# US 11,028,415 B2 · Process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants

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- Number: US 11,028,415 B2
- Document ID: US11028415B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/613,405
- Filed: 2018-06-26
- Published: 2020-08-06
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-27
- Assignees: Versalis S.P.A.; ENI S.p.A.
- Applicants: Eni S.P.A.; Versalis S.P.A.
- Inventors: Daniela Cucchetti; Ezio Battistel; Chiara Gambaro; Alessandra D'Arminio Monforte
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028415B2

## CPC

- C12P 7/6409: Fatty acids
- C12N 1/145: Fungi isolates
- C12P 2203/00: Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source
- C12R 2001/645: Fungi {; Processes using fungi}
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12R: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES C12C - C12Q, RELATING TO MICROORGANISMS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants comprising: obtaining a hydrolysate comprising 5 carbon atom (C5) sugars from biomass derived from guayule plants, said 5 carbon atom (C5) sugars being present in said hydrolysate in a quantity greater than or equal to 80% by weight, preferably ranging from 85% by weight to 99% by weight, with respect to the total weight of said hydrolysate; feeding said hydrolysate to a fermentation device in the presence of at least one oleaginous yeast to obtain a fermentation broth; at the end of fermentation, subjecting said fermentation broth to separation obtaining an aqueous suspension of oleaginous cellular biomass comprising lipids and an aqueous phase. The lipids thus obtained can be advantageously used in the production of biofuel such as, for example, biodiesel or green diesel that can be used as such, or in mixtures with other fuels, for automotive transport.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants comprising:
obtaining a hydrolysate comprising 5 carbon atom (C5) sugars from biomass derived from guayule plants, said 5 carbon atom (C5) sugars being present in said hydrolysate in a quantity greater than or equal to 80% by weight, with respect to the total weight of said hydrolysate;
feeding said hydrolysate to a fermentation device in the presence of at least one oleaginous yeast to obtain a fermentation broth;
conducting fermentation of said fermentation broth;
at the end of said fermentation, subjecting said fermentation broth to separation obtaining an aqueous suspension of oleaginous cellular biomass comprising lipids and an aqueous phase.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants according to claim 1, wherein said hydrolysate is derived from hydrolysis of hemicellulose contained in the guayule plants.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants according to claim 1, wherein said hydrolysate is derived from hydrolysis of hemicellulose contained in bagasse resulting from extraction processes to which said guayule plants are subjected.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants according to claim 1, wherein said fermentation is performed:
at a temperature ranging from 20° C. to 40° C.; and/or
for a time ranging from 70 hours to 140 hours; and/or
at a pH ranging from 4.5 to 7.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

Process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants according to claim 1, wherein said oleaginous yeast is selected from: Rhodosporidium azoricum, Trichosporon pullulans, Trichosporon oleaginous, Trichosporon cacaoliposimilis, Cryptococcus curvatus, Rhodotorula gracili, Rhodotorula graminis, Lypomices starkeyi, Lypomices lipofer, Trigonopsis variabilis, Candida kefyr, Candida curved, Candida lipolytica, Torulopsis sp., or Pichia stipitis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants according to claim 1, wherein said fermentation is a batch fermentation, a fed-batch fermentation or a continuous culture fermentation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Process for the production of lipids from biomass derived from guayule plants according to claim 1 wherein said 5 carbon atom (C5) sugars are present in said hydrolysate in a quantity ranging from 85% by weight to 99% by weight, with respect to the total weight of said hydrolysate.