ABSTRACT
The effects of pretreatment methods of Jerusalem artichoke tubers on microbial lipids fermentation with an oleaginous yeast strain Rhodosporidium toruloides Y4 were investigated in shaking flask culture.The yeast strain accumulated substantial amount of lipids using either purple-or white-skinned Jerusalem artichoke tubers as sole carbon and energy source.When cells were cultured on the extracted juice or the acidhydrolysate,cellular lipid content reached 40%(w/w),while cultured on the pulp,the white-skinned tubershadhigher lipid productivity,yielding 12.1 g lipids per100 g dried tubers.Major fatty acid constituents of microbial lipids were those contained 16-and 18-carbon atoms based on GC analysis,which is quite similar to traditional vegetable oil.Microbial lipids prepared from Jerusalem artichoke can be applied to biodiesel production.