the cells. Glycerol is an interesting renewable substrate for DHA production since it is a by-product of biodiesel production and other industries, and is globally generated in large quantities. The DHA production potential from glycerol, ethanol and glucose is compared by combining fermentation experiments with the pathway-scale kinetic modeling and constraint-based stoichiometric modeling of C. cohnii metabolism. Glycerol has the slowest biomass growth rate among the tested substrates. This is partially compensated by the highest PUFAs fraction, where DHA is dominant. Mathematical modeling reveals that glycerol has the best experimentally observed carbon transformation rate into biomass, reaching the closest values to the theoretical upper limit. In addition to our observations, the published experimental evidence indicates that crude glycerol is readily consumed by C. cohnii, making glycerol an attractive substrate for DHA production.
