DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The microorganisms belonging to the genus Conidiobolus and capable of producing bis-homo-.
gamma.
-linolenic acid and/or arachidonic acid may include, for instance, Conidiobolus heterosporus ATCC 12941, Conidiobolus globuliferus CBS 218/64 and Conidiobolus nanodes CBS 183/62 (CBS depository is Centraalbureau Voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn, the Netherlands).
The media used for culturing the aforesaid microorganisms according to the first aspect of the present invention may contain carbon sources, nitrogen sources, inorganic salts and so on.
As the carbon sources, use may be made of carbohydrates such as glucose, starch and blackstrap molasses as well as unsaturated fatty acids which may be used alone or in combination with such substances.
The nitrogen sources should preferably contain organic nitrogen, and may be exemplified by yeast extracts, peptone, malt extracts and corn steep liquor by way of example alone.
The inorganic salts used may include magnesium salts (e.
g.
, MgSO.
sub.
4.
7H.
sub.
2 O), potassium phosphate (KH.
sub.
2 PO.
sub.
4), iron salts (FeSO.
sub.
4.
7H.
sub.
2 O), zinc salts (ZnSO.
sub.
4) and so on.
If required, trace elements and nutrient sources suitable for the growth of microorganisms may be additionally supplied.
The amount of the carbon source to be added may suitably be in a range of 2 to 5% by volume of the medium.
Usually, culture may be carried out in the form of, e.
g.
, shaken culture or aeration-agitation culture on liquid media.
The culture conditions regarding temperature, time, etc.
may be such that the amount of the end lipids to be produced is increased with the nature of the microorganisms, etc.
in mind.
Usually, culture is carried out at 15.
degree.
to 40.
degree.
C.
, preferably 20.
degree.
to 30.
degree.
C.
for 2 to 7 days, preferably 3 to 5 days.
In order to increase the amount of the end lipids to be produced, it is essentially required in the present invention that the microorganisms be cultured on the aforesaid media by supplying thereto an unsaturated fatty acid as an additional carbon source in the course of culture
|
Liquid Purification 
