Production potential of docosahexaenoic acid by the heterotrophic marine dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii

Abstract Four strains of the heterotrophic marine dinoflagellate, Crypthecodinium cohnii were screened for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) production potential using shake flask cultures on porphyridium medium containing glucose (5 g l −1 ). Of the four strains tested , C. cohnii ATCC 30 556 had the highest specific growth rate (0.067 h −1 ), the highest biomass concentration (2.046 g l −1 ), the highest growth yield coefficient (0.499 g g −1 ), the highest DHA content (51.12% of total fatty acids and 7.79% of cell dry weight) and the highest DHA yield (159 mg l −1 ). The screening results suggest that C. cohnii ATCC 305 56 is a highly promising microalga for commercial production of DHA.