A novel single-step microbial transformation process for the efficient production of carthamidin and isocarthamidin from naringenin by yeast Rhodotorula marina in an aerated bioreactor was described. The biotransformation led to the total product concentration of 233 mg/l. The highest conversion efficiency observed for carthamidin was 0.31 mg/mg of naringenin and for isocarthamidin 0.47 mg/mg o...

Rhodotorula glutinis ATCC 204091 is an oleaginous oxidative red yeast that can accumulate lipids to >50% of its biomass when grown with appropriate carbon and nitrogen ratios. It produces a red pigment consisting of useful antioxidants, such as carotenoids, torulene, and torularhodin, when cultivated under carbon-deficient conditions.

Maximum lipid production (66% w/w dry wt) inRhodotorula glutinis IIP-30 utilizing glucose in a fed-batch fermentation under N-limiting conditions at 30°C, was at pH 4. At pH 3, 5 and 6, the lipid contents were 12%, 48% and 44%, respectively. There was only a small change in the fatty acid profile over the pH range examined, although the ergosterol content decreased by a third as the pH increased.

The cell-free isobutene-forming system of Rhodotorula minuta IFO 1102 was prepared. This system consisted of isovaleric acid, NADPH, and a cell extract. The maximal activity obtained by using the described cell-free system was 17 nl/mg of protein per h. It appears that this cell-free isobutene-forming system operates in living cells of R. minuta.