Isolation and Quantitative Analysis of Lipid Fractions from Schizochytrium sp.

(MR55) Strain
Maetrese Arianne J. Beley MSU Illigan Institute of Technology Iligan City, Philippines

ABSTRACT

Fatty acids as the building blocks of fats have been known as one of the most important dietary factor since it regulates the serum cholesterol levels in the blood. Thraustochytrids have been reported to produce extensive amounts of PUFA, most especially DHA (Burja et al., 2006; Huang et al., 2001). To date, thraustochytrids strains from Mindanao have not yet been studied, particularly on, purification of isolate, as well as the screening of these strains for PUFA and DHA production is needed. The main objective of this study is to isolate and analyse different quantities of lipid fractions of Schizochytrium sp. MR strain from Maigo, Lanao del Norte. Specifically, it aims to separate and obtain lipid fractions, extract and esterify fatty acids of the lipid fractions and analyze the fatty acids present in the fractions. Fallen mangrove leaves of first decay level, having yellowish spotted feature were collected aseptically and was immediately placed in a resealable plastic. Leaf discs were aseptically cut from the collected leaves and swabbed in plate containing yeast extract-peptone-glucose (YPG). A 5% v/v inoculums was incubated onto a 50-mL heterotrophic culture medium contained in a 1000-mL culture bottle and incubated at 25C for 5 days on a roller apparatus set at 60 rpm, under continuous fluorescent lighting. Fatty acids were extracted and separated in four fractions by column chromatography.

Lipid components were collected into fractions and fraction two composed of neutral lipids has the highest average DHA level of 51.87% accounted for total fatty acids. Neutral lipids were the major lipid constituents in which triacyglycerol (TAG) was the predominant component and accounted for an average of 0.53 g/L of the neutral lipids. Fraction three composed of glycolipids, mono- and diglyceride also indicate significant average value of 45.83% DHA, followed by fraction four of phospholipids with average DHA level of 25.27%. However, the DHA content of fraction one of n-alkanes, n-alkenes and free fatty acids had the least amount with an average value of 0%. Results show that Schizochytrium sp. MR strain could be a good and alternative source of DHA.