Yarrowia

For a while the genus was monotypic, containing the single species Yarrowia lipolytica, a yeast that can use unusual carbon sources, such as hydrocarbons.

[4][5][6] In January 2019, Yarrowia lipolytica yeast biomass was defined by the European Food Safety Authority as a safe novel food – dried and heat‐killed – with the underlying qualifications that it is widespread in nature, present in the typical environment, may be used as food for people over age 3 (3 grams per day for children under age 10, and 6 grams per day for teens and adults), and may be manufactured as a dietary supplement.

[7] Yarrowia lipolytica has been isolated from various locations (e.g. milled corn fiber tailings or Paris sewers[8]).

For example, genetic engineering and process optimization allow it to produce high amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

The genome of Y. lipolytica consists of around 20.5 Mbp (mega base pairs), encodes for over 7000 genes and is distributed on six chromosomes (named A to F) and the mitochondrial DNA (M).