Lipid compositions of 7 species (10 strains) of the genus Pichia, methanol-utilizing yeast were determined and found to be 3.4 to 10.4 percent lipid in dry cells. Cellular fatty acids were predominantly oleic and linoleic acids. The yeast strains were those containing either several or only a few percent α-linolenic acid in cellular lipid. Dry cells of Pichia minuta contained more than 10 percent α-linolenic acid distributed in phospholipid more than in simple lipids and glycolipids.
For growing strains, the most suitable methanol content in the medium was 1 percent and optimum incubation temperature, 25°C. Lower temperature increased α-linolenic acid content in cellular lipid.