High arachidonic acid producing strains of yarrowia lipolytica

Abstract

Engineered strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 10% arachidonic acid (ARA, an ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid) in the total oil fraction are described. These strains comprise various chimeric genes expressing heterologous desaturases, elongases and acyltransferases, and optionally comprise various native desaturase and acyltransferase knockouts to enable synthesis and high accumulation of ARA. Production host cells are claimed, as are methods for producing ARA within said host cells.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A microbial oil comprising:
 a) at least 14% arachidonic acid as a weight percent of the total fatty acids of the microbial oil, and   b) less than 5% stearic acid as a weight percent of the total fatty acids of the microbial oil;   wherein said microbial oil is devoid of gamma-linolenic acid.   
     
     
         38 . The microbial oil of  claim 37 , wherein the oil comprises at least about 25% arachidonic acid as a weight percent of the total fatty acids of the microbial oil. 
     
     
         39 . The microbial oil of  claim 37 , wherein the oil is devoid of docosahexaenoic acid. 
     
     
         40 . The microbial oil of  claim 38 , wherein the oil is devoid of docosahexaenoic acid. 
     
     
         41 . The microbial oil of  claim 37 , wherein the oil comprises less than 2% stearic acid as a weight percent of the total fatty acids of the microbial oil. 
     
     
         42 . The microbial oil of  claim 41 , wherein the oil is devoid of stearic acid.