Construction of a new lipase- and xylanase-producing oleaginous yeast consortium capable of reactive azo dye degradation and detoxification.

A new oleaginous yeast consortium Y-BC-SH which stands for molecularly identified species Yarrowia sp., Barnettozyma californica and Sterigmatomyces halophilus was successfully constructed in this study. This multipurpose oleaginous yeast consortium was developed based on its higher ability to accumulate large amounts of lipids in the form of triacylglycerol, grow on xylose, produce lipase and xylanase and it could rapidly decolorize and degrade commonly-used textile reactive azo dyes. The specific enzyme activities of lipase, xylanase, xylan esterase, β-xylosidase, CMCase, β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase produced by Y-BC-SH were significantly higher than that of individual strains. As chemical oxygen demand reduction had occurred in the dye mixture solutions, it was evidence of their color removal and mineralization by Y-BC-SH. The significant induction of oxidoreductive enzymes by Y-BC-SH was probably due to the coordinated metabolic interactions of the individual strains. Phytotoxicity assay confirmed that metabolites generated after dye degradation by Y-BC-SH are non-toxic.