Some strains of Rhodosporidium toruloides can produce high concentrations of single cell oil. However,
this oleaginous yeast does not produce amylases. Cells of the amylase-producing yeast Saccharomycopsis
fibuligera A11-c were immobilized using polyvinyl alcohol. The immobilized yeast could produce 325 U/
ml of amylase activity within 72 h of incubation. These amylases hydrolyzed cassava starch and the
resulting product was converted into single cell oil by R. toruloides 21167. In a 2-l co-culture bioreactor, a
single cell oil yield (64.9% w/w) from a cell mass of R. toruloides 21167 (20.1 g/l) were produced from
cassava starch (6.0% w/v). Over 96% of the fatty acids produced were C16:0, C18:0, C18:1 and C18:2, useful for
conversion into biodiesel.