Yarrowia lipolytica is a nonpathogenic dimorphic aerobic yeast that stands out due to its ability to grow in hydrophobic environments. This property allowed this yeast to develop an ability to metabolize triglycerides and fatty acids as carbon sources. This feature enables using this species in the bioremediation of environments contaminated with oil spill. In addition, Y. lipolytica has been calling the interest of researchers due to its huge biotechnological potential, associated with the production of several types of metabolites, such as bio-surfactants, γ-decalactone, citric acid, and intracellular lipids and lipase. The production of a metabolite rather than another is influenced by the growing conditions to which Y. lipolytica is subjected. The choice of carbon and nitrogen sources to be used, as well as their concentrations in the growth medium, and the careful determination of fermentation parameters, pH, temperature, and agitation (oxygenation), are essential for efficient metabolites production. This review discusses the biotechnological potential of Y. lipolytica and the best growing conditions for production of some metabolites of biotechnological interest.

Fifty-nine lipase-producing fungal strains were isolated from Brazilian savanna soil by employing enrichment culture tecniques. An agar plate medium containing bile salts and olive oil emulsion was employed for isolating and growing fungi in primary screening assay. Twenty-one strains were selected by the ratio of the lipolytic halo radius and the colonies radius. Eleven strains were considered good producers under conditions of submerged liquid fermentation (shaken cultures) and solid-state fermentation. The most productive strain, identified as Colletotrichum gloesporioides, produced 27,700 U/l of lipase under optimized conditions and the crude lipase preparation was capable of hydrolysing a broad range of substrates including lard, natural oils and tributyrin.

Sour cassava starch (Polvilho azedo) is obtained from a spontaneous fermentation conducted by microorganisms from raw materials and fermentation tanks. This product is traditionally used in the baking industry for the manufacture of biscuits and Brazilian cheese breads. However, the end of fermentation is evaluated empirically, and the process occurs without standardization, which results in products of inconsistent quality. Predominant microbiota from a cassava flour manufacturer was isolated in order to select starter cultures for the production of sour cassava starch in a pilot-scale fermentation process. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were isolated, enumerated and grouped by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism, and PCR fingerprinting, respectively. One isolate of each molecular profile was identified by sequencing of the rRNA gene. LAB were prevalent throughout the entire process. Lactobacillus brevis (21.5%), which produced the highest values of acidity, and Lactobacillus plantarum (13.9%) were among the most frequent species. Pichia scutulata (52.2%) was the prevalent yeast and showed amylolytic activity. The aforementioned species were tested as single and mixed starter cultures in a pilot-scale fermentation process for 28 days. L. plantarum exhibited better performance as a starter culture, which suggests its potential for the production of sour cassava starch.

Hydrolysis of vegetable oils (Olive, corn, peanut, sesame, flaxseed, soy, canola, garlic, sunflower, almond, castor bean oils) and beef marrow bone oil by lipase was studied. The enzyme was capable of generating free fatty acids from all oils tested. The higher hydrolytic activity of the enzyme was towards olive (18.0 IU) and soybean (17.8 IU) oils. The average percentage of essential fatty acids generated from hydrolysis of the oils was 32.92% of omega 9 (as oleic acid C18:1), 26.24% of omega 6 (linoleic C18:2), and 5.86% of omega 3 (such as α-linolenic acid C18:3). Comparison between chromatographic profile of the oils and its enzymatic hydrolysate showed a good equivalence, stressing the applicability of these vegetable substrates under the action of lipase from produce essential fatty acids, being more efficient production of α-linolenic acid from flaxseed oil, linoleic acid from sunflower oil, and oleic acid from olive.

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was evaluated for its capacity to produce extracellular lipase. A crude enzyme preparation obtained after 48 h of fermentation reached 742 U/L of lipolytic activity. Estimated molecular weight of proteins responsible for this activity was about 18 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE and zymogram analysis. Enzyme preparation showed optimum pH at 10 and stability at optimum temperature (37°C) for 5 h. It showed tolerance to a wide range of salts (NH 4 + , Mg +2 , Ca +2 , Mn +2 and Sn +2) and to some solvents (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, 1-butanol, acetonitrile n-heptane and n-hexane) in different concentrations. The crude enzyme preparation was applied in hydrolysis reactions on different substrates (waste cooking soybean oil, cocoa butter and palm kernel oil) reaching high yields (87.6; 80.1; 74.9%, respectively). The preparation was lyophilized and it was applied in the synthesis of pineapple flavor, by esterification with butanol and butyric acid. C. gloeosporioides lipolytic enzymes synthesized butyl butyrate with 70% yield, in experiments carried out for 24 h using 1:1 acid/alcohol molar ratio in n-heptane medium. The lyophilized preparation was also able to perform transesterification of alcohols and p-nitrophenyl palmitate in organic medium (n-hexane), showing better activity when propanol was used (5.4.10-3 U/kg.min). This study pointed the potential of alkaline lipolytic enzyme produced by C. gloeosporioides in biotechnological industry.