Increased phospholipid transfer protein activity inAspergillus oryzaegrown on various industrial phospholipid sources

Abstract

The effect of industrial carbon sources on phospholipid transfer protein production was investigated. Phospholipid fractions of different composition were prepared from various plant oils (i.e., soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower) according to the Lucas Meyer extraction and purification process. The effect of these fractions on phospholipid transfer protein activity of cell extracts from Aspergillus oryzae grown on medium containing these phospholipids as sole carbon source was studied. It was shown that phospholipid transfer activity was markedly increased by extracts containing a particular phospholipid composition. However, this stimulation depends mainly upon the phospholipid composition of the fraction used as fermentation substrate. Fractions enriched mainly in phosphatidylinositol (Epikuron 110), at the expense of phosphatidylcholine, were the most efficient sources for phospholipid transfer protein production by A. oryzae. Maximal phospholipid transfer activity, as well as biomass production, were increased 4.1- and 9.7-fold, respectively, when cultures were supplemented with Epikuron 110 prepared from sunflower lecithin, as compared to glucose-control cultures.Key words: Aspergillus oryzae, industrial phospholipid sources, phospholipid transfer protein.