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AssigneesJapan as represented by Director General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Suntory Limited
InventorsToshihiro Yokochi, Toro Nakahara, Takanori Higashihara, Satohiro Tanaka, Toshiaki Yaguchi
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The present invention relates to the Schizochytrium genus SR21 strain and a microorganism belonging to the same species as does said SR21 strain or having substantially the same fungological properties as does said SR21 strain, the said SR21 strain and microorganism having the ability to produce the (n-3) series of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the (n-6) series of docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and the invention also relates to a process for preparing the (n-3) series of DHA and the (n-6) series of DPA utilizing said microorganisms. The microorganisms according to the present invention are superior in their proliferation character and their propensity to produce fat, and have the ability to produce the (n-3) series of DHA and the (n-6) series of DPA very well. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively produce the (n-3) series of DHA and/or the (n-6) series of DPA, which are useful in the fields of foods and pharmaceuticals, using the microorganisms according to the present invention. In addition, the present invention provides a fat obtained by culturing the present microorganisms. Since the fat composition contains the (n-6) series of DPA in addition to the (n-3) series of DHA having various physiological activities, it is possible to stably and effectively supply the (n-6) series of DPA and/or the (n-3) series of DHA to subjects in need of these highly unsaturated fatty acids by adding the fat composition to various feedstuffs or foods.
A process for preparing a fat composition containing a member selected from the group consisting of the (n-3) series of docosahexaenoic acid and the (n-6) series of docosapentaenoic acid, which process comprises culturing the Schizochytrium genus SR21 strain (FERM BP-5034), which has the ability to produce a fat composition containing at least 15% by weight of the (n-3) series of docosahexaenoic acid, at least 5% by weight of the (n-6) series of docosapentaenoic acid, and at most 2% and greater than zero percent by weight of the (n-3) series of eicosapentanoic acid per total fatty acids in the fat composition, in the medium and recovering said fat composition from the culture.
A process for preparing a fat composition containing the (n-3) series of docosahexaenoic acid and the (n-6) series of docosapentaenoic acid, which process comprises culturing a microorganism which is of a strain which belongs to the same species as that of the Schizochytrium genus SR21 strain (FERM BP-5034), which has the ability to produce a fat composition containing at least 15% by weight of the (n-3) series of docosahexaenoic acid, at least 5% by weight of the (n-6) series of docosapentaenoic acid and at most 2% and greater than 0% by weight of the (n-3) series of eicosapentaenoic acid, per total fatty acids in said fat composition, in a medium and recovering said fat composition from the culture.
A process for preparing a fat composition containing the (n-3) series of docosahexaenoic acid and the (n-6) series of docosapentaenoic acid, which process comprises culturing a microorganism which is of a strain which belongs to the same species as that of the Schizochytrium genus SR21 strain (FERM BP-5034), which has the ability to produce a fat composition containing at least 15% by weight of the (n-3) series of docosahexaenoic acid, at least 4% by weight of the (n-6) series of docosapentaenoic acid and at most 0.5% and greater than 0% by weight of the (n-3) series of eicosapentaenoic acid, per total fatty acids in said fat composition, in a medium and recovering said fat composition from the culture.
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