Molecular identification and lipolytic potential of filamentous fungi isolated from residual cooking oil

Abstract

Filamentous fungi, microorganisms that develop and are located in different habitats, are considered important producers of enzymes and metabolites with potential for the biotechnology industry. The objective of this work was to isolate and identify filamentous fungi that grow in used oil. Two fungal species were characterised through their morphology and molecular identification. The DNA of each extracted strain was amplified by PCR using primers ITS1 and ITS4, obtaining sequences that were later in GenBank (NCBI). A white coloured strain (HB) with a cottony, white, hyaline morphology and irregular borders was observed; so too, a brown colony (HC) with a sandy surface, a well-defined border of beige colour in early growth until it became a dark brown colour. The identity result by homology of the sequences in the BLASTn database was 100% and 99.55%, indicating that they correspond to Cladosporium tenuissimum and Fomitopsis meliae, respectively. Finally, the results in lipolytic activity show greater potential for Fomitopsis meliae with 0.61 U/l in residual oil. Thus, it is important to highlight the potential of this type of waste to favour the prospection of microorganisms for a sustainable alternative for future studies of biological conversion.